PHARR, Texas – The undersecretary for investment and foreign trade for the State of Tamaulipas has responded to an Index Mexico report that her state is not benefiting from near-shoring.
Anabell Flores Garza commented on a Rio Grande Guardian International News Service story that said that unlike the states of Nuevo León, Coahuila and Jalisco, Tamaulipas has seen no benefit from the surge of large manufacturing corporations returning to North America from the Far East.
The story was based on report from Index Mexico, the national maquiladora trade association. The report caught the attention of economic development leaders in the Rio Grande Valley, who know their region would benefit if Tamaulipas could pull in more mega manufacturing projects.
The economic development leaders discussed it on a webinar focusing on near-shoring that was hosted by the Greater McAllen Area Chapter of the Asociación de Empresarios Mexicanos (AEM). The webinar was covered exclusively by the Guardian.
“Hello, and thank you all of the panelists for their contribution,” Flores Garza said, in reference to the webinar.
“I would like to say that the State Government of Tamaulipas is working very hard implementing an investment attraction strategy based on promotion and collaboration,” Flores Garza said.
“This has resulted in 51 confirmed projects and 61 projects in the pipeline from October 2022 to today. I would love to share more about this if you are planning a second edition of the panel. Best regards.”
Francisco J. Peña-Valdés, a partner at Cacheaux Cavazos & Newton and chairman of the greater McAllen chapter of AEM, said Flores Garza would be welcome as a panelist on AEM’s next webinar. He said this will take place Aug. 24.
“Annabell, this could be a great opportunity to share near-shoring strategies and the next steps for Tamaulipas,” Peña-Valdés said.
Monterrey-based Miguel Arredondo, an operations consultant with 25-plus years experience in manufacturing, also commented on the Guardian story.
“Having lived and worked in Reynosa/Mission for a good ten years I am disappointed and frustrated by the lack of effort to integrate the RGV into the regional network bookended by Monterrey and Austin,” Arredondo said.
“Safety in Tamaulipas is a concern to the point where it is literally making the boom bypass you guys. Nuevo Leon (which has two-thirds of the near-shoring investment) is building a new highway and reinforcing Colombia (international bridge) so its exports and people do not have to go through Tamaulipas, missing existing first-rate roads and business and personal links with McAllen and SPI going back decades.”
Arredondo went on to say: “Until if/when our neighbors get their act together, tapping into through Laredo and/or San Antonio may be the second best alternative.
Arredondo added: “Without the network, subregions that stay peripheral are likely to fade away as traditional maquila will remain but be increasingly cost instead of value-add driven.”
Also commenting on the Guardian story was Tomas Jasso, a law enforcement contractor and veteran based in the Valley.
Jasso said: “I’m not surprised they are struggling. Safety in Tamaulipas is most likely one reason they are struggling. The state should be investing in crime fighting technologies to eliminate organized crime to attract new business. Nobody wants to live and work in places were their life is at risk on their way for a late night meal after a long day of hard work.”
Editor’s Note: The Rio Grande Guardian International News Service will post more reaction to the “Report: Tamaulipas is not befitting from near-shoring” story as soon as it comes in.
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