AMIA, INA Deny Plant Closures Amid US Tariff Concerns

The Mexican Automotive Industry Association (AMIA) and the National Auto Parts Industry Association (INA) have dismissed concerns about any imminent plant closures or company exits from Mexico, despite growing uncertainty around potential US tariff policies.

"No plant has left Mexico. Nissan is not leaving Mexico. They made an adjustment to their production footprint. In fact, they relocated a product from Argentina to Mexico. Neither Ford nor any other company has left or is planning to leave," said Rogelio Garza, President, AMIA.

His remarks follow reports of a global restructuring plan by Nissan, which includes production shifts. across several countries. While the automaker has closed plants in Japan, India, and Argentina, its operations in Aguascalientes and Morelos remain fully active. Notably, Nissan has transferred production of its Frontier model from Argentina to Mexico.

“In this ongoing reconfiguration process, Mexico is coming out ahead. We are attracting more production opportunities for the North American market,” stated Esaú Garza, Minister of Economic Development, Science and Technology of Aguascalientes. He noted that the restructuring could ultimately benefit Mexico.

Rogelio Garza added that Mexico remains in a stable and competitive position, even amid a "whirlwind" of US tariff threats and shifting political discourse. According to AMIA, vehicle production and exports in the first half of the year have remained steady compared to 2024 levels. While automakers like General Motors, Stellantis, Volkswagen, and Nissan have conducted routine maintenance and made adjustments to their production lines, none of these changes signal a withdrawal from the country.

“I do not see any short-term risk of a plant shutting down,” Garza said. “Companies are reassessing their global manufacturing footprints in response to potential tariffs. They are evaluating what makes strategic sense to produce in Mexico versus other locations.”

Francisco González, President, INA, also confirmed that there is no indication of any automaker planning to exit Mexico. “No one has left, and we have no information suggesting that any automaker intends to do so,” he said. He emphasized that rather than contraction, the Mexican auto parts sector continues to grow, driven by supply chain realignments and nearshoring trends.

The associations also responded to recent comments from US President Donald Trump, who proposed imposing a 30% tariff on imports from Mexico. González warned that such a measure would be highly disruptive, particularly given that 43% of Mexican auto parts are exported to the United States.
“They cannot just erase everything and start over,” he said.