The Business Year

Search
Close this search box.
Juan José Zaragoza

MEXICO - Industry

Juan José Zaragoza

President Latam, DuPont

Bio

With 25 years of experience working at DuPont, Juan José Zaragoza has held various positions and currently serves as President of DuPont Latin America. In addition to his role as president of the region, he is the commercial leader of the polymer business in Latin America, as well as leader of the mobility and materials business unit in Mexico.

DuPont is able to provide not only solutions, but also the knowledge and technology for better use of its products to its customers.

What is your vision as the new president of DuPont in Latin America?

DuPont is 219 years old and has been in Mexico for 96 years. Our vision is to make a stand for Latin America and strengthen our position in Mexico. We believe in the opportunities it holds. As a company, we are constantly changing. We have been working on innovation, new products, and transforming ourselves as a company. In 2019, we launched the new DuPont, which is focused on specialties and on advanced materials. We are targeting a niche specialization with added value. Every year, we continue to invest in innovation; it is in our DNA as a company. Safety is also extremely important to us. Throughout the pandemic, our products have been able to protect frontline healthcare workers. The issue of sustainability is part of our 2030 Agenda with the UN.

How is DuPont working on its green transition?

In Mexico, 70% of our mobility and materials business is related to the automotive industry, and we have been working on the innovation and materials required for this growing focus. However, our products, by nature, are already sustainable in an overall value chain. When we talk about electrification, we have many materials that regulate the temperature of devices such as batteries and guarantee safety. Therefore, we are working in three areas: productivity, which means lower energy consumption; temperature management, which allows for comfortable ergonomics; and lastly, long-term sustainability to emit fewer gases into the environment. Almost 38% of our sales come from that advanced mobility. We even have several programs to adapt to the requirement of self-driving vehicles. We are working hand in hand with all our clients along the entire value chain to design new systems during their development as well as in parts creation. Our other businesses are also working on becoming more sustainable. With our water and protection business for example, we are currently innovating and collaborating with the world’s best water experts to enable ecosystems of innovation to deploy vital technologies in new, market-shaping ways, we are committed to solving water challenges around the world. DuPont Water Solutions provides water filtration and purification technology to industrial operations, seaside businesses, and drought-stricken communities. Our DuPont Performance Building Solutions and Corian Design businesses provide productive, sustainable and resilient high-performance solutions for residential and commercial buildings worldwide. On our electronics and industrial business, we are pursuing new technologies and performance materials that enable smaller, more complex, more reliable, and more powerful designs. Our range of technologies includes products that are essential to advanced semiconductor packaging such as metallization chemistries, dielectrics, and imageable materials.

Is Mexico still the largest market in Latin America for DuPont, and how can you increase production capacity here?

Currently, Mexico remains our largest country in terms of events, ahead of Brazil. This is because the automotive industry plays a fundamental role in the country. Not only do we have the automotive industry, but we also have the electrical, electronics, consumer industries, and more. However, the automotive industry plays an important role, because Mexico exports heavily to the US. Beyond producing vehicles for Mexico, we also export them to the US and Canada. Brazil is also an important country for the industry. The only difference between Brazil and Mexico is that 90% of Brazil’s production is for local consumption—in Mexico, it is the opposite. In terms of investment and business, Mexico has a strong presence in North America. It is extremely important that we maintain a large global presence and not just focus on one region. We have a presence in North America, Latin America, Europe, and Asia Pacific. In addition, we provide alternatives to ensure different sources of supply, which is important. For example, currently hurricanes threaten the chemical industry—and its derivatives—in the US. When that happens, it is important to count on other sources that can supply the company.

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

You may also be interested in...

MX23_AG_SNAC_Alejandro copy

MEXICO - Agriculture

Alejandro Martínez

Interview

General Secretary, National Food and Commerce Union (SNAC)

MX24_AG_MEZFER_Luis

MEXICO - Agriculture

Luis Enrique Miranda Arredondo

Interview

Managing Director, Mezfer Crown

Screenshot 2023-09-25 at 06.31.49

MEXICO - Telecoms & IT

Ray Fletcher

Interview

CEO, Fermaca Networks

View All interviews

Countries

Countries

Become a sponsor