VIEW FROM THE TOP
PROMOTING THE CONSTRUCTION BENEFITS OF DRYWALL ALEJANDRO AGUIRRE Commercial Director of Panel Rey
Q: What are the main benefits of drywall in construction and
Q: How are you improving the services your company offers
how do you overcome the cultural resistance in Mexico?
to the infrastructure industry?
A: People in Latin America are not used to the drywall in
A: We will open a plant in Ciudad Juarez by the end of 2017
their home. The first thing many people do before purchasing
to better supply the western side of Mexico and the US. We
a home is knock on the wall to test out the sturdiness and
plan to build more plants and we are constantly evaluating
they are not used to hollow sounds on the walls. We focus on
locations that have potential.
teaching people the benefits of drywall in terms of insulation, construction speed, sound barrier and control and remodeling,
The drywall markets in the US and Mexico have different
taking it step by step. Our drywall is more competitive in
patterns. The US tends to promote more DIY projects and
comparison to traditional systems that require the use of
drywall is sold almost as commonly as tortillas are in Mexico.
additional insulation. The product may have a higher initial
Fortunately, our products are beginning to gain more
cost but it reaps many long-term benefits. Construction
acceptance in the market here. DIY television programs are
companies like the material because it helps them complete
starting to influence our country. Our participation in the
projects faster.
US market is still small but we are the leaders in Mexico and Latin America.
Our systems are ideal for areas prone to high temperatures and for cities in the desert, which tend to be quite cold in
Our building system provides a solution in the construction
the winter and hot in the summer. Families that live in these
industry through which companies can complete their
regions, such as Hermosillo and Monterrey, often find that
projects in less time and with higher quality than with regular
their homes register high temperatures in the evening. It
construction methods. By doing this, the return on investment
often takes hours for the temperature to cool down even
is obtained faster with our system, giving the clients the
with the use of air conditioners. On the other hand, our
opportunity to rent or sell the property quicker.
drywall can greatly reduce these costs by maintaining inner temperatures at a lower level. If the temperature outside
Our biggest successes have been with commercial
is 40°C, the inside of the house can retain its coolness for
projects but we are starting to grow in the residential
a long period of time with drywall. This can help improve
market, which has proven to be more difficult to enter
the quality of lives of many people in the region. The cost
due to our cultural background. That being said, that
of energy will continue to rise and people are looking for
is changing rapidly. Panel Rey’s goal is to increase its
ways to consume less.
participation in both North American countries and to expand into South America to boost the company’s
Q: What logistical challenges does your company face in
global share. Architects are an important entry point for
terms of distribution?
us. Building companies listen to what architects say and
A: Transportation is key to our business, and we believe
we meet often with them to highlight the benefits of
that Mexico and Latin America needs to invest in better
our products. We also listen to their needs and adapt
infrastructure to allow goods to move faster and cheaper. The
our products accordingly. This strengthens our areas of
railroad is definitely a solution, but not the only one. Ports
opportunities in the country.
and highways also need to be improved. We fulfill our final customers’ needs by having a full range of distributors so that the product can be delivered on time and in the quantities
Panel Rey, a Mexican company, specializes in integrated
needed by them. Our distributors play a key role in our
construction services and products in residential, institutional,
commercial strategy, and we work hand in hand with them
industrial and commercial. It offers specialized products such
to service the needs of construction companies anywhere.
as drywall, structural studs and tools
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