Seeing a Future in Mexico

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

The Global Electronics Association (formerly known as IPC) has been instrumental in fostering a partnership with Guanajuato, a state north of Mexico City with 12 industrial clusters and close to 150 companies involved in electronics.

This past spring, Alejandro Hernández, the undersecretary for investment promotion in Guanajuato, attended IPC APEX EXPO 2025 at the invitation of IPC Mexico Director Lorena Villanueva, where he met with several companies to discuss the opportunities available in Mexico. He is inviting electronics-related companies seeking long-term investment in a centrally located area with access to highways, railways, and ports.

Guanajuato has the sixth-largest GDP in Mexico and is the country’s fastest-growing manufacturing state. It blends its agricultural heritage with a modern industrial identity. The state is home to manufacturing plants for five of the world’s top automakers, three tire plants, a recent $12 million investment from a PCBA provider, and an $18 million expansion by a global automotive electronics supplier.

In this interview, Alejandro emphasizes that his state is open for business, highlighting the role of local training centers, strategic partnerships, and government incentives. Despite recent volatility in tariffs and trade agreements with the United States, he remains optimistic that working with Mexico offers a stronger export supply chain, a broader talent pool, and new opportunities for growth.

Alejandro, what motivated Guanajuato to become a leader in the electronics industry?

Alejandro Hernández: We’ve faced challenges in the past and have been told we weren’t suited for certain industries. We’ve proven them wrong. We are a state that has made significant efforts to collaborate with countries around the world, including Japan, Singapore, and Germany.

But we’re especially proud of our collaboration with the Global Electronics Association. We see it as a catalyst for economic development. We are one of the few states in Mexico with an official strategic planning instrument, and we believe we have what it takes to succeed in the electronics industry as well.

Before General Motors arrived in Guanajuato in 1995, the land that now has a factory producing nearly 400,000 pickup trucks annually was once a garlic field. We often joke that we went from growing garlic and broccoli to building $60,000 pickup trucks.

Don’t get me wrong—we’re still strong in agribusiness—but we’ve successfully changed the narrative and expanded how the state is perceived.

To read the entire article, which originally appeared in the July 2025 SMT007 Magazine, click here.