What a site selection committee needs on Saltillo, Coahuila: the size of the labor market, who already manufactures there, what labor costs and how to read a quote, how product moves to the border, safety and IMMEX compliance, and where the technical workforce comes from.
The advantages of manufacturing in Saltillo, Coahuila: an experienced workforce, the deepest auto parts supply base in Mexico, two border gateways within four hours, and what it costs to operate.
Key Takeaway Mexico produced 969,294 light vehicles in Q1 2026, the country’s second-highest first quarter ever. For Tier 2 and Tier 3 auto parts suppliers serving North American OEMs and Tier 1s, the question has shifted from should we move? to how, where, and how fast? The pull is structural: Mexico’s Plan Mexico targets 50% … Continued
Key Takeaway Mexico is simultaneously a primary, secondary, and tertiary economy, but its secondary sector is what matters most to manufacturers evaluating the country. With a $1.85 trillion GDP (12th globally), manufacturing alone contributes roughly 20% of national output, and the country attracted a record $36.87 billion in foreign direct investment in 2024. Services dominate … Continued
Key Takeaway Textile manufacturing in Mexico is being reshaped by two converging tariff forces: U.S. duties pushing production out of China, and Mexico’s own 35% protective tariffs shielding domestic producers from Asian imports. For manufacturers producing inside Mexico with USMCA-qualifying inputs, goods can qualify for duty-free export to the United States — while competitors shipping … Continued
Mexico’s manufacturing sector spans nine major industries that collectively export over $300 billion annually to the United States. From automotive—the country’s largest manufacturing segment at $104.8 billion in exports—to fast-growing sectors like aerospace, medical devices, and furniture, these industries thrive because of proximity to the U.S. market, a 50-nation trade network, and fully fringed labor … Continued
Mexico’s 2026 minimum wage is $315.04 MXN per day (~$17.50 USD) for the general zone and $440.87 MXN per day (~$24.49 USD) for the Northern Border Free Zone. While most manufacturing employers already pay above these floors, minimum wage increases cascade through the entire compensation structure by raising IMSS contribution bases, benefits tied to minimum … Continued
When most people think of products made in Mexico, they think of avocados, tequila, and maybe the pickup truck in their driveway. They’re not wrong — Mexico is the world’s fifth-largest vehicle producer. But automotive is one segment of a manufacturing base that now includes Class III medical implants, turbine blades for commercial jet engines, … Continued
On July 1, 2026, the United States declined to join Canada and Mexico in extending the USMCA. The agreement did not expire, and its tariff schedules, rules of origin and dispute procedures stayed in place. What changed is not the treaty. It is the tariff environment around it, and that environment moved more in the … Continued
Update, September 12, 2026. The tariff architecture described on this page changed after it was written. The temporary Section 122 surcharge expired on July 24, 2026 and was replaced by a Section 301 action, and the USMCA joint review took place on July 1, 2026. Passages below that describe Section 122 as the current regime … Continued
