The Council for South Texas Economic Progress (COSTEP) is moving to unite more than 140 automotive companies operating across South Texas and northern Mexico into a formal cluster, an initiative aimed at giving the region a unified industrial identity and strengthening its competitiveness for global investment.

Adam González, chief executive officer of COSTEP, said the cluster is designed to showcase the region’s shared manufacturing history while building new opportunities.

“What we produce in this region must be presented in an integrated way, under a single industrial identity,” González said. “It’s not only about attracting new companies, but also about using our manufacturing legacy to expand markets and show the world what we can do.”

The strategy includes a regional marketing plan, participation in international trade shows, coordination with other auto clusters, and joint promotion missions. González said the aim is to position South Texas and northern Mexico as a unified manufacturing corridor capable of competing for global automotive investment.