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Industrial News Report WEEKLY LATEST NEWS IN MEXICO
OCTOBER 1, 2026
NEWS BY STATE NEW INVESTMENTS US MEXICO RELATIONSHIP LEGISLATIVE UPDATES PRODENSA INSIGHTS
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US - MEXICO NEWS
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US-MEXICO NEWS
USMCA TRADE TALKS Mexico and the United States postponed the fourth USMCA joint-review round, planned for late September in Washington, to make room for President Xi Jinping’s U.S. visit and the G20 trade ministerial in Milwaukee on September 30–October 1. Undersecretary Luis Rosendo Gutiérrez said daily work with USTR and Commerce continues and a new date is likely in October. After Washington declined to a 16- year renewal in July, the pact is now on annual reviews. USTR Jamieson Greer called Mexico a “quite pragmatic” partner that keeps talks private and has already delivered changes, including the Aluminum Trade Monitor (MoCAL-MX) launched September 18 with an updated steel monitor. The tools cover 42 aluminum lines and require meltand-pour origin on the customs via VUCEM. Greer warned that Chinese or Vietnamese goods processed in Mexico or Canada to claim USMCA treatment are “not a good outcome,” citing an estimated $67 billion in 2025 transshipments. Mexican steel and aluminum still face 50% Section 232 tariffs. President Sheinbaum said Mexico will buy more U.S. goods to shrink a record July U.S. goods deficit of $26.3 billion, as Mexican shipments hit $60.5 billion against $34.2 billion in U.S. exports, led by electronics and AI-related equipment. Secretary Ebrard called managing that surge a “major” challenge under Trump’s tariff pressure. SOURCE: BLOOMBERG, FORBES.
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US-MEXICO NEWS
US HEMISPHERIC SECURITY In his UN General Assembly speech, President Trump called Mexico the “epicenter” of cartel violence in Latin America and said it is “unacceptable” for the United States to share a 2,000-mile border with territory “dominated by the cartels.” He urged Mexico to “retake control of its land from the enemies of humanity,” compared traffickers to “the ISIS of the Western Hemisphere,” and said they should be treated as terrorists. He also claimed, “very large” steps with the Mexican government, which “does not want the cartels either.” White House anti-narcotics official Sara Carter later warned that if Mexico does not act, Washington “will not sit by” and will pursue politicians tied to cartels on either side of the border. On the same day, the State Department issued a Joint Statement on Defending Hemispheric Sovereignty under a “Shield of the Americas” banner. Signatories were the United States plus Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guyana, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, and Trinidad and Tobago. Mexico is not listed. The statement names 24 “narco-terrorist” groups—including CJNG, Sinaloa, Gulf, Cartel del Noreste, Nueva Familia Michoacana, Juárez, and Cárteles Unidos—and pledges asset freezes, visa bans, and criminal liability for material support. Parties also intend to request an OAS consultation under the Rio Treaty. Pillars are economic screening, security cooperation, and multilateral coordination. SOURCE: JORNADA, STATE.GOV.
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LEGISLATIVE CHANGES AND INITIATIVES FOREIGN TRADE • SECOND RESOLUTION OF MODIFICATIONS TO THE GENERAL RULES OF FOREIGN TRADE FOR 2026 AND, ANNEXES 1, 2 AND 22 — Presented by: Ministry of Finance and Public Credit — Purpose: Decree that explains how importers prove customs value, how brokers and certified firms stay in the system, and how warehouses, carriers and NOM/ sample operations are processed — Status: 2026-09-22 - Published in the Official Gazette of the Federation
LOBBYING • LAW ON OPENNESS AND TRANSPARENCY IN LOBBYING ACTIVITIES — Presented by: Rep. Ricardo Monreal Ávila (MORENA)
— Purpose: Legalize and regulate congressional lobbying by forcing lobbyists onto a public roll, logging who met whom and what changed in the bill, banning gifts and immediate revolving-door work, and fining both sides when they stay off the books. — Status: 2026-09.23 – Published in the Official Gazette of the Federation
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LEGISLATIVE CHANGES AND INITIATIVES
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION • ARTICLES 82, 116, AND 122 OF THE CONSTITUTION, REGARDING SINGLE NATIONALITY FOR HOLDING THE OFFICES OF THE FEDERAL AND LOCAL EXECUTIVE POWERS — Presented by: President Sheinbaum — Purpose: To bar dual nationals from running for or holding Mexico’s top executive jobs, President, state governor, and Mexico City head of government—unless they give up the other nationality before candidate registration, and to keep that exclusive Mexican nationality in force for the whole term. — Status: 22-09.2026, approved in the Chamber of Deputies, passed to the Senate
TRANSPORT • FEDERAL ROADS, BRIDGES, AND MOTOR TRANSPORT LAW, REGARDING ROAD SAFETY IN FEDERAL MOTOR TRANSPORT — Presented by: Sen. Juan Antonio Martín del Campo Martín del Campo (PAN) — Purpose: It is a road-safety bill to professionalize full-truck drivers, cap their hours, ban impaired driving with loss of the federal license, put forward cameras on commercial units, and tighten physical and electronic checks of weight and size on federal roads. — Status: 2026-09.23 – Published in the Official Gazette of the Federation
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NEWS BY STATE
BAJA CALIFORNIA Canacintra Tijuana and Deitac signed a cooperation agreement to strengthen Tijuana’s industrial competitiveness. It sets seven lines of work on water, energy, sanitation, industrial infrastructure and binational ties. Canacintra President Alonso Ibarra Arellano said the goal is to stop duplicated efforts and follow one shared agenda that lasts beyond any change in leadership. The priorities include water su-
pply, reuse and treatment; reliable power capacity; the Tijuana River cleanup; and infrastructure projects that attract and keep investment. Deitac President Adriana Eguía said the agreement aims for specific goals and measurable results, using specialists and working groups with authorities, universities and binational partners. The two groups also want to deepen Cali-Baja economic integration and open up more local supplier opportunities. SOURCE: INDUSTRIAL NEWS BC
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NEWS BY STATE
CHIHUAHUA Chihuahua is building international ties in sustainable industry through IURC Latin America, a European Union program that connects regions on innovation, sustainability and resilience. The state hosted delegations from Portugal, Romania and Colombia. Chihuahua co-leads the “Green and Just Transition” Community of Practice with Greater Porto/LIPOR, the Hunedoara County Council and the Valle del Cauca government. The cooperation agenda covers the circular economy, waste valorization, industrial symbiosis and decarbonization, along with sustainable investment and access to international funding. The state’s economic development ministry (SIDE) brought together government agencies, Prodech, COPARMEX Chihuahua, GCC and the Chihuahua Green Universities Network. Next, the partners will identify pilot projects, funding mechanisms and alliances that can turn this exchange into sustainable investment and industrial growth in the state. SOURCE: MEXICO INDUSTRY
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NEWS BY STATE
NUEVO LEON Nuevo León’s Labor Mission 2026 toured Australia with union leaders, business chambers, lawyers and government officials, looking for practices that could strengthen the state’s labor market. State Labor Secretary Federico Rojas Veloquio said the mission focused on modern labor regulation, workplace health and safety, ongoing training, the shift to new technology, labor inclusion and dialogue between government, workers and employers. In New South Wales, the delegation met with SafeWork NSW, Business NSW and the state’s Minister for Industrial Relations. In Melbourne, it visited the Mining and Automotive Skills Alliance to learn how Australia builds skills for industries reshaped by automation, electric vehicles and AI. Rojas Veloquio said the lessons will help improve conditions for workers and competitiveness for companies in Nuevo León. The mission continues in New Zealand to study more models of labor efficiency and modernization. SOURCE: GOVERNMENT OF NUEVO LEON
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NEWS BY STATE
COAHUILA Coahuila has launched a strategy to move its companies into higher value-added work and open new opportunities in the Texas market, from advanced supply to artificial intelligence projects. In Round Rock, north of Austin, officials from the Saltillo city government, CANACINTRA leaders and a group of Coahuila business owners met with the Round Rock Chamber, led by President and CEO Jordan Robinson. The chamber’s members include Dell, Samsung and Amazon. The delegation, which included Coahuila Economy Secretary Luis Olivares Martínez, presented the state’s industrial capabilities to promote investment, corporate expansion and deeper integration into global value chains. A key proposal was “Saltillo Valley,” which Saltillo Mayor Javier Díaz described as an effort to build a technology and AI hub. Beyond attracting investment, the strategy aims to build long-term alliances with Texas business and technology groups so local companies can grow in international markets. SOURCE: MEXICO INDUSTRY
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NEWS BY STATE
GUANAJUATO AUMOVIO presented its new identity at the Las Colinas Industrial Park in Silao, Guanajuato. The company has three production plants, distribution warehouses and a finance center in the state, which together employ more than 3,600 people directly. It makes mobility technologies and components such as ABS sensors and electronic braking systems, and has become a key player in auto manufacturing in the Bajío. Guanajuato Economy Secretary Claudia Cristina Villaseñor Aguilar, representing Governor Libia Dennise García Muñoz Ledo, said the automotive and technology sector is one of the state’s main strengths. Under its new economic policy, Guanajuato Suma, the state wants to move toward more advanced technology and value-added work and connect local companies with global value chains. Guanajuato has reached 81.96% of its six-year investment goal, with 81 projects worth more than US$6.5 billion and 20,747 committed jobs. Since 2006, it has received 69 German investment projects worth US$3.89 billion, creating 34,502 direct jobs. SOURCE: CLUSTER INDUSTRIAL
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NEWS BY STATE
QUERETARO Royal Products is preparing to open a branch in Mexico to shorten delivery times, offer better commercial terms and give manufacturers local technical support. The company has sold in Mexico through distributors for about 40 years. It expects the project to move forward around the end of 2027, depending on how its business plan develops. Marcos Sepúlveda, Royal Products’ Business Manager for Mexico, said the move responds to changes in the Mexican industrial market and the need for closer ties with end users, distributors and machinery sellers. Until now, the company has served Mexico from the United States. Its portfolio has grown from live centers and oil mist filters for CNC machines to workholding systems for lathes and machining centers, including collets, quick-change systems and precision vises for five-axis equipment. Automotive is still important, but the company sees growth in electronics, molds, medical, oil, aerospace and heavy machinery. It points in particular to aerospace in Querétaro and northern Mexico, where processes require very precise workholding. SOURCE: MEXICO INDUSTRY
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NEWS BY STATE
SAN LUIS POTOSI The Bajío Chapter of the Franco-Mexican Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI France México) held its themed event “Cheese, Bread and Wine” in San Luis Potosí. The gathering brought together executives, business owners and institutional representatives to discuss the economic outlook and explore partnerships heading into 2027. Stéphane Idier, General Director of the chapter, and Vincent Renault, the chamber’s representative in San Luis Potosí, opened the event. Presenting sponsor Actinver gave an analysis of global economic and financial indicators, interest rates, exchange rates and geopolitical factors. Its year-end estimates were an exchange rate of 17.50 pesos per dollar, a 6.50% benchmark interest rate, 1.2% GDP growth and 3.9% annual inflation. Attendees from manufacturing, logistics, corporate services and local business chambers used the networking sessions to share views on the regional business climate and lay the groundwork for future alliances in the Bajío. SOURCE: MEXICO INDUSTRY
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NEWS BY STATE
MEXICO CITY The ambassadors of Mexico, the United States and Canada met at the North Capital Forum in Mexico City, held September 27 to 29 and organized by the U.S.-Mexico Foundation, to discuss security, competitiveness and supply chains. Roberto Lazzeri, Mexico’s Ambassador to the United States, said the region’s future prosperity depends on the three countries’ ability to turn their integration into tangible opportunities for their people. He called for stronger competitiveness and more resilient supply chains while respecting each nation’s interests and sovereignty. He also noted that, for more than three decades, the three countries have formed one of the world’s most dynamic and connected economic regions. The ambassadors discussed their growing interdependence and shared challenges, including security, and said collaboration is essential to stay competitive in a changing global environment. This year’s forum focused on advancing North American economic integration through cooperation between the public and private sectors. SOURCE: EL CONGRESISTA
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INVESTMENT NEWS
NORTHERN MEXICO LEGO ANNOUNCEMENT
NIFCO
LEGO, the Danish toy manufacturer, announced on September 24 an investment of 400 million dollars to expand its plant in Nuevo Leon, already the company’s largest manufacturing facility worldwide. The project adds 62,000 square meters of industrial infrastructure, including a new packaging facility and a high capacity automated warehouse, and is expected to create 1,300 new jobs. Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Mexico Nancy Sanchez Moya said the investment will increase the company’s local supplier base by 30 percent, with more than 90 percent of inputs already sourced locally. The announcement was made as part of the Plan Mexico economic initiative.
NIFCO, the Japanese automotive components manufacturer, inaugurated on September 25 its second plant in Chihuahua, with an investment of 8.8 million dollars, after 21 years of operations in the state. The facility adds plastic injection molding, manual and automated assembly, material handling, and warehouse space to serve current and future automotive programs in the USMCA region. The project is expected to create 150 new jobs over the next five years, raising the company’s workforce in Chihuahua to 420 direct employees. State officials from the Secretariat of Innovation and Economic Development and Prodech supported the project.
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INVESTMENT NEWS
CENTRAL MEXICO
SOUTHERN MEXICO
AUTOZONE GROUNDBREAKING
MERCADO LIBRE OPENING
AutoZone, the U.S. based automotive parts retailer, broke ground on September 28 on a new 194,832 square meter distribution center in Leon, Guanajuato, with an investment of 183 million dollars. The facility, located in the Plataforma Industrial Leon Bajio, will strengthen supply capacity for the Bajio and western regions of Mexico and is expected to create approximately 600 new jobs. AutoZone has operated in the state since July 2005 and currently runs 55 stores in Guanajuato among more than 900 nationwide. Senior Vice President Domingo Hurtado said the location offered the right environment for the investment decision.
Mercado Libre inaugurated on September 28 its fifth logistics facility in Jalisco, a 100,000 square meter fulfillment center in El Salto, with an investment of 911 million pesos. The site, the company’s second in El Salto, will process more than 3,600 shipments per hour and is expected to generate more than 900 direct jobs. Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus Navarro attended the inauguration and discussed potential partnerships with technical education institutions. The project forms part of Mercado Libre’s broader 2026 national investment plan exceeding 4.6 billion dollars. SOURCES: QUADRATIN, CLUSTER INDUSTRIAL
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WHAT’S NEW IN PRODENSA?
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PRODENSA INSIGHTS
Mexico’s 40-Hour Workweek: What Changes for Employers Mexico’s transition from a 48-hour to a 40-hour workweek will reshape workforce planning for employers across the country. Beyond reducing weekly hours, companies will need to evaluate shift structures, overtime, staffing levels, labor costs, and productivity as the reform is gradually implemented. This article breaks down the proposed transition and the operational questions employers should begin addressing now to prepare their workforce strategies without disrupting production. • How the transition to 40 hours is expected to work • What employers should evaluate in staffing and overtime • How manufacturers can prepare operations for shorter workweeks
Why Chinese Automakers Are Gaining Ground So Fast in Mexico Chinese automotive brands are rapidly reshaping Mexico’s vehicle market, gaining consumer attention through competitive pricing, technology, and a growing portfolio of electric and hybrid models. Their expansion is also creating new questions around localization, supply chains, and long-term manufacturing strategies. This article explores what is driving their momentum in Mexico, the challenges that could influence future growth, and what their expanding presence could mean for the country’s automotive ecosystem. • What is driving the growth of Chinese automotive brands • How EVs, technology, and pricing are influencing the market • What this trend could mean for Mexico’s automotive industry
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