The Director of the Automotive Cluster of Guanajuato, Alfredo Arzola, participated in the webinar "Nearshoring: A Window of Opportunity for Mexico," organized by Cluster Industrial.

Ricardo Vivero, General Director of Cluster Industrial, began by explaining that, according to various studies, Mexico could become a strong point for nearshoring, as it "could accelerate growth by at least two percentage points, that is, going from 4% -5% to 6%-7% in exports of the Mexican manufacturing sector in the coming years, which would equate to an additional $8 million annually to the amount that the industry typically produces."

He also commented that nearshoring is the arrival of foreign investments from companies that want to bring their production closer to their North American customers while taking advantage of the conditions of the USMCA. 

The Director of CLAUGTO complemented by commenting that pandemics have historically been characterized by generating a reset in the economies of countries, and having the United States as a neighbor, which stands out as one of the main importers of vehicles, represents challenges and opportunities for us. 

On the other hand, Alfredo shared that some of the requirements with the greatest opportunity include automation, stamping, machining, forging, cutting, plastic injection, coatings and finishes, consulting and training, logistics, general maintenance, industrial canteens, and cleaning.

Mr. Francisco González, president of the National Autoparts Industry Association (INA), which represents approximately 900 autoparts companies in Mexico, added that for companies willing to invest and diversify, the opportunities are even greater. 

Javier Valadez Ortega, Director of Operations Mexico at Kenworth Truck Co. Mexicana, explained that there is currently a desynchronization in the supply chain, which forces the industry to rethink strategies and generates different behaviors in consumers. The opportunity for relocation also generates job creation.

Javier emphasized that the most significant cost for companies is the cost of not having their product. In 2019, a large percentage of suppliers from the United States were in China, but currently, this percentage has been reduced.