Tamaulipas, Mexico - Tamaulipas recorded a 6.3 percent increase in industrial activity for the first half of 2025, according to a state economic report released on July 29. The figures reflect a robust performance across the state’s manufacturing, energy, and export sectors, positioning the region among the national leaders in economic momentum.
The Tamaulipas Secretary of Economy attributed the rise to higher export volume, cross-border logistics capacity, and stable growth in energy-related services. Cities such as Reynosa, Matamoros, and Tampico—key industrial hubs near the U.S. border and the Gulf Coast—played a major role in driving the numbers.
“We’re seeing the return of investor confidence and a strong rebound in global demand for manufactured goods,” the Secretary said in the official statement.
Export infrastructure and maquiladoras lead recovery
The report notes that maquiladora operations and foreign trade continue to anchor Tamaulipas’s industrial base. The state’s border location, with its highway and rail links into Texas, has made it a strategic hub for nearshoring and cross-border trade with the U.S. and Canada under the USMCA framework.
“Manufacturing is expanding in Reynosa and Matamoros,” the report stated, “and we’re seeing spillover benefits in energy services in the southern coastal zone.”
The 6.3% growth was calculated using state GDP indicators in collaboration with Mexico’s national economic data agency. The report also included forward-looking statements, forecasting continued expansion in the second half of the year, particularly if macroeconomic conditions remain stable.
Challenges remain despite positive trends
Despite the encouraging growth rate, some local economists have warned that the gains are uneven across regions. Smaller municipalities without strong industrial infrastructure are not seeing the same benefits, and issues such as crime, water access, and housing shortages still complicate development.
Nevertheless, the Tamaulipas industrial growth story represents one of the state’s strongest economic rebounds in recent years. Public-private investment in logistics parks, port upgrades in Altamira, and renewable energy projects in the north have all contributed to the positive trend.
The state government pledged to continue diversifying the industrial base while ensuring social and environmental sustainability in key projects.
