Gregorio Ramirez Gonzalez was a Mexican-born entrepreneur. He was born in Sabinas Hidalgo, Nuevo León, Mexico on March 30, 1913 and died on the 4th of February 2002 in Monterrey, Mexico. He was born into a poor family whose main income came from a small town store owned by his father. He never ended his studies at 5th grade. He decided to move to Monterrey leaving his family back in Sabinas, Hidalgo to work at his uncle’s restaurant. He married Maria Jauregui and procreated 5 children. Juan Gregorio, Guillermina, Clara, Gloria, Rosa. After he got married he began working at an automobile dealership to gain more money. After a couple of years working at the dealership he met some costumers that wanted some trucks and from there on he began learning about trucks and busses.
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In 1946 he started a small trailer shop in San Nicolás de los Garza, Nuevo León, which then became the huge Grupo Industrial Ramirez, leader in the Mexican automotive industry. With companies like IASA, IMMSA, Autobuses Sultana, Trailers y Tractocamiones Ramirez, GIR.SA. They became leaders in their area participating in joint ventures with Nissan, Ford, General Motors, White GMC, Nissan Forklifts, SAME tractors, etc.[1]
He also brought to the North American Continent the German automotive group, Borgward in 1967. They brought the whole German plant and set up shop in Monterrey, Mexico. The plant closed in 1970. Not before making the only mexican car in history until recently. [2]
He also went into the bank business creating Banco Monterey, which its slogan was “Tu Banco Amigo”, meaning “your friendly bank”. The government took the bank away from him. President Jose Lopez Portillo y Pacheco announced the nationalization of the country’s banks.
Grupo Industrial Ramirez or GIR. S.A. was established as the first Mexican automotive company. They started by producing trucks from bits and pieces of other trucks that came from the USA during World War II.
After a few prosperous years, they started to develop their products from their own research and development. Well known trucks were the R19, R20, R22.
They also produced the well known Rural Ramirez, an SUV and Pickup truck based on a model by International, which is still collected by some people in Mexico.
After his death, his son Juan Gregorio took charge of the company and dealt with some difficult times. After the crisis of 2009, some of the companies that were under his command were declared bankrupt. Having to close some companies and businesses like Autobuses Sultana and Trailers Ramirez, Juan Gregorio took charge controlled DIARSA, IASA and some others as well. Juan Gregorio also made a deal with SHWING to begin production of cement trucks and pumps in 2009.
Gregorio Ramirez Gonzalez was given honors numerous times, as an outstanding citizen for Nuevo León, his home town Sabinas Hidalgo, as an entrepreneur, as a club member of the Rotary Club, and being part of a select group of important and influential Mexicans of his time.