SL Corporation, South Korea’s leading automotive lighting and exterior parts supplier, has opened a new plant in Mexico to strengthen its position in the North American market.
The move aligns with Hyundai Motor Group’s local production expansion and aims to enhance supply chain stability and comply with regional trade rules.
According to the Secretariat of Economic Development of San Luis Potosí on June 23, SL recently completed construction of its new factory in the Logistik II industrial park in Villa de Reyes.
The company plans to begin operations soon. Total investment amounts to $45 million, with approximately 500 new local jobs expected to be created.
Built on a 22-acre site, the plant features 12 production lines capable of manufacturing up to 1 million headlamp modules annually.
SL supplies lighting systems to global automakers including Hyundai, Kia, General Motors (GM), and BMW. The company targets $144 million in annual revenue by 2030 from the new facility.
The plant will also supply SL’s U.S. subsidiary, SL America, while helping the company meet the USMCA’s rules of origin for automotive components.
SL established its Mexican subsidiary in March 2023 and completed construction in just over a year, with full-scale mass production set to begin shortly.
The decision reflects proactive investment in response to growing demand from North American automakers and the need for improved cost competitiveness. Hyundai’s increasing production at its Metaplant in Georgia and facilities in Alabama and Georgia further highlights the importance of SL as a stable supplier in the region.
SL is Hyundai Motor Group’s largest headlamp supplier, with North America accounting for 35% of the company’s total sales.
It currently supplies parts for key GM models such as the Malibu and Terrain, and is expected to increase its supply volume in step with Hyundai, Kia, and GM’s future production plans in the U.S.
San Luis Potosí officials said, “SL’s investment represents a significant advancement in the diversification and modernization of Mexico’s automotive industry.
It also reaffirms international confidence in Mexico and strengthens the country’s position as a top destination for foreign investment.”
Founded in 1954 as Samlip Motor Works, SL became a key automotive lighting supplier after exclusively providing headlamps for Hyundai’s first independently developed model, the Pony, in 1976. Today, SL manufactures headlamps, rear lamps, side mirrors, and other exterior components for major global OEMs.
Its subsidiaries include SL Mirrortech, a mirror specialist, and SL Lighting, which was recently integrated through a merger to unify its lighting business capabilities.
