TIJUANA, BC.- The Cali-Baja region has outlined a profound transformation in supply chains, heading towards an ecosystem that integrates advanced manufacturing, logistics services, clustering, and the development of a highly skilled workforce , specialists agreed on the panel “Logistics chains that are redefining Cali-Baja” .
The region, which has distinguished itself as a leader in innovation in the country, since various projects that later transcend to other regions are started in this area, is currently in a reconstitution of high-value manufacturing logistics .
Within the framework of the second edition of the Cali-Baja Transport and Logistics Meeting (ETYL) , organized by Grupo T21, one of the challenges identified in the discussion was the dependence on imported inputs, even in industries with decades of presence in the country.
Rosa Castañeda, president of Baja’s Medical Device Cluster , recalled that in the late eighties and early nineties, the first medical device plants began to be installed in Tijuana , for logistical purposes because they were close to California, United States.
Since then, this sector has evolved into advanced manufacturing and has become an ecosystem within Baja California and nationally, overcoming challenges that have defined its resilience. In this regard, he said that this industry has adapted to changes in the face of tariff and regulatory challenges, such as the investigation under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act, which allows the United States government to evaluate and respond to imports that may threaten its national security.
Castañeda emphasized that Mexico is the fifth largest exporter of medical devices in the world and the first in America; however, due to an uncertain international environment, companies have opted to strengthen shorter supply chains, boosting local suppliers and reducing external dependence.
In the aerospace industry, Tomás Sibaja, president of the Baja California Aerospace Cluster , highlighted that the sector has begun to feel the uncertainty generated by the current situation, derived from the United States policy that has generated a multiplier effect in the world.
The specialist explained that the tariff issue has affected Baja California’s export industry. “In particular, I want to emphasize that most, if not all, of the products made in Baja California are for export.”
Sibaja indicated that when there is a pandemic or a disruption, uncertainty appears in the sector, a situation that “raises the alarm.”
“These hotspots mean that we need to have enough stock to be able to move it throughout the country. And that’s where the critical service comes in, which we have seen very effectively and efficiently provided by logistics operators in transportation services, in intermodal transport, in maritime handling, that is, in the air and logistics sectors,” he pointed out.
From an educational perspective, Bertha Martínez, coordinator of the Bachelor’s Degree in International Logistics at CETYS University Campus Mexicali , emphasized that they are always looking for a link between academia and industry, as well as ensuring that students have an international experience to face the current logistical challenges .
In his participation, he highlighted the program promoted by the federal government through the Ministry of Economy, known as Ruta Logística , which through webinars helps to certify those who have experience or want to enter the world of logistics.
Martínez Cisneros indicated that the new generations will help develop skills in the subject, because “the geography chart is not always going to solve everything,” he asserted, referring to the advantage that Mexico has due to its proximity to the United States.
Clustering in the Cali-Baja industry
The panelists brought up the topic of clustering , which refers to the grouping of companies that share a particular field to strengthen competition in the area of interest.
In the aerospace sector, Sibaja indicated that this concept translates into increasing national integration . With a presence in more than 20 states, the industry faces the challenge of identifying capabilities, specializing regions, and strengthening coordination among clusters, where logistics plays a key role by facilitating the movement of supplies, technology, and talent.
In his presentation, he considered that clustering is not a fad in the aerospace industry, which is a sector with a very long-term vision and high manufacturing.
“We are a country that inspires great confidence in the United States in the aerospace sector because we have proven it. And as such, what we want right now is to support all those states in Mexico to help us with clustering,” he explained.
He specified that they have promoted other aerospace clusters in the country, such as in the Bajío region and Sinaloa. “We are in talks with other states because we are interested in discussing intra-cluster collaboration ; in communicating at a specialized level. As we understand it, we are involved in clustering, and we see it as a natural step toward forming organizations,” he emphasized.
According to Bertha Martínez, more synergy is needed to achieve a solid clustering, since many times, although companies that develop the same products are grouped together, they do not share what they do.
In that regard, he gave the example of the electronics sector. “Tijuana was the television capital, and the electronics cluster was huge. What happened to it? The cluster failed to see what was coming, and that was it. So, again, clusters need to evolve more in this operational aspect, not just in terms of aggregation or wanting to talk to the government,” he pointed out.
For her part, Rosa Castañeda considered that the medical device cluster has to evolve and opined that the television sector “should be a story from which we should learn.”
He noted that the medical device cluster is just over 20 years old, and said that the last three or four years have been a time of change.
According to the panel, the industry in the Cali-Baja region has a great opportunity to take advantage of nearshoring , which requires a transformation in its supply structure.
Part of the success will depend on clusters that operate with a long-term strategic vision, integrating technical knowledge into the high-tech value chain.
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