https://tetakawi.com/solutions/manufacturing-communities/roca-fuerte/Sonora is only 60 miles from Tucson, Arizona. One of its major industries is aerospace, but it is home to many other manufacturing trades. The unions are pro-business, and there are many options available for business parks. Service providers are eager to give top quality work to companies that promote local job growth.
Guaymas, Sonora is home to one of the biggest engine component manufacturing clusters in North America. Sonora is part of a group of states that combined provide much of the aerospace work in Mexico. Manufacturers build equipment like wire harnesses, fuselages, landing gear, engine parts, engines and turbines, composites, fuel level indicators, interiors and many other components. Some companies have been able to assemble entire planes in Mexico.
In terms of shipping goods between the U.S. and Mexico, the local road infrastructure and proximity to the border make transportation easy. There are modern, four-lane highways running between Arizona and Nogales, one of the major cities in Sonora, and from Nogales all the way to Mexico City. These roads include the F-15 and F-2 in Mexico, along with the I-19 in the U.S., which connects to the I-10 and the I-8. There are also three international airports that are between 70 and 175 miles away.
Sonora has 2,000 kilometers of railroad track from Sinaloa to Mexico City. There is also a water port in Arizona that allows for international shipping, along with a port in Guaymas, further south, that is one of the largest in Mexico and allows for shipping through deep sea waters,according to the Arizona Star. As always, any products sent between Mexico and the U.S. enjoy the benefits of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which means that almost everything is tariff-free.
The government of Sonora is making a strong effort to strengthen local industries through educational and other resources. There are eight universities in Sonora, and relevant majors include everything a company might need for hiring local talent who know how to build products and manage people. There are also many technical and trade schools in the state, including training centers at the Tetakawi Manufacturing Community in Guaymas. The unemployment rate is only about 5 percent in Mexico, making it easy to pull from a skilled workforce, with experience in manufacturing, specifically aerospace.
When deciding to manufacture in Mexico, companies should be aware of the advantages provided by specific locations. Sonora is a strategic site with close proximity to the border, experienced workforce, and a specialty in the aerospace industry.