Acros
2011-12-08
Acros – a Mexican company producing refrigerators which are popular in South and Central America. One of the primary reasons for the popularity of the refrigeration from Acros is its conformance to the global technological, environmental and energy saving standards. However, not all residents of Central and South America are aware of quality standards listed above. If you ask the Mexican why he or she buys a refrigerator made by the firm ‘Acros’, the answer will be: "My parents have trusted, and I trust too." Mexico of the early 20th century was a backward country in comparison with its neighbor- the United States of America. If the industrialization was a tremendous pace in the U.S. in the first quarter of the 20th century, Mexico largely was an agrarian country. But everything has changed by the early of the World War II. A serious threat of attacks from the Italian and Japanese submarines came into being before the Mexican government. Property of the North American and British oil and steel companies was nationalized by the order of the president - Lazaro Cardenas. First factories were focused on the production of weapons and quickly erected during the first years of the war in Mexico. But until 1943 it becomes clear that the war will end. The socialist government of Mexico ordered to reorganize some factories for the output of civilian. The Concern ‘L?nea Blanca’ became the first manufacturer of household appliances in the Mexican history. The main task of the new Concern was the production of various household appliances, which would be able to meet the needs of Mexican citizens. But significant problems in the production did not allow ‘L?nea Blanca’ to survive long. A huge enterprise involving several factories throughout Mexico City had been divided into several separate companies, being managed by the Socialist Party of Mexico, by mid-1945. Aceros Esmaltados, SA, which is later renamed Acros, became one of the newly established enterprises. The company management consisted of the top managers of the former Concern ‘L?nea Blanca’. The first meeting of the Board of Directors decided to send nearly 70% of products to the bloodless by war Europe, and the remaining 30% was distributed among Mexicans. Aceros Esmaltados, SA supplied Europe, mainly, with cookers, which along with Brazilian cook stoves from ‘Dako’ enjoyed a great popularity among Europeans. Both cheap raw materials received by Mexico after the revolution and a low-paid manforce resulted in the 10, 000, 000 dollars of export of cookers to Europe during the first postwar decade (a huge amount in those days). High profits allowed the company to open several new production lines. The Company Aceros Esmaltados, SA of 60s produced stoves, washing machines and dishwashers, food processors, microwave ovens, which had a great demand throughout Central America. In the early 60s the company, being requested by the Mexican government, took a step that eventually brought the company a leadership in the national market of household appliances: prices for household appliances were made down to the level of the prime cost. On the one hand this step had positive results - the brand Aceros became known far beyond Mexico. On the other hand – a decrease in the product quality was expected. As a result, some commercial companies having bought equipment from Aceros, terminated contracts with Aceros Esmaltados, SA. There were some foreign partners among them – concerns: Whirlpool, Maytag and KitchenAid. The Executive Board abandoned the disastrous policy and adopted new solutions in 1962: to divide the manufacturing into the production of "popular" home appliances and high quality appliances of a business class. The company of 60s fully disbanded the staff of engineers and manpower and hired new employees having excellent knowledge of the latest technologies. The top managers of the company informed its partners that the production of the low quality equipment became an outgoing period in the development of Aceros Esmaltados, SA. Technologies of ‘Aceros’ took the first place in the whole range of parameters: price, design, quality and new technologies at the fair of home appliances held in Mexico City in 1968. But the real success of the company came in the early 70s, when the production of refrigerators began. Some Mexican buyers could previously buy imported refrigerators but now practically every resident of Mexico could buy a refrigerator from Aceros. By the end of 70s the company had decided to change the name of Aceros into Acros - and this name is known to every Mexican now. By the mid-80s the company Aceros Esmaltados, SA had been found in the state ownership. However, a number of liberal reforms, undertaken by the government, allowed foreign companies to buy a part of assets of the domestic companies. The Vitro Industry Group bought a control block of shares of Aceros Esmaltados, SA. A small portion of assets owned by the U.S. group of Vitro Whirlpool, which for 16 years (until 2002) had gradually redeemed assets of Aceros Esmaltados, SA, until it became the full owner of the brand ‘Acros’. Today, refrigerators from Acros are represented by two major series – two-door refrigerators with overhead freezers and refrigerator chambers with internal freezers. Each series involves of more than 10 models that differ in size and functional features. The vast network of service centers throughout Central America has made the brand ‘Acros’ available to service virtually in any city. The popularity of refrigerators from Acros is confirmed by the Mexican saying: "A new family starts from Acros».