Meet Josefina Borja, Packaging Sales Manager for Mexico

Josefina Borja, Packaging Sales Manager for Mexico, knows that even in business, it’s the people that matter. Relationships are paramount, perhaps even more so in Mexico where it’s common culture for business owners to place high importance on the interpersonal dynamics of those they work with. By taking the time to understand her customers, study the business climate, build relationships and network, Borja finds great success.

“There is a bond between customers and Sherwin-Williams Operations,” says Borja. “I need to be open and listen to the necessities of our customers — not only with [business] owners, but the people on the lines to understand how we can help them. We need to build the trust to build long-term relationships as a commercial partner — our sale are for years, not just one time and done.”

Borja travels a lot — including to Costa Rica, around Mexico and throughout Central America — building those personal relationships with her customers in person.

“It is very important be close to them, to listen and give solutions for their business,” she says.

Borja knows that with that trust goes beyond her as an individual — there needs to be trust in Sherwin-Williams as a company too.

“It’s important customers realize that Sherwin-Williams knows and follows the rules and policies [of their region],” she says. “We are a company that is established. We have to demonstrate that our product is better and that we value ethics and quality.”

Though her background isn’t in chemistry (common for this market), Borja’s abilities and technical understanding build her credibility, both within Sherwin-Williams and with her customers. 

“I was chosen for my abilities and was the first woman in this role — Account Manager,” she says of her first job with Valspar. “My boss broke the [so-called] rules.”

Based in Mexico, Borja leans on the global aspects of Sherwin-Williams to best serve her customers.

“We support customers with our technical support, not just locally, but from other countries,” Borja explains. “We solve situations through different ideas from different places.”

Borja doesn’t shy away from leaning on her connections throughout the Company to best serve her customers. She regularly coordinates with R&D, Regulatory, Strategic Problem Solving, the Global Technology Center and Global Supply Chain, among others.  

“When the customer asks for a solution, we have to translate their needs to our internal team to see if we already have the technology or if we have to develop something,” Borja explains. “Then, we may need to run trials, get approvals for the material and produce the product in the quantities the customer needs. We need to be sure the customer receives the products in our plants, so logistics is very important.”

By leveraging the Company’s expertise instead of just her own, Borja’s customers benefit from a deep bench of technical, coating and business knowledge.

Meanwhile, Sherwin-Williams benefits from Borja’s dedication to networking. She makes a point of staying connected with industry colleagues and potential customers through CANAFEM, a chamber of can maker experts.

“Our customers belong to the chamber, and it’s important we do too,” she says. “We receive information about trends and what is happening in specific segments, including with policies and regulations.”

An Integration for the Future

In 2024, Sherwin-Williams acquired Henkel’s Metal Packaging Coatings business to expand the Company’s manufacturing footprint, product portfolio and customer base. With a production facility in Mexico, the integration of the Henkel team into Sherwin-Williams played a big role in Borja’s last 10+ months and will continue to shape how the region conducts business.

“We became an even more important supplier for the Household Products segment in Mexico [due to Henkel],” explains Borja. “It’s an important brand in the market — really admired. It’s been important to understand each customer’s necessities and tailor a plan to their needs.”

It was important for the merged teams to find internal harmony as well:

“We had to integrate Henkel employees into our policies and culture, create synergies, to give our customers the tranquility of knowing the quality of supply material will continue as it had in the past.”

Fast forward a little less than a year, and Borja feels confident they’ve succeeded.

“I’m happy,” she says. “We’re in a good way with our colleagues [from Henkel] and our customers are confident now that they are seeing we continue to supply the quality they are used to receiving.”

JOSEFINA AT A GLANCE

Title: Sales Manager; Food, Household Products, and Tube and Monobloc; Packaging; Mexico

Time With Sherwin-Williams: 16 years

Education: Bachelor’s in industrial engineering and MBA in commercialization