Redwood MX Update: July 2025

This Month: Mexico Posts a Trade Surplus Despite Tariffs 

The July edition of Redwood’s Mexico Market Update looks back at key economic and business trends in Mexico, transportation news and challenges, and new investments in Mexican markets over the last month. We hope you find these reports interesting and informative! 

The cross-border logistics community continues to closely monitor U.S. President Donald Trump’s shifting policies around tariffs. On July 31, he announced a new tariff plan that will impose tariffs on over 150 countries. The “universal” tax on U.S. imports for goods coming into the U.S. will remain at 10%, but it will only apply to countries where America has a trade surplus. Other countries will face new tariffs on top of this 10% base rate.  

The U.S. and Mexico have agreed to a 90-day pause on tariff increases following the July 31 announcement. That means Mexican imports will continue to be taxed at the current rate of 25% if they fall outside the protections of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. About half of Mexican imports are exempt from any tariffs under this 2020 trade agreement. 

In June, Mexico posted a trade surplus with the U.S., reversing the first-quarter 2025 deficit trend, despite Trump’s tariffs. This growth was driven by a 10.6% rise in exports led by the manufacturing sector.  

While tariffs continue to drive headlines, it’s clear that cross-border trade with Mexico remains strong. If you have any questions about how shifting tariffs affect your business specifically, reach out to the experts at Redwood Mexico. 

In general, economic trends, both fuel prices in Mexico ($5.26 USD/gallon) and the currency exchange rate ($18.7267 USD/MXN) remained steady in July.  

Cargo theft remains a concern. Looking at the statistics for June, the majority of crimes (47%) took place in the Central region, followed by the West (29%). The State of Mexico and Puebla accounted for 43% of total cases, maintaining their historical position as the most affected regions. The most targeted goods were food and beverages (43%), followed by miscellaneous products (10%), home and garden (7%), metals (6%), and building and industrial products (6%).  

Transportation News and Challenges 

Lines grow to seven kilometers at the Nuevo Laredo Customs Bridge

Three lanes devoted to trucking cargo at the Nuevo Lardeo Customs Bridge are seeing backups of up to seven kilometers. Contributing to this inefficiency, according to Deutsh Espino, are authorities, customs agents, trucking companies, and even the U.S. border authority. One reason is the exhaustive checks conducted by U.S. authorities, which are manual- and paper-based. Deutsch Espino notes that only 7% of freight operations use automated lanes; the rest continue to process paperwork, including the Customs Clearance Document. Long wait times are significantly impacting businesses that use this customs checkpoint. 

New labor standards introduced for the logistics sector  

The Mexican Ministry of Economy has announced four new labor competency standards aimed at professionalizing human capital in logistics and foreign trade. These standards cover the development of logistics service proposals, operational management of international transportation (land, maritime, and air), and the use of geospatial analysis for logistics security. They were developed in collaboration with organizations including ANIERM, AMACARGA, ANERPV, ANAM, and CONOCER, with support from over 100 companies. Four more standards will be created in the second half of 2025, along with the formation of a Competency Management Committee for Logistics. 

MX-SICT seeks private investment to build secure truck stops 

Mexico’s Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications, and Transportation (SICT) is seeking support from the private sector to build or expand truck stops on 17 federal highway sections. SICT’s goal is to provide rest and protection for long-haul operators and the federal trucking sector in areas with high crime or insufficient infrastructure. The truck stops will offer basic services like rest areas, food, and parking. See the full list of proposed locations here. 

Investment Trends 

Foreign companies continue to invest in Mexico at a fast pace. The following represent the most recent infrastructure investments. 

U.S. real estate company Thor Urbana will spend $128 million USD to build a second industrial park in Nuevo León. Checkpoint Systems, an American wireless technology company, will open an RFID plant in Mexico City at an investment of $40 million. South Korean automaker SL Corporation is opening a manufacturing plant in the Logistik II industrial park in San Luis Potosí at a cost of $45 million. INTEVA, a U.S. automotive manufacturer, will invest $8.8 million to expand its operations in Matamoros. The project that will create 500 direct jobs and significantly impact the region´s economic health. INTEVA’s expansion strengthens Matamoros’ position as a center for industrial investment. 

Redwood can help you explore your own opportunities for cross-border growth and expansion. We’ve invested in building a strong presence in Mexico that includes over 200 bilingual experts, six facilities on both sides of the border, more than 400 carrier partners in Mexico, and 30,000 annual shipments.  

Learn more about our cross-border and international capabilities, or reach out to discuss your specific cross-border goals, challenges, and opportunities.