COMCE reveals why Mexico broke export records despite reducing shipments

Mexico closed 2025 with a record high in export value , reaching almost $548 billion between January and October, despite registering fewer international shipments . This apparent contradiction—higher revenue with lower volume—reveals a structural shift in the composition of foreign trade , according to an analysis by the Mexican Council for Foreign Trade ( COMCE Noreste ).

The 6.6% annual growth in export value occurred despite a decrease in the number of transactions , confirming a higher value density per shipment . This trend breaks with the traditional logic of Mexican trade, historically based on large volumes, and points to more sophisticated exports , with products that have higher technological content and a higher unit price.

The sectoral shift that explains the record exports

Contrary to expectations, the automotive sector , which accounts for approximately 32% of exports, registered a 5.2% decline in 2025. Although it remains a pillar of foreign trade, it was not the engine of growth . The impetus came from the machinery and equipment sector , which accounted for almost a quarter of total exports and reported growth of nearly 60% , becoming the main driver of the record .

This performance reflects an industrial reconfiguration , with Mexico moving towards advanced assembly processes and electronic manufacturing , sectors with higher added value. The key is not to send more merchandise, but to export more complex products , integrated into high-tech global supply chains.

Chihuahua and the transpacific technological integration

The epicenter of this phenomenon is located in Chihuahua , where exports of computers, communications equipment, and electronics grew by 86.7% , exceeding $27 billion . This boom is explained by direct integration with Asia , particularly with Taiwan , whose imports of technological components to Mexico increased by more than 155% .

The logic is clear: integrated circuits and semiconductors manufactured by global leaders like MediaTek arrive in Mexico, are assembled in specialized plants —including Foxconn operations —and are subsequently exported as high-value finished products , primarily to the United States. This model explains how fewer shipments generate more revenue .

At a regional scale, the phenomenon also shows a high geographic concentration . Five northern states— Chihuahua, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas, Coahuila, and Durango —account for 45.8% of total national exports , confirming that the industrial northeast has consolidated its position as the country's export hub and the main beneficiary of North American production integration.

The final destination of these goods explains the model's strength. The USMCA market boasts a GDP per capita of nearly $65,000 , significantly higher than other regions of the world, guaranteeing sustained demand for high-value goods . In a context where China is redirecting its exports toward Europe and Asia, Mexico occupies a strategic position within regional supply chains.

By 2026 , the challenge will be balancing the protection of local industry with dependence on imported inputs , particularly semiconductors and critical components. The experience of 2025 shows that the path forward lies not in exporting more boxes, but in deepening advanced manufacturing , consolidating regional suppliers, and maintaining Mexico as a key link in high-value supply chains in North America .

 

Source: MexicoIndustry. (s. f.). COMCE revela por qué México rompió récord de exportaciones pese a reducir envíos. MexicoIndustry. https://mexicoindustry.com/noticia/comce-revela-por-que-mexico-rompio-record-de-exportaciones-pese-a-reducir-envios