Can-Am Mexican Supplier up in Flames

A primary BRP/Can-Am supplier of UTVs, ATVs, and parts caught fire over the weekend in southern Juárez City, Mexico, according to media reports. KVIA-TV in El Paso, Texas, reported that some witnesses said they heard an explosion before a massive fire ripped through the manufacturing plant and the adjoining storage yards. Officials said it took firefighters more than four hours to contain the blaze that sent plumes of dark smoke hundreds of feet up into the sky. No injuries have been reported among the 1,500 workers who were evacuated, and the cause of the fire is still undergoing investigation.

This setback in production comes at a time when global supply chains have been hampered due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Dealers across the world continue to sell units they don’t yet have in hopes of manufacturers ramping up production as folks get back to work.

It is not known what the extent of the damage to the Juárez 2 building is, but photos show vast rows of outdoor storage racks ablaze. We took a screen-capture from maps.google.com showing an empty lot where this building currently stands, which means this facility must have been completed fairly recently.

While it is unknown what specific parts come from the Juárez 2 plant, BRP practices a decentralized distribution network, meaning the company gets parts from a network of suppliers around the globe. BRP has plants in the United States, Canada, Austria, and Finland, in addition to the one in Mexico. No word yet on potential production delays, but we will keep you posted as we know more.

Our thoughts go out to all involved, and everyone at Can-Am, who were already working tirelessly to keep product flowing to dealers around the globe.