SAN PEDRO GARZA GARCÍA, NL.– Mexico maintains opportunities to attract investment within the framework of the reconfiguration of global trade; however, uncertainty, infrastructure limitations and the lack of integration of national suppliers represent challenges to taking advantage of the potential of nearshoring (relocation of production lines).
During the panel “Reconfiguration of world trade and the new role of Mexico” , within the framework of ETYL MTY 2026 , organized by Grupo T21 , specialists agreed that the country’s competitiveness will depend on its ability to meet the operational needs of companies and consolidate more integrated supply chains .
Darío Villarreal, Principal & Co-Founder of Citius AG , noted that the rise of nearshoring boosted strong demand for industrial space in Mexico, particularly after the disruptions in supply chains caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, the market began to moderate its activity due to the uncertainty generated by US trade policies. According to the specialist, the sector’s greatest dynamism was recorded between 2021 and 2023, while subsequently some companies began to postpone their investment decisions .
Villarreal indicated that, despite this slowdown, the inventory of industrial buildings in Mexico grew, reflecting the expansion experienced by the market.
“If we put it on a four-year horizon, the total square meters or square feet of Class A and B industrial buildings built in Mexico grew by 34%,” he emphasized.
Recent trends confirm that the opportunity remains, although with differences between regions and sectors. In Monterrey, for example, CBRE reported an industrial vacancy rate of 6.9% at the close of the first quarter of 2026, while net absorption reached 212,000 square meters, driven primarily by expansions of companies already operating in the city.
The specialist identified opportunities in Ciudad Juárez, where companies involved in the manufacture of electronic components and microprocessors have helped to revitalize industrial activity. He also highlighted the development of data centers in Querétaro and the demand for infrastructure related to artificial intelligence (AI) .
These sectors are complemented by the expansion of logistics and e-commerce companies, which maintain storage and distribution needs.
Domestic suppliers, an outstanding task
For her part, Zelina Fernández, general director of Index Nuevo León , highlighted that Mexican manufacturing has evolved towards processes with greater technological content, automation and innovation, which requires the development of new capabilities among supplier companies.
The director explained that Index Nuevo León promotes the Reliable Supplier of the Manufacturing Industry (Procim) program, a tool aimed at identifying and evaluating suppliers to facilitate their incorporation into supply chains.
The process includes aspects such as documentation, reliability, quality and administrative organization, requirements that can represent obstacles for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) interested in supplying large manufacturers.
Fernández maintained that the challenge lies in strengthening domestic suppliers so they can meet industry requirements and contribute to import substitution. This integration, he added, requires training, certifications, and a long-term strategy.
He emphasized that a significant portion of the investment comes from companies already operating in Mexico and continuing to expand their production capacities, so reinvestments should be considered a relevant indicator of confidence in the country.
Energy and talent determine investment
Among the factors that can determine the arrival of new projects, Villarreal pointed to the availability of electricity and water , as well as the costs associated with infrastructure development.
He explained that the lack of electrical capacity in some industrial markets forces companies to evaluate fewer locations to install their operations and raises the costs of connection and construction of substations.
In this context, energy infrastructure becomes a competitiveness variable that can directly influence investment decisions. The availability of industrial land, in itself, does not guarantee that a region is ready to receive large-scale projects .
Zelina Fernández added that talent development must also keep pace with the manufacturing transformation. The industry needs workers with technical knowledge, digital skills, English proficiency, and capabilities that can respond to increasingly sophisticated production processes.
To achieve this, he considered it necessary to strengthen collaboration between companies, universities, and technical schools, with the aim of anticipating staffing needs and preventing a lack of specialized profiles from limiting growth.
Cross-border transport, another critical point
From a logistical perspective, Martín Rojas, Senior Adviser for the Americas at the International Road Transport Union (IRU) , warned that trade uncertainty and stricter enforcement are complicating transport operations in North America.
The specialist pointed out that tariffs on certain products and components, including steel and aluminum, can raise the costs of transport equipment and affect the operation of companies.
Added to this are waiting times at border crossings, the cost of tolls and fuel, as well as the diversity of regulatory provisions among the different levels of government.
Rojas believed that greater use of existing border infrastructure, along with investments in technology and information systems, would streamline review processes and reduce bottlenecks .
He also raised the need to move towards a more coordinated regulatory framework for freight transport , in order to prevent federal, state and municipal over-regulation from increasing operational difficulties.
Regarding e-commerce, he noted that the elimination of tax-free treatment for low-value shipments in the United States changed the conditions for courier companies, consolidation companies, and small exporters.
It’s worth noting that the suspension of the de minimis exemption for shipments up to $800 took effect on August 29, 2025, with applicable exceptions. This measure, announced by the White House, eliminated de minimis treatment for all countries, requiring all shipments to comply with new customs requirements and payments.
The change reinforces the importance of having technological systems capable of processing customs information and complying with the new requirements without generating unnecessary delays.
An opportunity that demands better conditions
During August 2026, Mexican exports to the United States totaled $60,637.4 million, an increase of 34.1% compared to the same month in 2025, according to figures from the United States Census Bureau .
This position puts the country in a favorable situation to supply the US market, but it also highlights the importance of maintaining competitive conditions against other international suppliers.
In that regard, Gerardo Tajonar, vice president of Canaco CDMX , who moderated the panel, stated that attracting investment to Mexico has been quite a phenomenon, as the figures are very attractive and interesting from a political perspective.
Experts agreed that attracting investment depends not only on geographical proximity to the United States. Energy capacity, talent availability, supplier integration, and logistical efficiency are all necessary conditions for sustaining productive projects.
In this scenario, Mexico faces the challenge of converting the opportunities of trade reconfiguration into long-term investments , with greater national added value and stronger supply chains.
Comment and follow us on LinkedIn: @Humberto Cruz Moya / @GrupoT21
