The transformation of supply chains in North America, driven by nearshoring (relocation of production lines) and the growing need to reduce dependence on Asia, positions local and regional suppliers as a strategic component for industrial competitiveness. In this context, Baja California seeks to strengthen its supply capabilities for the export-oriented manufacturing industry .

According to Alfredo Vega, director of the Supply Committee of the National Council of the Maquiladora and Export Manufacturing Industry (Index) Mexicali , the region is going through a historic moment in this matter.

“There is now an explicit demand from purchasing companies to map which inputs and services can be acquired locally or regionally and not depend on Asia,” Vega stressed, referring to the impacts of tariffs on Asian inputs, mainly from China, and the reconfiguration of global supply chains.

Supply chain: the cornerstone of export competitiveness

Baja California is a state with a strong export and manufacturing focus. The maquiladora sector reached record exports in 2025, with 390,972.9 million pesos (MXN) , representing a 14.7% increase compared to 2024, according to figures from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) .

This figure reflects an environment in which the demand for local suppliers has become more relevant in the face of challenges such as volatility in international logistics and changes in trade policies , which have become increasingly frequent since Donald Trump’s arrival to the presidency of the United States for a second term.

Vega indicated that Baja California has one of the largest volumes of companies that are within the Manufacturing, Maquiladora and Export Services Industry Program (IMMEX) , which is made up of approximately 1,128 operating units, concentrating 17.3% of the national total, according to figures from Inegi in January 2026.

“We are in a strategic area that has always been so and now we must take greater advantage of it, which is the so-called Cali-Baja region, in addition to Arizona and Sonora, which is a region that is not only working in a coordinated manner in terms of product innovation and alliances, but also for the development of talent, the skilled workforce that the entity has,” the specialist emphasized.

In that sense, the area seeks to leverage the talent that has been developed to boost the IMMEX industry with local and regional suppliers, which is a strategic priority.

“Currently, there are agreements with universities in Arizona and California, along with universities in Baja California and Sonora, to address this specialized demand for talent, such as software engineering , specialized semiconductor engineering, and the aerospace industry,” Vega explained.

Supply Match Platform

To address this structural opportunity, Index Mexicali has developed a platform called Supply Match that centralizes key information on the capabilities of regional suppliers.

In an interview with T21, Alfredo Vega explained that the project, built over two years with support from the state government and a business trust, allows for the registration of suppliers and buyers; the display of certifications, production capacities and contacts, as well as facilitating the link between companies and decision-makers.

“We’ve already reached 100% registration of companies and suppliers, and we’ll begin working with success stories to monitor and support business connections. The platform is practically ready and already operational,” Vega stated.

In this way, the platform becomes a key tool for multinational companies with operations in Baja California —from the aerospace, semiconductor, metalworking, plastic injection, and other industries— to identify and connect with local suppliers capable of meeting quality requirements, delivery times, and certifications.

Compliance programs are also being developed to raise supplier standards ; financial tools are being implemented to enable small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to scale their production capacity; and virtual and in-person events are being organized to connect buyers and suppliers. The goal is to increase the proportion of locally sourced inputs.

Currently, between 3% and 5% of the inputs for exporting industries are acquired within the country, a figure that the business sector considers insufficient given the regional potential, Vega noted, indicating that greater integration of national suppliers could improve resilience, reduce logistics costs and delivery times , especially in strategic industries facing global disruptions, such as the conflict in the Middle East.

Strengthening local suppliers is also linked to public policy objectives such as the Mexico Plan , which aims to ensure that 50% of the supply in strategic sectors – steel and aluminum; heavy and light vehicles; auto parts and others – is made in Mexico.

With these actions, Baja California is committed to a strategy to consolidate a more competitive local and regional production ecosystem , aligned with the needs of global supply chains. The Supply Match platform, along with training initiatives and buyer connections, represents a firm step toward regional integration to leverage the advantages of nearshoring , border logistics, and the export industry.

On May 14, these topics will be addressed at the second edition of ETYL Cali-Baja (Transportation and Logistics Meeting) , a forum organized by  Grupo T21  that will bring together industry leaders and nearly 200 attendees at the Real Inn Hotel in Tijuana.  For more information, visit https://baja.etylmx.com/ .

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El cargo Baja California: A regional supply hub for the export manufacturing industry? apareció primero en T21.

Emilio Cadena, CEO of Prodensa , highlighted the role of IMMEX companies – belonging to the Maquiladora and Export Manufacturing Industry – in the national industry, and how they have contributed to the growth and development of the manufacturing sector, within the framework of the 50th National Index Convention,  of the  National Council of the Maquiladora and Export Manufacturing Industry (National Index) .

“Thirty years ago, no one would have believed that Guanajuato would be the automotive capital of North America. Forty years ago, no one believed that Mexicali would be what it is today, in Monterrey, in Apodaca, which for me is like the laboratory, the one closest to me, also because I live in Monterrey,” he emphasized.

Cadena indicated that what is happening at the industrial level in the country’s entities is very important, however, there is a need to invest more and think about China , in terms of what it is doing at the manufacturing level.

“I believe we can do it, but we need to think about China. That’s one of the most important things we hope we can do, and that means investing a lot of money in Mexico’s industrial growth,” he emphasized on the panel ” IMMEX in the National Industry . “

He said that an important issue in industrial competitiveness is trade facilitation , which is why he considered that the private sector should also do its part in compliance .

“This aspect of security and compliance also depends on us . I think if there’s one thing we as an industry have to keep in mind, it’s that if we have some maquiladoras, it’s very easy to catch those who are doing simulations. There are many compliance issues we have to address . So we also have to sit down and decide what kind of companies we’re going to create,” he emphasized.

In this regard, he emphasized the need to make business ethics one of the key pillars of the sector’s competitiveness , “because that’s the best way we can present ourselves to the authorities.”

Given the changes in global trade and economic conditions, he argued that IMMEX industries need to be protected, which also requires changes in the business sector.

Technology, an ally of the manufacturing industry

The use of technology, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), has created a resilient supply chain in the manufacturing industry in the face of current economic disruptions, which also contributes to the sector’s improved operations.

At the conference Manufacturing Success: Digital Transformation in the New Industrial Era , María Guadalupe Ramos Díaz de León, Digital Transformation Manager at Alestra , stated that one of the purposes of technological tools is that they are allies of business objectives .

He noted that business trends in the manufacturing sector include “supply chain resilience, operational resilience and risk management, automation and efficiency with AI, innovation, and digitally-focused business innovation . ”

To have an industrial ecosystem of the future, it is necessary to combine digital, physical, and capital resources, since “you can’t be in an isolated ecosystem,” he explained.

Currently, operations in manufacturing and other sectors are targeting the application of technologies such as cybersecurity, cloud computing, data analytics , AI, and multicloud, with a view to a digital transformation in industry.

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El cargo IMMEX’s role in Mexican industrial development highlighted apareció primero en T21.

In an environment in which high regulations for imports and exports and logistics costs put the vast majority of small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) in check , having digitalization tools can be of great support for your business.

Luis Gerardo Díaz, CEO of Comtrade , highlighted in an interview that around 150 thousand companies carry out import and export activities in Mexico, of which 5% are large corporations, so 95% are SMEs that do not have access to financing or hire very expensive transportation.

“With integrated tools, you can do more automated audits, but above all, give SMEs solutions that integrate the different services, because many times they go with freight forwarding for the transportation part, but you also have to go with a customs agent, to They do not lend them financing, the challenge was to see how to lower all this for this sector,” he said.

He explained that Comtrade began with foreign trade services, for example, the issue of preventive advice so that companies did not fall into administrative errors when importing or exporting, however, as a result of the pandemic everything changed.

For this reason, they developed an integrated services platform for the supply chain , so that, for example, with the level of volume of their clients and operations, they could make better negotiations with suppliers and provide better rates for clients, which It mainly benefits SMEs.

Luis Gerardo Díaz explained that more than 90% of companies that are audited end up paying fines , either for not having complete documents, incorrect documents or bad tax calculations, so this platform also helps companies in trade compliance. , automated audits and analytics.

Likewise, Díaz explained that the platform highlights four main factors: regulation and documentation, so that everything is correct and that companies comply; the transportation part, having access to good suppliers; reduce risk through inspections or prior inspection at origin; and financing.

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