Mexico’s Tooling Industry Vital but Hampered by Talent Gaps

At TECMA 2025, Alfonso Peña, General Director, Clúster de Herramentales in Mexico, spotlighted the often-overlooked tooling industry. This sector, responsible for producing molds, dies, and tooling systems, underpins industries like automotive manufacturing, where 95% of Tier 1 parts are made in Mexico using high-precision tooling.

Despite its importance, Mexico imported over US$3.4 billion in molds and dies in 2024, relying heavily on suppliers from China, the United States, and Germany. Peña pointed to a lack of specialized talent, limited technical education, and insufficient support for design innovation as major barriers to reducing this dependency.

“In Mexico, we have not taken the next step—the step toward design,” Peña explained. “Most vehicles manufactured or assembled here rely on designs created elsewhere. Mexican engineering excels in production but not yet in innovation.”

Efforts to bridge this gap are underway. Collaborations between Clúster de Herramentales and leading universities, including UANL and ITESM, have established specialized training centers to focus on mold maintenance and manufacturing. Peña emphasized that fostering homegrown talent and innovation is key to transforming Mexico’s tooling industry.

“Mexico is at a crossroads,” Peña declared. “With strategic investment in education and industry support, we can shift from being a global manufacturing hub to a leader in design and innovation.”