The lack of human capital training has become one of the main bottlenecks for the manufacturing industry in Mexico, particularly among micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), warned Claudia Valdés, director of Expo Manufactura , who cautioned that inequality in access to technical training and maintenance is directly impacting the competitiveness, productivity and growth capacity of the sector.

He explained that there is a significant gap in training levels depending on company size. While around 81% of large companies train their staff, only 3.7% of micro-enterprises do so, and in the case of SMEs, the percentage is around 44% .

This disparity, he said, has contributed to a talent shortage that has been accumulating over the past 15 years and that today limits the performance of up to seven out of every 10 manufacturing companies in the country.

“The lack of training not only affects the staff, it also translates into poor management of machinery maintenance. It’s like not servicing a piece of equipment: the problem isn’t always immediately apparent, but when it appears, the impact can be in the millions,” he pointed out.

Underestimating training has direct consequences for operations. Line stoppages, bottlenecks, missed deliveries, overtime, and unexpected machinery failures are some of the most common costs faced by companies that don’t invest in technical training or predictive maintenance.

Valdés explained that many companies continue to rely on corrective maintenance schemes , which are much more expensive than prevention supported by digital tools and constant monitoring.

“It’s not about the failure existing today, but about detecting in time one that could occur in one or two years. Avoiding that problem is what makes the difference,” he pointed out.

These operational risks are compounded by strategic costs: the loss of business opportunities, the inability to take on new projects, and the breach of contracts, factors that directly affect the reputation and financial viability of companies.

While Mexican manufacturing showed strong growth at the beginning of 2025, exceeding 20%, the pace slowed toward the end of the year, not surpassing 3% or 4%, according to the event’s outlook. This slowdown, Valdés explained, is linked to trade uncertainty with the United States, tariff issues, and the lack of clear definitions surrounding the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which has led many companies to adopt a “wait and see” approach .

At the same time, the industry is facing a talent shortage . The rapid growth of previous years absorbed a large portion of the available skills, and today there is a need to attract more people interested in joining the manufacturing sector to meet existing demand.

The director of Expo Manufactura sent a message to industry leaders: “The cost of not training today is too high, and opportunities don’t always come around . ”

“Losing projects or being unable to deliver due to a lack of training would be a great shame for companies,” he warned.

Expo Manufactura will take place from February 3 to 5 at Cintermex , Monterrey, Nuevo León, with free registration and access, as part of its commitment to strengthening talent and competitiveness in manufacturing in Mexico.

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The Mexican logistics industry is facing a perfect storm combining a shortage of specialized talent, high turnover, internal wage gaps, and new regulatory pressures , such as the reduction of the work week to 40 hours.

According to Maya Dadoo , CEO and co-founder of Worky , these factors not only affect the competitiveness of companies, but also directly impact logistics costs and, ultimately, the final price for the consumer.

“In logistics, we’re seeing pay gaps of up to 300% for the same role within the same company, and that’s brutal,” Dadoo said in an interview with T21.

Worky’s most recent study revealed that, within the logistics sector, salary gaps for the same position can reach up to 300% , a level of dispersion that erodes productivity, increases operating costs, and makes it difficult to retain talent.

For example, in the case of a logistics manager, the difference between the low and high salary percentile reaches 295 percent, for a logistics supervisor it is 280 percent, and for a specialized industrial engineer it is 229 percent.

At the top end of the pay scale, roles such as logistics planning specialists earn an average of 37,395 pesos per month; while, in contrast, critical roles such as transportation associates or field logistics specialists barely exceed 14,485 pesos, despite their direct impact on meeting operational goals.

In many cases, logistics assistants and supervisors earn between 9,100 and 12,700 pesos per month, barely above the minimum wage and with no commitment to goals or performance.

The root of the problem, he explained, lies in the lack of modern tools for recording, analyzing, and adjusting compensation. Many human resources departments in the sector still work with outdated systems , designed more than 15 years ago, without integration capabilities or customized reporting.

This lack of visibility means that a new employee can earn three times more than another in the same role, which fuels a vicious cycle : turnover in logistics is around 200% annually, and specialized talent jumps from company to company in search of better salaries, increasing operating costs, according to the specialist.

For Dadoo, the proposed reduction in working hours poses a major challenge for payroll administration in logistics, where payment schemes include multiple variables such as kilometers traveled, type of cargo, stops, and hours worked, among others.

“Payroll calculations in this sector are already complex and often done manually. With the reduction in working hours, overtime would skyrocket, and this would not only make the operation more expensive but also increase the possibility of errors,” he warned.

He added that companies will have to decide between paying more overtime or hiring more staff in a context where qualified talent is scarce, which will require redesigning shifts, providing intensive training, and strengthening career paths to retain the most experienced operators.

He also noted that turnover not only increases payroll costs but also increases logistics costs, as companies must constantly train and certify personnel, adding to other factors such as customs delays, health regulations, and supply issues.

According to the National Association of Private Transportation (ANTP) , logistical inefficiencies can increase operating costs by up to 30% , which translates into higher prices for the end consumer and a loss of competitiveness for companies.

“The end consumer ends up paying part of this additional cost, although companies are seeing their margins increasingly reduced,” Dadoo noted.

On the other hand, the arrival of companies through the nearshoring phenomenon (relocation of production lines) will increase demand for transportation and logistics, which for Dadoo represents a double opportunity that brings with it more business, but also greater pressure on an already saturated labor market.

Faced with this situation, Worky is promoting the adoption of software to optimize payroll, shift, attendance, and compensation management, as well as to integrate Artificial Intelligence into route planning and preventive maintenance.

“HR teams must stop operating in the dark. With real-time information and integrated systems, they can reduce turnover, optimize their workforce, and offer fairer and more competitive compensation plans,” Dadoo emphasized.

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