An Overview of the Mexican Industrial Electrochemistry

Abstract. This study provides an in-depth analysis of the electrochemical industry in Mexico by examining the geographic distribution of the companies, the economic sectors they belong to, the products they manufacture, and the electrochemical processes they utilize. The data were collected from 805 Mexican manufacturing companies in the electrochemical industry and analyzed using data mining techniques, revealing that Mexico's electrochemical industry is concentrated in regions with high economic development, such as Mexico City, Monterrey, and Guadalajara, which are also traditional suppliers of the automotive industry. Furthermore, 91.2 % of the industry is focused on the electrodeposition process, with zinc coatings and nickel being the most commonly produced products. The metal-mechanical sector is the most dominant economic sector, accounting for 89 % of the companies. In addition, this study highlights the potential for collaboration between the industry and academia, as there are numerous research groups and institutions throughout the country dedicated to electrochemistry research and development. Despite this, the industry has yet to fully integrate academic knowledge and expertise to address industry problems. Overall, the manufacturing sector in Mexico is diverse, with the electrochemical industry continuing to provide employment opportunities for thousands of people but there is room for growth and development in advanced electrochemical technologies beyond traditional galvanization processes. Resumen. Este trabajo presenta un análisis detallado del sector electroquímico en México, proporcionando información sobre las regiones con mayor desarrollo en tecnologías electroquímicas, los sectores económicos en los que se desempeñan las empresas, los productos que comercializan y los procesos electroquímicos utilizados en su fabricación. Los resultados obtenidos demuestran que, aunque la galvanización representa el 80 % de las empresas electroquímicas, existe una pequeña parte que utiliza tecnologías avanzadas. Asimismo, se ha identificado que la mayoría de las empresas se ubican en regiones con alto desarrollo económico, con una tradición en el uso de la electroquímica y donde las empresas son parte de los proveedores de la industria automotriz. Además, se ha identificado que la academia ha florecido en este campo, con numerosos grupos de investigación e instituciones dedicadas a la investigación y el desarrollo en electroquímica en todo el país. Este estudio resalta la importancia de la colaboración entre la industria y la academia para impulsar el desarrollo de la industria electroquímica en México.