COMCE Noreste Targets Border Bottlenecks to Boost Trade

Summary: COMCE Noreste is promoting a binational strategy to reduce border bottlenecks, improve customs coordination and strengthen Mexico’s competitiveness as a manufacturing and supply chain hub. The initiative includes a proposed 90-day, 24-hour customs pilot in Nuevo Laredo, infrastructure expansions at key international bridges and greater coordination among companies and authorities in Mexico and the United States.

Mexico-US bilateral trade reached a record US$871.6 billion in 2025, increasing pressure on the border infrastructure that supports one of North America’s most integrated manufacturing and logistics corridors. In response, the Mexican Council of Foreign Trade’s Northeast Chapter (COMCE Noreste) is promoting a regional strategy to reduce border bottlenecks, improve coordination between authorities and businesses, and strengthen Mexico’s competitiveness as companies reassess their global supply chains.

The organization is seeking to move away from a fragmented approach in which each international bridge and port of entry is managed as an isolated operation. Instead, COMCE Noreste proposes a regional and binational coordination network connecting exporters, importers, customs brokers, carriers and other users with authorities on both sides of the Rio Grande.

“Our function is not to replace authorities or operate crossings; our function is to connect companies’ experience with those who make decisions and manage the border, transforming that information into evidence, proposals and monitoring mechanisms to move from isolated problems to shared and measurable solutions,” said Javier Cendejas, president of COMCE Noreste. 

Trucking Carries 74% of Commercial Trade Value

The scale of Mexico-US trade makes border efficiency a strategic issue for manufacturers, logistics companies and investors. Truck transportation accounts for approximately 74% of the total value of bilateral commercial cargo, equivalent to about US$642 billion, while rail represents roughly 11% of trade and is particularly efficient for large-scale shipments traveling more than 700 kilometers.

This concentration in road freight reflects the importance of northern Mexico to the country's export economy. Chihuahua leads Mexican states in shipments, with US$109.5 billion, while Coahuila and Nuevo Leon each exceed US$58 billion. Tamaulipas contributes more than US$36 billion and has 18 international bridges, handling nearly 40% of Mexico's border operations.

Nuevo Leon, meanwhile, functions as a major logistics center connecting industrial supply chains with the US border, particularly for manufacturers operating under just-in-time production models. As cross-border volumes have increased, however, infrastructure and customs facilities have struggled to maintain the level of predictability required by advanced manufacturing.

According to COMCE Noreste, crossing times have increased by as much as 80% in some cases. Delays have been linked to toll-payment processes involving electronic tags and cash, congestion on critical roads such as Highway 57 and insufficient investment in transportation infrastructure.

“Each bridge has its own strengths and benefits. What we seek by sharing best practices among crossings is for companies to use these alternatives to generate more efficient and secure trade, helping resolve bottlenecks with the relevant authorities on both sides of the border,” said Andrés Franco, Director General of COMCE Noreste.

Physical infrastructure is only part of the challenge. Differences in operating hours between customs agencies, sanitary inspection authorities and private-sector facilities can create idle time and additional congestion, undermining the reliability required by manufacturers operating integrated North American supply chains. 

COMCE Noreste Pushes for 24-Hour Customs Pilot

Against this backdrop, COMCE Noreste is attempting to convert operational challenges into coordinated initiatives that can be implemented across multiple border crossings. A recent working meeting at the Pharr International Bridge brought together the directors of four major commercial ports in the region: Roberto Tinajero of El Paso, Patricia Mancha of Eagle Pass, Elsy Hinojosa of Laredo and Luis Bazán of Pharr.

The meeting, facilitated by Bazán, also included officials from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Mexico’s National Customs Agency (ANAM) and representatives of the private logistics sector. The objective was to identify common areas of opportunity and replicate practices that can reduce congestion.

One proposal emerging from the discussions is a 90-day pilot for 24-hour customs operations in Nuevo Laredo. The initiative would seek to align customs controls on both sides of the border while introducing scheduled operating hours according to industrial sectors.

The strategy also includes monitoring physical infrastructure projects, including additional lanes at the Pharr International Bridge and expansion of the World Trade Bridge. By connecting infrastructure investment with operational coordination, COMCE Noreste aims to increase the capacity and predictability of major trade corridors rather than relying exclusively on new construction.

“The competitiveness of the border is necessarily binational. We want to act as a coordination space that allows us to move from isolated problems to shared and measurable solutions that provide investment certainty,” Cendejas said. 

Mexico's Supply Chain Advantage

The border strategy comes as multinational companies continue to reassess their manufacturing and sourcing footprints. For COMCE President Sergio Contreras, Mexico's opportunity extends beyond its geographic proximity to the United States and comparatively competitive labor costs.

COMCE's work is centered on foreign trade promotion, investment attraction and promotion, and innovation and technological development. Through its Trade and Investment Intelligence area, the organization maps Mexico's industrial ecosystem to identify regions and sectors with the operational maturity required by international investors, Contreras told MBN. 

“Our competitive advantage goes beyond labor costs. Mexico offers broad-reaching trade agreements, proven capacity for complex manufacturing, and direct integration into the North American productive fabric,” Contreras said.

He added that Mexico should be presented not as a transshipment location but as an established production platform with increasingly professionalized supply networks.

For future investment, Contreras identified human capital, technology adoption and infrastructure as critical factors. Mexico will need greater technical training, advanced engineering capabilities and technology transfer while improving energy, water and customs infrastructure.

He also described the resilience and flexibility of Mexico's workforce as an intangible competitive asset, arguing that the country must evolve from traditional manufacturing toward “mindfacturing” to preserve its position in global supply chains.

By combining border coordination with industrial capabilities, COMCE Noreste is positioning customs efficiency, infrastructure and technology as interconnected components of Mexico's investment proposition. For companies evaluating North American manufacturing locations, reducing uncertainty at the border could become as important as expanding production capacity itself.