Copreci to open a factory in the USA

The cooperative Copreci, headquartered in Aretxabaleta (Gipuzkoa), is set to commission its first plant in the US this year, in response to a request made by some of its customers. The site chosen for the launch of its industrial operations in North America is the city of Little Rock, the state capital of Arkansas. The decision over this deployment is not a recent one, as it was made even before Donald Trump was elected president, with his widely publicised protectionist approach encapsulated in the promise “America first”.

US market leader

Based in Little Rock (US southeast) Copreci will have access to the east and centre of the country, where it already has a market share of 90% in the sector of household cooking appliances. This project will be up and running in the second half of 2017, initially as an equipment warehouse, then as an assembly plant for the components Copreci exports to the US, and ultimately for the manufacture of parts for Electrolux and Whirlpool, among others. Nevertheless, the project may be subject to a number of modifications, especially in response to possible changes introduced by the Trump presidency.

International calling

With over half a century of industrial operations, this cooperative from Gipuzkoa opened its first overseas factory 28 years ago, in Mexico. It also has two plants in China, where it has been operating for over ten years. Its manufacturing network abroad also extends to Czechia, Turkey and Italy. The cooperative recorded a turnover of 210 million euros last year. The home plant in Aretxabaleta, the group’s biggest and recently enlarged, contributed 53% of sales. It has another site in Altsasu/Alsasua (Navarre), which accounts for 2% of the group’s consolidated income.

Mexico represents 13% of Copreci’s overall business, with Czechia and Turkey recording 12% and 10%, respectively. China contributes 6% of its turnover, although the opening last year of a second plant to better cater for a country the size of a continent will improve this share.

The workforce at Copreci, which is a global leader in the gas cooking sector, is made up of 1,970 people, 670 of whom work in Aretxabaleta.