Prodensa Weekly Manufacturing Report Mexico January 21, 2026
US - MEXICO
Mexico–U.S. Hold Security Call
• Following President Trump’s comments suggesting the possible deployment of U.S. military forces in Mexico to combat drug cartels, President Claudia Sheinbaum held a phone call with her U.S. counterpart on Monday.
• According to President Sheinbaum, the 15-minute conversation focused on security cooperation, recent statements on intervention, and the broader state of the bilateral relationship.
• During the call, Trump acknowledged the advances made by the Mexican government to reduce insecurity, while suggesting that further efforts could be made. The exchange appears to have temporarily lowered tensions, with both sides underscoring dialogue and coordination as the preferred channel.
SOURCE: EXCELSIOR
U.S. Supreme Court Delays Decision on Trump Tariffs
• The U.S. Supreme Court declined this week to issue a ruling on the legality of President Donald Trump’s global tariffs. While the court released several unrelated decisions, it offered no timeline for addressing the tariff case, which challenges Trump’s use of a national emergency law to justify sweeping trade measures.
• The delay prolongs uncertainty for global markets and U.S. trading partners, as the tariffs remain in force while legal questions linger.
SOURCE: REUTERS
Trump Questions USMCA as Mexico Reaffirms Commitment Ahead of 2026 Review
• U.S. President Donald Trump mentioned this week that he does not view the USMCA as necessary, calling the agreement “irrelevant”, during a visit to a Ford plant in Michigan, arguing that the United States does not need vehicles manufactured in Mexico or Canada.
• Trump’s comments contrast with earlier statements from Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who had expressed confidence that the treaty’s review would conclude positively. Speaking on Monday, Sheinbaum said that while tensions are expected in specific areas, the agreement benefits all three countries and should ultimately be preserved.
• Following Trump’s statements, Secretary of Economy Marcelo Ebrard addressed the issue during the morning press conference, confirming that the USMCA review process is already underway and expected to conclude by July 1st, 2026. Ebrard said Mexico’s main objective is to maintain the agreement largely intact, with limited adjustments focused on strengthening dispute-settlement mechanisms. He emphasized that there is broad consensus in Mexico on the strategic importance of the treaty and described its preservation as indispensable for North American competitiveness, underscoring that deep economic integration among the three partners is increasingly difficult to reverse.
SOURCE: EL UNIVERSAL, EL PAÍS
NEWS BY STATE
Baja California
DEITAC (Tijuana Economic and Industrial Development) kicked off 2026 by strengthening its international promotion strategy through its participation in the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2026 in Las Vegas, aiming to attract new investments to the region. According to its General Director, David Moreno, CES remains the world’s most important technology platform, gathering high-level decision-makers—53% of attendees are top executives, with over 300 Fortune 500 companies represented and 62% influencing purchasing decisions. During the event, DEITAC held meetings with companies interested in expanding operations in Baja California, positioning Tijuana as a competitive hub with specialized talent, strong industry-linked educational infrastructure, and strategic logistics at the U.S. border, while also analyzing key trends such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and robotics that will shape advanced manufacturing and sustainable regional growth.
SOURCE: INDUSTRIAL NEWS BC
NEWS BY STATE
Sonora
Sonora is strengthening its aerospace sector through a strategic partnership between the state government and a major French aerospace company to establish a specialized training academy focused on developing advanced manufacturing talent. The initiative will offer technical programs, apprenticeships, and certifications in areas such as precision engineering, automation, and global quality standards, helping bridge the skills gap between education and industry needs. By combining international expertise with local workforce development, the project aims to support existing aerospace companies, attract new investment, diversify the state’s economy, and position Sonora as a competitive hub within North America’s aerospace supply chain.
SOURCE: MEXICO NOW
NEWS BY STATE
Chihuahua
Manufacturers in Ciudad Juárez have expressed concern over the proposal to reduce Mexico’s workweek from 48 to 44 hours, warning that the measure could increase production costs and create operational challenges for maquiladoras and manufacturing plants in the region. While acknowledging the goal of improving workers’ quality of life, business leaders say companies would need to hire additional staff or invest in automation to maintain output, a burden that could particularly affect small and medium-sized firms. With the manufacturing sector already experiencing job losses in 2025, industry representatives are urging authorities to define clear implementation mechanisms and support measures to protect regional competitiveness and employment as the national debate on workweek reduction continues.
SOURCE: MEXICO NOW
NEWS BY STATE
Nuevo Leon
Expo Manufactura celebrates its 30th edition in 2026 as Mexico’s leading manufacturing industry event, reinforcing its strategic role amid nearshoring, accelerated automation, and cautious investment conditions. Held in Monterrey, the event will feature more than 26,000 m² of exhibition space, 460 exhibitors, and an expected 17,000 visitors, focusing on automation, robotics, Industry 4.0, additive manufacturing, and business generation across key sectors such as automotive, aerospace, metalworking, plastics, and molds. Accor-
ding to its director, Claudia Valdés, Expo Manufactura has evolved into a critical platform where high-level negotiations and strategic decisions take place, supported by structured business matchmaking and a robust conference agenda centered on intelligent, sustainable, and connected industry trends. With automation and talent development at the forefront, the event aims to support Mexico’s manufacturing competitiveness and anticipates that 2026 will mark a renewed cycle of growth for both the industry and the exhibition itself.
SOURCE: CLUSTER INDUSTRIAL
NEWS BY STATE
Guanajuato
Index Guanajuato and the Automotive Cluster of Guanajuato (CLAUGTO) signed a collaboration agreement to strengthen the state’s automotive ecosystem, focusing on competitiveness, supplier development, innovation, and value chain integration in one of Mexico’s leading vehicle-producing regions. The alliance formalizes joint efforts to support exporting companies, reinforce supply chain coordination, and promote sustainable growth amid an increasingly competitive industrial environment. The agreement comes as Guanajuato consolidates its national leadership in automotive manufacturing, with 877,463 vehicles produced in 2025—22.1% of Mexico’s total output—and USD 1.74 billion in automotive investments during the current administration, underscoring the strategic importance of collaboration to sustain high production levels and long-term industry development.
SOURCE: CLUSTER INDUSTRIAL
NEWS BY STATE
Queretaro
Querétaro will host the fifth edition of Aerospace Meetings on February 18–19, 2026, bringing together aerospace industry leaders including OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, and service companies for two days of high-level business meetings, conferences, and networking aimed at strengthening strategic connections within the aerospace supply chain. Organized by BCI Aerospace, the event has become a key Latin American platform for connecting decision-makers and buyers and will leverage Querétaro’s role as a major aerospace hub in Mexico, promoting collaboration between global leaders and local manufacturers to enhance the region’s aerospace ecosystem.
SOURCE: LIDER EMPRESARIAL
NEWS BY STATE
Mexico City
Mexico City’s industrial real estate market closed 2025 with record-breaking absorption, a robust construction pipeline, and strong foreign direct investment, setting the stage for continued expansion in 2026, according to CBRE’s MarketView Industrial CDMX 4Q25 report. Gross absorption reached a historic 1.6 million square meters, driven largely by pre-leasing activity and lease renewals in key corridors such as Cuautitlán, Tepotzotlán, Tultitlán (CTT), and the Zumpango–AIFA area.
Total industrial inventory in the Mexico City metropolitan area rose to 12.29 million square meters, a 6.2% annual increase, while vacancy remained low at 2.7%, despite modest upward pressure from newly delivered space.
Looking ahead, CBRE projects sustained growth supported by a planning pipeline exceeding 3.1 million square meters, largely under build-to-suit schemes, signaling continued confidence among industrial and logistics users in the region’s longterm fundamentals.
SOURCE: MEXICO INDUSTRY
NEWS BY STATE
State of Mexico
Nextlalpan, in the State of Mexico, is consolidating its position as a key destination for industrial and logistics investment, leveraging its multimodal connectivity and proximity to the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA).
Large-scale developments such as T-MEX Park, backed by investments exceeding MXN 25 billion, illustrate how the area is being designed to host high-capacity industrial and distribution projects. These investments are expected to generate meaningful employment during both construction and operational phases, with ini-
tial estimates of around 100 direct and 70 indirect jobs, expanding as operations scale.
Beyond direct employment, the arrival of world-class distribution centers is creating a multiplier effect across the local economy. Demand for transportation, maintenance, IT services, security, and specialized suppliers is opening new opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises in the State of Mexico. At the same time, decisions by global firms such as Mattel and DHL to operate from Nextlalpan reinforce its credibility as a long-term logistics hub.
SOURCE: QUADRATIN EDOMEX
INVESTMENT NEWS
NORTHERNMEXICO
EAM MOSCA
EAM Mosca, a global printing and packaging automation solutions provider, will invest more than US$7 million to expand its plant in Monterrey, Nuevo León, increasing capacity for automated labeling and quality-inspection systems. The project will generate new technical jobs and strengthen local advanced manufacturing capabilities.
PILGRIM’S MEXICO
Pilgrim’s Mexico, a major poultry producer and food manufacturer, announced a US$1.3 billion investment through 2030 to expand production capacity, modernize facilities, and increase domestic poultry output by more than 370,000 tons annually. The plan is expected to generate over 4,000 direct jobs and strengthen Mexico’s food-security and supply-chain capacity.
SOUTHERN MEXICO
LEONI WIRING SYSTEMS
Leoni Wiring Systems, a globally integrated automotive wiring-harness manufacturer, announced an expansion of its operations in Yucatán that will create 3,500 new jobs in the region through 2027—1,500 in 2026 and 2,000 in 2027—building on its existing workforce of over 2,600 in Mérida. The growth strengthens capacity to serve the North American automotive market with wiring systems for Mexico and the United States.
CENTRAL MEXICO
GENERAL MOTORS
General Motors de México, a leading automotive manufacturer, announced a US$1 billion investment in its Mexican manufacturing operations for 2026–2027 to strengthen local production capacity and support long-term commitment to the domestic market.
ZHONGDING
Zhongding, a global automotive parts manufacturer, began a manufacturing expansion in Guanajuato with a new plant to produce seating mechanisms and stamped metal components. The project will create 1,600 direct jobs and support the company’s increased capacity to serve automotive OEMs in Mexico and North America.
PLÁSTICOS DUREX
Plásticos Durex, a plastic and rubber components manufacturer for the automotive industry, announced a US$13.9 million investment to expand its plant in Querétaro. The project will produce suspension and related parts and generate approximately 600 direct and indirect jobs, strengthening the region’s automotive supply chain.
SOURCES: MEXICO INDUSTRY, CLUSTER INDUSTRIAL
PRODENSA INSIGHTS
Smart Mobility: From Vision to Execution in North America
Smart mobility is no longer a future concept—it’s actively reshaping how North America designs, manufactures, and moves goods and people. As electrification, autonomous technologies, and digital infrastructure converge, Mexico is becoming a key execution hub in the regional mobility ecosystem.
This article explores how Mexico’s manufacturing base, engineering talent, and proximity to the U.S. position it as a strategic partner for turning smart mobility plans into real-world results—where execution, not vision, is the true differentiator.
• Why smart mobility is a North American opportunity
• Where Mexico fits across EVs and advanced manufacturing
• What cross-border collaboration will define success
The Export Boom: How Mexico Is Reshaping Global Manufacturing
Mexico’s manufacturing sector is experiencing an unprecedented export boom, redefining its role in global and North American supply chains. Driven by nearshoring, trade integration, and growing industrial capacity, exports are no longer just a volume story— they reflect a structural shift in how and where manufacturing happens.
This article (2025 updated!) examines what’s behind Mexico’s export growth, which industries are leading the surge, and why this moment represents a longterm transformation rather than a temporary spike. For global manufacturers, understanding this shift is key to staying competitive in North America.
• What’s fueling Mexico’s export acceleration
• The industries and regions driving growth
• Why exports are central to nearshoring strategies
