Main logistics hubs in Mexico: where are they located?
These are the states that are the site of the main logistics hubs in Mexico. They also play a prominent role as distribution centers.
The hub concept refers to the strategic point of a distribution network that enables shippers of products to reach many different places. Hubs replace the simple transfer of origin – destination.
Systems in which transfers are made without making connections are extremely expensive to use and provide few options for shipping to certain destinations.
There are two types of logistics hubs in Mexico, as well as in other similar trading countries: those that are located in large cities and industrial and/or commercial centers. These hubs generate intense activity by themselves and are almost the opposite in characteristics of those located such in smaller venues such as Singapore, Dubai and Panama, for instance.
These countries have an economic activity mainly linked to world trade, so their development in infrastructure is focused on operational centers.
The logistics hubs in Mexico are among the most important on the continent
The logistics industry is one of the primary backbones for Mexico’s economic development, as it is dedicated to the movement of materials and products throughout the territory. This is according to an assertion made by the audit services firm KPMG.
In the World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index ranking , Mexico is ranked 53rd in the world. In Latin America, however it is one of the most important countries. Only Panama and Chile surpass it in their importance to hemispheric trade.
Logistics hubs in Mexico link North America with Central and South America.
The Mexican logistics network is made up of 117 seaports, 393,471 kilometers of highways, 27,000 kilometers of rail lines, 76 airports, 46 customs points and 66 intermodal terminals, according to the country’s federal government’s figures.
The states with the main logistics hubs in Mexico
Historically, three zones are the primary logistics centers in the country in terms of their importance. This is so because they are capable of serving any type of industry, from life science and medical devices to the retail and automotive industries. They are of great importance to the commerce of the country in terms of both imports and exports.
However, in the last two decades and with the boost that the national economy has received with the signing of a network of 12 Free Trade Agreements with 46 different countries, other states have managed to capitalize on the opportunities to also be considered as important logistics hubs in Mexico.
Due to their potential for industrial and manufacturing growth, Tijuana, Baja California, Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua as the states of Guanajuato and Querétaro have established themselves as the most prominent cities that attract the attention of foreign investors. The scenario, however, may change somewhat in the distant future with the realization of projected plans such as the Trans-isthmian Corridor. This proposed project includes not only the construction of a train, but also the installation of 10 industrial parks and a gas pipeline in the area that includes the states of Oaxaca and Veracruz.
Exchange centers
In addition to the main centers in Tijuana, Ciudad Juarez and Guanajuato, It must be considered that the country’s parcel companies have important exchange centers in the cities of Mazatlán, Minatitlán, San Luis Potosí, Zacatecas, Veracruz, Puebla and Silao .
Although they are not listed as important logistics hubs in Mexico for now, the three states that make up the Yucatan Peninsula are also in the sights of investors. Mexican economic officials project that $ 1.8 billion will be allocated to build projects in the region in the next three years.
Maritime opportunities
The Mexican Chamber of the Maritime Transport Industry (CAMEINTRAM) ensures that the Yucatan Peninsula represents an important job opportunity for multimodal transport.
The idea is to turn the area into the main connection point between the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. This is why the current administration of Andres Manuel Lopez-Obrador intends to give cabotage a greater participation in the movement of goods. It is anticipated that this action will help to detonate the growth of the economies in the southern portion of the country.
Although there are already routes that function appropriately as logistics hubs in the Mexican southeast (Tampico-Progreso and Tuxpan-Puerto Morelos), the Mexican Ministry of Economy has recently reported the formation of a working study group to discuss the potential of developing additional hubs that would give dynamism to the different modes of transportation in the country.
