Mexico's electronics manufacturing clusters

More than in any other industry, Mexico's electronics manufacturing hugs the U.S. border. Most of it is in a few border cities, in plants that are large by any standard and closely tied to customers on the other side.

This analysis covers computer and electronic products (SCIAN 334), electrical equipment, appliances, and components (SCIAN 335), and vehicle electrical and electronic equipment (SCIAN 336320, which includes wire harnesses), from INEGI's May 2026 directory.

Built at the border

The six states bordering the U.S. hold 54.4% of Mexico's mid-size and larger electronics establishments, and 64.8% of those with more than 250 employees.

Chihuahua has the most large electronics plants (175 with more than 250 employees), followed by Baja California (113) and Nuevo León (101). In Chihuahua and Tamaulipas, about three in four mid-size and larger electronics establishments have more than 250 employees.

Electronics is the single most over-represented industry, compared with the national mix, in Baja California, Sonora, Chihuahua, and Tamaulipas.

Ten cities, 39% of the industry

Ten municipalities hold 38.5% of mid-size and larger electronics establishments. Ciudad Juárez and Tijuana alone have 321 between them.

• Ciudad Juárez (173) is the largest center. Its biggest activities are vehicle electrical systems, including wire harnesses (53 establishments), electronic components (38), and computer equipment (15).
• Tijuana (148) leads in electronic components (59), audio and video equipment (23), and electronic measuring and medical instruments (11). Mexicali (47) adds a second Baja California cluster.
• Monterrey's metro area, led by Apodaca (79) and Guadalupe (47), adds electrical equipment and appliances to its heavy-industry base.
• Reynosa (70) combines vehicle electrical systems, electronic components, and motors and generators. Nogales (57) is focused on electronic components.
• Guadalajara's metro area (Zapopan, 40) is the main interior cluster, with a long history in electronics manufacturing and design.

What they make

Vehicle electrical equipment and electronic components lead by a wide margin, followed by power distribution equipment, measuring and control instruments, and wire and cable.

Compared with the U.S., Mexico has relatively few electronics establishments: about 12 mid-size and larger plants for every 100 in the U.S. But 54.2% of Mexican computer and electronics establishments have more than 50 employees, so the industry's output is concentrated in fewer, much larger plants. See our U.S.–Mexico comparison for more.

What this means for buyers

• For PCB assembly and box build, Juárez, Tijuana, Guadalajara, and Monterrey offer the deepest choice of contract electronics manufacturers.
• For wire harnesses and cable assemblies, Chihuahua and the other border states dominate.
• Expect large plants. Many electronics manufacturers in Mexico run high-volume programs. For low volumes and prototypes, ask specifically about minimum orders, or look at smaller shops in the same cities.
• Components may still come from Asia. Final assembly in Mexico doesn't mean every part is local, which affects lead times and rules of origin.

Methodology and limitations

Counts come from INEGI's DENUE, May 2026 release, for establishments with SCIAN activity codes beginning 334 or 335, plus 336320. Each establishment is counted once, under its main activity. "Border states" are Baja California, Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas. Cities are municipalities. Establishment counts measure the number of plants, not their output or employment.

How to cite. Agalma Sourcing, "Mexico's Electronics Manufacturing Clusters," October 2026, based on INEGI DENUE (May 2026).