Jose Luis Hernandez Estrada

Over 30 years of leadership experience in the automotive industry and mass production processes as General Manager and Technical Director. Senior operations executive with more than 30 years of experience in Tier 1 TIRE INDUSTRY. Industrial engineering and an MBA in administration and finance, allowing me to combine strategic vision with operational execution.

Throughout my career, I have worked with international companies such as Bridgestone Firestone (Tire company) for 24 years, Yamada Electric (Personal care, Injection molding and Integrated Applications for Devices) for 4 years and MAPED (Injection, Extrusion and Assembly Processes) for 3.5 years, reporting operational results to corporate headquarters in the United States, Japan, France, and China. Solid track record implementing continuous improvement initiatives that deliver cost reductions, productivity gains, and higher customer satisfaction through methodologies such as Lean Manufacturing, Kaizen, Six Sigma, and TPM. Led and delivered training programs for Bridgestone LATAM manufacturing plants for more than 7 years, strengthening operational excellence, process standardization, and team capabilities across the region.

Results-driven leader with extensive experience leading and motivating high-performance cross-functional teams to achieve long-term strategic objectives while consistently improving P&L and EBITDA performance.

Industrial Director – Operations - Maped Mexico - Morelos

(2022-01 - 2026-12)

Responsible for engineering, R&D, quality, purchasing, CAPEX, safety & environmental, mechatronics & automation area, mold shop, and production areas. Drove continuous improvement in industrial processes to achieve and exceed profitability targets. Led plant automation initiatives focused on enhancing safety, quality, cost efficiency, and productivity.

Responsible for strengthening plant automation, leading industrial transformation initiatives, capacity expansions, and integration of new technologies into manufacturing processes. Promote automation, digitalization, and process innovation to maintain competitive advantage. Full responsibility for CAPEX planning and execution.

Successfully led major expansions and production transfers between China and Mexico. Lead industrial transformation, expansion plant and capacity increases, introducing new technologies into processes.

• Strengthened employee engagement and continuous improvement culture by applying the 5 Whys and DMAIC methodology with key production operators.
• Coordinate new product introductions, related investments, and integration into manufacturing processes. Lead cross-functional teams in research, development, and launch of innovative materials and products.
• Implement new operational controls to improve decision-making.
• Ensure plant safety and environmental conditions.
• Introduce new technologies, automation, and concurrent engineering between Mexico and subsidiaries.
• Collaborate closely with marketing to deploy a 3-year product development roadmap aligned with R&D and business strategy.

Plant Manager - Yamada-Vistamex - Guanajuato

(2017-01 - 2021-12)

Responsible for all Mexico operations. Extensive experience managing business performance through P&L, including pricing, financial reporting, operational metrics KPI's, variance analysis, and labor reporting. Legal representative for governmental agreements and commitments.

Utilize business intelligence tools to manage and improve operations. Use marketing and sales data for decision-making and business planning. Identify and leverage multiple revenue drivers beyond occupancy levels, such as pricing strategies, inventory management, and service levels.

Conduct monthly P&L reviews with corporate and accounting teams.

• Improving P&L and cash flow by 10%.
• Reduced inventory from $3.2M USD to $1.7M USD.
• Achieved consistent results: 100% customer delivery, 98.5% sales vs. budget, 98% indirect expenses vs. budget.
• Oversaw implementation of new projects and transfer of assembly lines to and from Brazil, Poland, and China, onboarding up to two new customers per year.
• Implemented SPIRIT continuous improvement methodology, increasing capacity and productivity while reducing costs, achieving 6% annual savings.
• Strengthened corporate image through collaboration with customers, authorities, community organizations, and employees, promoting ethical business practices.

Industrial Engineering & Production Control Manager - Bridgestone Mexico - Morelos

(1995-01 - 2017-12)

Knowledge of the tire manufacturing process from raw material reception, rubber mixing, extrusion, calendaring, material processing.

MBA - Administration and Finance

Bachelor - Industrial Engineering