Type Private Subsidiaries DIMEX, AIRDIN Headquarters Sahagun City, Mexico | Industry Automotive Website www.dina.com.mx Founded 1951 | |
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Key people José Martín Meléndez Romero, President Parent Grupo Empresarial G, S.A Profiles | ||
DINA (Diesel Nacional, S.A. de C.V, in English National Diesel) is a Mexican automotive producer of heavy duty and specialty trucks, urban buses, armored military vehicles, and intercity buses. The company is owned by the Gómez Flores family.
Currently the company distributes its products in the US, UK, Russia, Iran, Egypt, Syria, Mexico, Nicaragua (24.3 MUSD) and other Central and South American countries. In the US and Canada the company previously sold the high-profile Dina Viaggio coaches under its former subsidiary, Motor Coach Industries, a brand with more recognition there.
History
DINA was founded as Diesel Nacional S.A in 1951 with the signing of an agreement with Fiat S.p.A. to support the manufacture of trucks and buses in Mexico.
In 1962, DINA began assembling foreign buses as well as producing medium-sized trucks using International and Cummins engines.
In 1987, a technological alliance was signed with Navistar International. Two years later DINA was acquired by the Consortium "G" Group DINA, though it continued to use Navistar engines.
In 1990, DINA merged with Marcopolo S.A.'s Paradiso bodyworks.
In 1994, the DINA Group was listed on the New York Stock Exchange and purchased shares in Motor Coach Industries. A new business arm focusing on leases was founded, and exports to South America under the brand name DIMEX began.
In 1995, in order to achieve technological independence, DINA invested $70 million in its HTQ project to upgrade the manufacturing base. With consulting advice from BMW, Design Works, and Roush Industries, it developed a new modular concept for the Class 6, 7 and 8 trucks, meeting international regulations and achieving the following objectives:
In 1997, an Argentinian division of Auto Parts DINA S.A. was founded, as well as an AIRDIN plant in the Bernal municipality of Buenos Aires, while in Mexico it launched a diverse line of buses: F11, F12 and F14 using its new HTQ technology.
In 1998 DINA, launched a new line of HTQ vehicles. They also ended the alliance with Navistar, and signed a contract with Western Star, whose order cancellation was the primary cause of DINA's subsequent economic collapse. DINA was forced to sell 6`% of its MCI shares to Joseph Littlejohn & Levy. The same year, DINA opened Mexicana de Manufacturas Especiales, SA of C.V. in Guadalajara, Jalisco. An industrial complex consisting of five plants, it produces autobodies and parts.
Since 2001, DINA has applied its proprietary HTQ manufacturing process on all of its intercity buses.
In 2008, Dina extended the use of the HTQ process on trucks and city buses as well, in order to maintain its position in the urban bus market, and ventured into dedicated work trucks as well as foreign bus segments.