Chirey, like other Chinese brands, has had a spare parts center in Mexico, located in Tultitlán, State of Mexico, since July 2022. Although the most in-demand components are available in this warehouse, there are some very specific components, such as motors, electrical parts and lithium batteries, which are being demanded by those clients who have been involved in accidents. However, its importation faces several challenges.
Why do Chinese spare parts take to arrive?
Ricardo Arvizu, product manager of Chirey, one of the Chinese brands present in the Mexican market, explained that the main obstacle faced by manufacturers and importers of Chinese vehicles in Mexico is the bureaucracy that surrounds the import of this type of spare parts.
Some plastic and textile parts, which are not related to electrical components, can be imported relatively easily following labeling rules. However, when it comes to engine parts or metals in contact with CO2 gases, complications arise due to the need to present specific certificates from entities such as the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) and the Ministry of Economy (SE ), to ensure that they do not emit lead or melt when heated.
A similar problem exists with electrical components, such as USB cables, lithium batteries and radio frequency devices, which must comply with regulations related to the transfer of electricity and the emission of electrical pulses.
Arvizu explained that The time it takes to carry out these procedures has increased due to the upcoming change of government. Although the change of administration is several months away, there are already several positions in government offices that have become vacant because officials have decided to apply for other positions. “It has happened to us that the person who signed the necessary permits for the import of parts is no longer in office and that delays all the paperwork to request spare parts from China,” he says.
Manufacturers face a dilemma: wait until all documents are in order before placing orders or risk importing parts in the hope that the paperwork will be resolved in time? But if the shipment arrives before the authorization procedures are resolved, the pieces would remain in a “controlled warehouse” status, which means paying surcharges until they can be released. In most cases, they make the decision to delay imports until they have the paperwork ready.
This problem is even more challenging for Chinese brands that have experienced rapid growth in the Mexican market. When they started selling 100 or 200 cars a month, delays in repairs were not as noticeable, and they could respond more quickly to owners’ requests. However, as sales increased to 3,000 cars per month, special cases and parts needs multiplied.
What previously represented 10% of cases translated into a large number of vehicles waiting for spare parts. The result was a substantial increase in wait times for drivers and growing dissatisfaction in the market.
“That 10% of special cases are no longer three cars, they are 300. So there is starting to be a lot of noise and that is what is affecting us,” says Arvizu.