San Jose Chiapa to Attract MX$2.08 Billion in Investment

Puebla is set to secure MX$2.08 billion (US$120 million) in new investment at the San Jose Chiapa Development Hub, with projects spanning electromobility, automotive manufacturing, metal structures and hardware production, report federal officials.

Marcelo Ebrard, Minister of Economy, announced the investments during the presentation of Mexico’s Industry and Employment Tariff Package, a federal strategy aimed at protecting domestic industry and safeguarding approximately 350,000 jobs amid growing international competition.

Ebrard said four companies will establish new productive projects within the southern polygon of the San Jose Chiapa hub. The largest investment will come from Motores Limpios (Zacua), focused on electromobility, with a planned outlay of MX$730 million. Peisa Foods will invest MX$200 million in the agrifood sector, while a metal structures company will allocate MX$300 million. Grupo Charrito, operating in the hardware sector, will invest MX$600 million.

The development hub, officially known as the Development Pole for Well-Being, is expected to begin construction between January and March 2026 and will be located in the San Jose Chiapa–Nopalucan area. The project will prioritize the automotive and agrifood industries as part of a national strategy to promote regional development through tax incentives and streamlined administrative processes.

Ebrard emphasized Puebla’s strategic importance to Mexico’s automotive industry, calling it a key state for the sector’s protection and growth nationwide. “The automotive sector is No. 1 for Mexico, which is why it is so important to protect it,” Ebrard said. “And where do we do that? In states such as Durango, Tlaxcala, and Puebla.”

He added that the hub’s proximity to Audi’s assembly plant in San Jose Chiapa will help strengthen regional automotive development. Once completed, the project is expected to attract additional investment to boost infrastructure, economic activity and social development in Nopalucan and surrounding municipalities.

The Puebla hub will launch alongside similar projects in Tlaxcala, Durango, Hidalgo, Guanajuato and Michoacán, forming part of a national network of 15 development poles promoted by the federal government.

Puebla Must Attract Investment Through Value Chains: CANACINTRA 

MBN reported that Puebla must strengthen its investment promotion strategy by leveraging its existing value chains and available industrial spaces, particularly for textile manufacturing and information technology (IT), reports the National Chamber of the Transformation Industry (CANACINTRA). Alejandro Meneses, Head of the IT Sector, CANACINTRA Puebla chapter, said local authorities should work more aggressively to position the city as a secure and competitive destination for foreign investment. He emphasized that Puebla continues to offer strong industrial capabilities and infrastructure that could attract new projects.

Meneses noted that alongside investment promotion, current companies must receive support to adopt software tools, automation systems and cybersecurity solutions to avoid vulnerabilities. He added that CANACINTRA has urged municipal officials to coordinate with the state government and foreign embassies to present Puebla’s industrial opportunities to international investors.

He said the city still lacks a “real diagnostic” to identify priority countries for investment outreach and recommended reactivating the convention tourism sector, which often generates business meetings and new project opportunities.

Beyond attracting new capital, Meneses stressed the importance of helping existing companies grow through promotional campaigns and fiscal incentives. While available land is limited, he pointed out that several abandoned former factories could be repurposed for textile or IT companies looking to establish operations.

Meneses reiterated that Puebla must build the conditions needed for external investors to view the city as a stable and reliable destination.

He highlighted that IT companies are becoming increasingly important to the local industry, contributing software development and digital services that improve productivity. Puebla also has the opportunity to boost “smokestack-free industries,” he said, noting that mid-sized spaces, unused for more than a decade, could serve smaller or emerging firms after larger companies relocated to other municipalities.