Mexican Plant Is Rolling, Superior Industries Says

Superior Industries International Inc., a Van Nuys-based supplier of aluminum wheels to the automotive industry, said it has made the first delivery of wheels from its new production plant in Chihuahua, Mexico.

Louis L. Borick, the company’s president and chairman, said the first shipment from the plant was sent via truck about July 1 to a Ford Motor Co. plant near Mexico City. Borick said a second shipment to a Chrysler plant in Mexico is expected this week.

The company operates six wheel production plants, one in Van Nuys, four elsewhere in the United States and the newest one in Mexico. Borick said the 260,000-square-foot, $35-million facility began preliminary production in January and started regular production in April.

The company expects to initially produce about 600,000 wheels annually at the Chihuahua plant. Once additional equipment is added by early 1995, the plant will be able to produce more than 1 million wheels a year and employ up to 400 people, the company said.