The Mexican printing industry has always been a strategic ally of the automotive sector , where printed materials guarantee quality and safety in technical manuals, dashboards and vehicle customization processes, explained Héctor Yáñez, president of the National Association of Industrialists and Distributors for the Graphic Industry (Anidigraf) .

Yáñez indicated that the automotive sector demands high-resistance printed materials capable of withstanding heat, grease, and gasoline .Even modern speedometers rely on specialized printing processes using high-performance engineering plastics.

“The automotive industry is very sensitive to the quality of the printed material because it conveys the quality and values ​​of the product they sell to customers,” he noted.

During the presentation of Expográfica 2026 , which will be held by Anidigraf from May 6 to 9 at Expo Guadalajara, the contribution of the graphic arts industry to the country’s economy was highlighted.

“ The printing industry in Mexico consists of approximately 20,000 economic units, according to the latest Mexican census; these are real, hard facts, meaning there are 20,000 printers in Mexico . This generates around 120,000 direct jobs and represents 1.9% of Mexico’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), with a value of 463 billion pesos (MXN), and contributes an economic impact of 44,619 million pesos (MXN),” explained Héctor Yáñez. 

This industry has enabled domestic printers to supply products that were previously imported from Asia, such as specialized packaging and technical literature for the US market, reducing delivery times from weeks to just hours .

On the other hand, e -commerce is transforming the printing business model . Although the traditional market still dominates, digital platforms have imposed a standard of “immediacy and compliance,” forcing printers to modernize their file reception and delivery logistics processes .

“Today more than ever, immediacy is part of our daily lives, and the printing industry is no exception. E-commerce is also present in the industry, and it’s doing so with quality, especially in terms of delivering on promises. As part of these conferences, we’ll have success stories of how great entrepreneurs have achieved highly successful printing businesses guided solely by e-commerce ,” highlighted Lorena Escandón, Vice President of Communications at Anidigraf.

At the event, it was noted that the Mexican printing industry has contributed to the evolution of packaging in the logistics sector towards smart solutions with real-time traceability.

Expográfica 2026 will be held in Guadalajara, Jalisco, and will bring together 250 national and international brands. An attendance of 15,000 industry professionals is expected across 22,000 square meters.

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Following a call with her US counterpart, Donald Trump , Mexican President  Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed the 90-day exemption from the 30% tariffs on Mexican products imported by the United States, which were to come into effect on August 1 and, among other effects, would have had a negative impact on Mexico’s logistics sector.

At her morning press conference this Thursday, the Mexican president said the 90 days would serve to achieve a better long-term agreement.

He asserted that the new extension is important because it safeguards the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) , as everything covered by this agreement is tariff-free, although the tariffs on vehicles, as well as steel and aluminum, of 25% and 50%, respectively, remain in place.

He also emphasized that Mexico’s dialogue with the United States will continue. “We have the best possible agreement, compared to other nations,” he emphasized, noting that “we are staying the same, with nothing additional.”

In the call with Trump, Sheinbaum said she proposed to the White House resident some measures to reduce the United States’ trade deficit with Mexico, although she did not provide details.

For his part, Marcelo Ebrard, head of the Ministry of Economy (SE) , emphasized that the new agreement keeps Mexico in a better position than the rest of the world in terms of tariffs. “All of this was achieved without any other concessions on Mexico’s part, which will benefit the economy and bring us closer to renewing the USMCA,” he said.

He asserted that the 90-day extension underscores the “very special” agreement the United States has with Mexico, and said they will use this pause to reach a broader economic agreement.

Tariff extension, a relief for logistics

Carlos Martner , coordinator of Integrated Transportation and Logistics at the  Mexican Institute of Transportation (IMT) , considered that if the 30% tariffs had gone into effect, there would probably be a rearrangement in the  supply chains , as exports would decrease as a result of the imposition of this rate.

In an interview with T21, he explained that said tax would only apply to exports that are outside the T-MEC and “according to data handled by the Business Coordinating Council (CCE)They estimate that approximately 84% of exports to the United States are tariff-free and are part of the trade agreement.

He pointed out that if the data is correct, the impact would have been approximately the remaining 16%, which would have increased the costs of products outside the trilateral trade agreement.

“What would be expected is for exports to decrease within that percentage in the short term, because although these are necessary products in the United States, due to their cost, the tendency is to reduce exports because they will also have an impact on American consumers,” he said in an interview.

The IMT specialist considered that  cross-border land transport would have been the segment most affected by the 30% tariffs, “and perhaps, to some extent, the railway sector.”

“The trucking sector would be affected because there would be fewer exports, fewer export movements, and, to some extent, probably the railroad sector,” he explained.

In March 2025 alone, border crossings reached one of their highest levels. According to data from the  Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) , total cross-border cargo between the United States and its North American partners reached a value of  $144.8 billion , an increase of  8.4%  compared to the same month the previous year.

During the reference period, trade between Mexico and the United States totaled $55.6 billion, reflecting the importance of the logistics and transportation sector between the two countries. This pause therefore provides a respite for both industries.

Regarding  intermodal transportation , Martner believes there would be minimal impacts “because the supply chains there are very defined and there is basically a predominance of the automotive industry, which we understand is mostly within the USMCA, and some other sectors that send products there, which are also normally important within the trade agreement.”

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