Reynosa loses 2,500 maquila jobs as e-commerce and auto demand slow in the U.S.

Reynosa has lost about 2,500 maquiladora jobs in recent months, though city officials say incoming advanced manufacturing investments could offset the decline.

The layoffs have been concentrated in plants tied to auto parts, stainless steel manufacturing, and e-commerce logistics, according to Alberto Lara Bazaldúa, a union leader with the Sindicato Industrial Autónomo de Operarios en General de Maquiladoras de la República Mexicana.

“All companies with any connection to e-commerce were affected,” Lara said about goods sold online and shipped directly to customers. “Auto parts companies will also be impacted because automobile consumption in the United States has dropped significantly.” 

The union has been able to relocate about 600 workers to other companies operating in the city, Lara said. 

Municipal officials say the losses reflect a shift in global trade conditions rather than a structural contraction of the local economy.

Reynosa Mayor Carlos Peña Ortiz said the city expects to announce new investments in the coming months that could offset the job losses. 

But not before announcing some closures. 

“Despite the fact that at the beginning of this year there may be some announcements — perhaps that some maquilas are leaving — the impact on us will be much smaller than in other parts of the country,” he said.

Peña Ortiz said the city is currently in discussions with a large-scale manufacturing company based in Nebraska that is evaluating a workforce expansion in Reynosa.

“The executives are committing to expanding their workforce here in Reynosa with up to 5,000 jobs, and that will help us offset potential declines that may occur at certain points during the year,” the mayor said.

He did not name the company, noting that negotiations remain ongoing.

Logistics sector hit by trade rule changes

The late Mauricio Treviño Garza, Reynosa’s secretary of economic development and employment who died earlier this week, recently told the Rio Grande Valley Business Journal that the sector most affected by the recent cuts has been warehousing and fulfillment operations tied to cross-border e-commerce.

Treviño said regulatory changes in the U.S. “de minimis” rule, which previously allowed shipments valued under $800 to enter the U.S. without tariffs, have altered order volumes and logistics patterns.

“The most affected has been the de minimis scheme,” he said. “Now shipping companies are facing higher tax and tariff burdens,” he said.

Those changes reduced order sizes and frequency, making some warehousing-focused business models less profitable, Treviño added.

“For companies dedicated to warehousing, it stopped being profitable, and that is the sector that has faced the most complications,” Treviño said. 

Advanced manufacturing projects under discussion

Despite the recent layoffs, union leaders and local officials say Reynosa is also seeing new investment interest in higher-value manufacturing sectors.

Lara said outreach efforts conducted with city officials and industry leaders in Washington, North Carolina, Chicago, Nebraska, and Louisiana have helped attract new projects.

“We had already foreseen it with the tariffs. We knew certain markets would affect us, and we prepared,” he said.

Lara Bazaldúa teased that thousands of jobs could be coming to the city through new companies and expansions of existing manufacturers.

The sectors include robotics motors, electromagnetic protection systems, thermal management components, medical manufacturing, solar panel production, and optical communications.

He said part of Corning Incorporated’s optical communications operations will remain in Reynosa and could add close to 5,000 jobs.

Projects linked to Nidec Corporation were also mentioned as part of the advanced manufacturing pipeline.

“The market is changing. Some traditional industries are shrinking, but higher value-added processes are arriving,” Lara said. “Reynosa has the technical talent to compete in robotics, medical technology and advanced manufacturing.”

Economic diversification efforts

Reynosa’s economy has expanded beyond manufacturing over the past decade, city officials noted.

Treviño said employment in commerce, services, construction, and transportation has increased significantly.

According to municipal data, about 10,000 people worked in those sectors roughly a decade ago, compared with approximately 90,000 workers in 2026.

City programs promoting entrepreneurship and local commerce have also contributed to that diversification, officials said.

A second Sam’s Club location is planned in the Jacinto López III neighborhood, with a new Walmart expected in a subsequent phase, authorities said.

Construction could begin this year.

Job placement programs expand

City officials say they are working to connect displaced workers with other jobs.

Treviño said the city’s job placement programs typically list more than 500 vacancies, allowing job seekers to transition to other companies relatively quickly.

“We always see this cyclical pattern in January and February; by February and March we begin to see workforce increases,” he said.

Among those seeking to re-enter the workforce were Gabi Jiménez, 51, and her daughter, Lucero. Gabi, who recently applied for a production position after being out of the labor market for 10 years, said her son’s therapy expenses forced her to look for work. 

“I’m here out of necessity — the need to work,” Jiménez said.

Lucero said she was ready to be hired..

“I learn quickly, and I like hands-on work,” she said.

Both hoped they could find employment as the industrial sector adjusts.