Camber-Amarox Invests US$50 Million in Plant in Morelos

Hetero Labs’ subsidiary launches operations in CIVAC, Jiutepec, on a former Nissan industrial site. The facility will produce medicines for HIV, diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases.  

Camber-Amarox, a subsidiary of India-based Hetero Labs, has inaugurated the first phase of its pharmaceutical manufacturing plant in the Ciudad Industrial del Valle de Cuernavaca (CIVAC), in Jiutepec, Morelos, with an investment of US$50 million.The facility is being developed on the same industrial site that previously housed Nissan’s manufacturing operations, which were shut down in early 2026 following a global restructuring of the automaker.

The new plant will produce medicines for HIV/AIDS, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and biotechnological treatments, with the aim of strengthening access to essential medicines in Mexico and reducing dependence on imports.The initial investment, originally estimated at US$40 million, was increased to US$50 million as the project advanced. The facility is expected to generate up to 300 direct jobs and more than 1,000 indirect jobs, according to state authorities.

During the inauguration, Governor of Morelos Margarita González said each new investment reflects growing confidence in the state’s conditions for stability and economic development. Representatives from the Ministry of Economy and the Federal Commission for Protection against Sanitary Risks (COFEPRIS) highlighted that the project aligns with Mexico’s broader strategy to strengthen its healthcare system and expand domestic pharmaceutical production capacity.

An Industrial Shift in CIVAC

The Camber-Amarox plant points to a structural shift in how Mexico is reusing its industrial infrastructure. For decades, CIVAC has been one of central Mexico’s most important automotive manufacturing hubs, integrated into global supply chains and export-oriented production networks. The closure of Nissan’s operations left a significant industrial gap, raising questions about the future use of large-scale manufacturing assets in the region.

The establishment of this pharmaceutical facility indicates that these industrial corridors are being repurposed rather than abandoned. They are shifting toward high-value, strategic sectors like life sciences and the manufacturing of essential medicines. This transition is part of a larger transformation within Mexico's industrial sector, where existing manufacturing foundations are being utilized as a springboard for emerging fields such as biotechnology, healthcare, and the development of resilient supply chains.

Implications for Mexico

This approach would allow the country to expand pharmaceutical production capacity without developing entirely new industrial zones, leveraging existing infrastructure, logistics networks, and skilled labor ecosystems already present in industrial corridors like CIVAC. It also strengthens Mexico’s strategy to reduce dependence on imported medicines, particularly in high-demand therapeutic areas such as chronic diseases and oncology, which place sustained pressure on public health systems. Investments of this kind also signal a gradual alignment between industrial policy and healthcare policy. 

This type of conversion could accelerate Mexico’s positioning as a regional manufacturing base for essential medicines, particularly in a global environment where supply chain resilience has become a priority. The developments at CIVAC present a critical strategic inquiry regarding the trajectory of Mexico's healthcare and industrial policies. 

If this model is replicated across other industrial corridors, Mexico could strengthen its role in North America’s pharmaceutical supply chain, moving from a predominantly consumption-driven system toward a more balanced production and access ecosystem.