The Mexican heavy vehicle manufacturing industry is a global player. Our country is the leading exporter of tractor-trailer trucks and the fourth-largest exporter of cargo and passenger vehicles , according to the National Association of Bus, Truck, and Tractor-Trailer Manufacturers (ANPACT) .

In 2024, 213,241 heavy vehicles were produced in Mexico , the second-highest figure after 2019. Exports in that cycle reached 159,466 units, and of these, 95.5% were destined for the United States .

Between 2019 and last August, Mexico exported 939,990 trucks and tractor-trailers to the United States. Freightliner accounted for 65% of the total, International for 31%, and Kenworth for four percent.

In this context, the message sent yesterday by the President of the United States, Donald Trump, regarding the imposition of 25% tariffs on trucks exported to this market is bad news for brands that produce in Mexico.

“To protect our great heavy-duty truck manufacturers from unfair foreign competition, beginning October 1, 2025, I will impose a 25% tariff on all heavy-duty trucks manufactured elsewhere in the world. This way, our great truck manufacturers, like Peterbilt, Kenworth, Freightliner, Mack Trucks, and others, will be protected from the onslaught of external disruptions. We need our truckers to be financially healthy for many reasons, but most of all, for national security reasons!” the message on the social media platform TRUTH reads.

Last April, the Federal Register published the start of a formal investigation by the U.S. Department of Commerce under Section 232, a legal instrument that allows for the imposition of trade measures if certain imports are deemed to threaten the country’s national security, Juan Carlos Baker, CEO of Ansley Consultants, explained to T21.

Last June, Baker stated: “If the U.S. Department of Commerce identifies a risk to the national security of the United States due to the importation of transportation vehicles, tractors, and so on—and that investigation is currently underway— I don’t really know when there will be a result. It’s possible it will come out later this year, maybe sooner ,” a situation the U.S. president has already confirmed.

The foreign trade specialist commented on this situation, stating that this is a severe blow to the industry based in Mexico, as the immediate effect is that trucks and tractor-trailers will be more expensive when exported to the United States . Although it also opened the possibility of exploring exception mechanisms or alternative routes, the direct impact on competitiveness is on the table.

As part of the announcement of tariffs on trucks and tractor-trailers, Trump also announced that tariffs of up to 100 percent will be imposed on pharmaceutical products.

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With figures available as of October 2024, trade between Mexico and the United States operated through the Laredo border port totaled $30.5 billion (mdd) worth of merchandise traded, of which Mexico’s exports were $18.9 billion, while Mexico’s imports from the United States were $11.6 billion.

According to figures from the United States Department of Commerce , the accumulated figures amount to 285 billion dollars in foreign trade operations between both countries. Exports to the United States amounted to 176 billion dollars, while in the opposite direction they amounted to 108 billion dollars.

When reviewing the monthly figures for trade exchange through the Laredo border port, during October 2024 the second best record was achieved for both imports from the United States, as well as Mexican exports to that territory, since January 2022.

The figures recorded in October of the year that just ended were only surpassed by the data from the previous August, when exports were 18.99 billion dollars, and imports were 11.71 billion dollars.

In October 2024, the main products that Mexico imported from the United States through Laredo were auto parts with 10% of the total, gasoline and other fuels with 3.2%, storage batteries with 2.9%, diesel engines with 2.8% and passenger vehicles with 2.3 percent.

Meanwhile, during the 10th month of the year, Mexico’s main exports to its northern neighbor were auto parts with 12% of the total, passenger vehicles with 8.6%, computers 7.7%, commercial vehicles 5.2% and cell phones and related equipment with 3.8 percent.

In October 2024, the Port of Laredo ranked as the second most important commercial port in the United States, with a 6.5% share of the country’s total foreign trade, behind only the Port of Los Angeles with 6.7%. Third place is occupied by Chicago O’Hare Airport with 6.4 percent.

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