Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

Nolan’s Notes: Is Mexico the Pulse of Electronics in the Americas?

Last year, I attended SMTA Guadalajara, where I saw the results of the Mexican investment in electronics manufacturing. The U.S. was still operating under the Biden administration, and while Mexican EMS companies had expanded capacity to support EV manufacturing, the demand dropped significantly. In my conversations at the show, the sentiment was one of patience. They knew the EV business would likely come back. However, they didn’t expect an overhaul of U.S. trade agreements and tariffs that would shift a more diversified portfolio in Mexico’s direction.

Now, with a new U.S. administration regulating its own tariff strategies, we might easily conclude that Mexico operates in the shadows. Yet, Mexico almost always lands among the top 10 global producers. In electronics assembly, Mexico ranks in the top five. In other words, Mexico is a quiet economic powerhouse that plays an increasingly important role in the EMS sector, and chances are good you’re either collaborating or competing with Mexican firms somewhere in your supply chain.

Location plays a key role in Mexico’s ongoing success. In addition to its proximity to the Panama Canal, Mexico recently completed a competing transportation corridor called the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec (CIIT). Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, president of Mexico, hailed the project a success, noting that Salina Cruz’s port is “still being developed” with public and private investment. Even so, larger ships have already been docking at the Salina Cruz breakwater, reminding us that distribution resilience is as important as manufacturing resilience.

In a global environment in which trade agreements are being reworked wholesale, Mexico is making changes as well. Just last month, Mexican media reported that Mexico plans to impose new tariffs on imports from countries with which it doesn’t have a trade agreement—a move that appears primarily aimed at China. President Sheinbaum sought congressional approval for tariffs of up to 50% on such countries.

To gain more clarity, we worked closely with Global Electronics Association Mexico, where staff members have been researching the issues and collaborating with government, academia, and private enterprises across Mexico that have a vested interest in electronics.

We start our coverage with “Mexico’s Moment,” an overview from Lorena Villanueva, director of the Association’s Mexico office. She sets the stage for a wide-ranging scenario regarding tariffs, government initiatives, IPC standards and certifications, the role of women in the industry, and sustainability. Our other authors include Barjouth Aguilar of Flex, Ada Gastelum, Juan Balderrama, Yazmin Elizabeth González Vázquez from the state of Guanajuato, and Ivan Luna on IPC training.

To drive further engagement with our Mexico content, we tip our hat to our Spanish-speaking colleagues by including most of these articles in Spanish. Please share this issue with someone you know who could benefit from the informational content in their native Spanish language.

In other EMS supplier content, MacDermid Alpha presents a study on “Advances in Conformal Coating Materials and Methods” by Saskia Hogan, and columnist Nash Bell explores solderability test methods. Stan Rak continues his “Road to Reliability” series by focusing on the power electronics driving electric vehicles.

SMT007 Magazine continues its focus on electronics manufacturing in varying points around the globe. Please review past issues for our India content as we prepare next to focus on Europe. ¡Manos a la obra!

This column originally appeared in the November 2025 issue of SMT007 Magazine.