Matamoros loses nearly 3,000 more jobs as bankruptcy case ripples throughout the region

Nearly 3,000 workers in Matamoros lost their jobs this week after yet another company shut down operations as a result of the ongoing bankruptcy of its U.S.-based parent company, First Brands Group.

Trico Componentes’s closure in Matamoros brings the total number of jobs lost in South Texas and northern Mexico tied to the bankruptcy to nearly 5,000. 

Wednesday’s shutdown triggered an immediate labor response.

Workers launched a strike in an effort to secure severance payments and protect remaining assets, according to Juan Villafuerte, secretary general of the Sindicato de Jornaleros y Obreros Industriales de la Industria Maquiladora (SJOIIM), or the workers union.

“Since no agreements were reached and the company shut down completely, the flags have now been installed,” Villafuerte said about the red-and-black strike flags placed at the facilities.

Financing troubles

Trico, a manufacturer of windshield wiper systems, had operated in Matamoros for decades before ceasing operations this week. 

In January, union leadership had indicated the plant would remain open — a position that quickly unraveled as financial conditions worsened.

The company cited a lack of financing in its shutdown notice.

“As of March 25, 2026, we no longer have financing available, an accelerated shutdown of operations is now underway,” the company stated.

In the weeks leading up to the closure, operations had already begun to deteriorate. Production declined, technical stoppages increased, and more than 1,000 workers per day were placed on temporary leave in early March.

Strike aims to secure severance

Union leaders said the strike is part of an ongoing legal process tied to contract compliance and asset protection.

“The legal process now requires us to move forward immediately and safeguard all assets,” Villafuerte explained.

The goal is to prevent the removal of machinery and equipment that could be used to guarantee severance payments for workers.

The strike began at Plant 150 and Warehouse 55, with the potential to expand to other facilities depending on legal proceedings.

Regional impact widens

The shutdown follows earlier layoffs across South Texas, where more than 600 jobs were cut at First Brands-linked facilities in Brownsville, with an additional 41 layoffs reported in Harlingen.

Union leaders in Mexico warned the disruption could extend beyond Matamoros to other companies under First Brands and could impact suppliers and service providers.

“This is widespread. The workers are the ones paying the price,” Villafuerte said.

Estimates from the union suggest total job losses could exceed 5,500 when factoring in other facilities linked to the same corporate group, including Tridonex, Componentes Universales, Ensambladora de Matamoros and Cardone.

The impact reflects broader pressure on the maquiladora industry in northern Mexico, where global financial conditions and corporate restructuring have led to shutdowns and cutbacks, including the recent closure of XB Fulfillment in Reynosa.

“Everyone is losing: suppliers, businesses, workers and government,” Villafuerte said.

Government focuses on reemployment

Officials at all levels of government have begun coordinating a response aimed at supporting displaced workers and stabilizing the local economy.

“Authorities are looking for ways to participate and support the workers,” Villafuerte said. “A special program should be created to provide job opportunities for Trico workers.”

The Tamaulipas state government emphasized that the closure was not driven by local conditions.

“This situation responds to corporate-level decisions and is unrelated to the plant’s productive and labor performance in the state,” Ninfa Cantú Deándar, the secretary of economic development for the state of Tamaulipas, said.

René Xavier González, president of CODEM, a Matamoros industrial development group, and property owner of the Trico facility in Matamoros, echoed those sentiments.

“This should in no way reflect poorly on Matamoros or its workers,”  González said. “These are corporate matters that are having a domino effect… since First Brands Group had a sizable footprint in Matamoros.”

State officials said an interinstitutional strategy has been activated under Tamaulipas Gov. Américo Villarreal Anaya to coordinate labor authorities, municipalities, industry groups and unions.

“The most important priority right now is to protect workers, ensure their rights are respected and provide real alternatives for their reemployment,” Cantú said.

She added that the shutdown does not undermine the state’s investment outlook.

“Tamaulipas maintains a solid, competitive and reliable investment climate,” she said.

Business community mobilizes

Local business organizations said they are working to absorb displaced workers and stabilize employment conditions.

“There is general concern,” Dolores Ramírez Andrade, president of Coparmex Matamoros, a local business organization representing employers, said.

Companies across industrial, commercial and service sectors are being asked to help. 

“We were asked to open opportunities… so that each organization and its members can offer jobs to those facing this situation,” Ramírez said.

She noted the city has weathered similar disruptions before and pointed to coordinated recovery efforts as a path forward.

“This is not the first time Matamoros has gone through something like this… we have always managed to recover and move forward,” she said.

Ramírez also pointed to longer-term opportunities tied to port development and potential new investment.

“We are strongly committed to the port… it will generate jobs and facilitate trade. There is always room for optimism and good news,” she added.

While no new investments have been formally confirmed, Ramírez said interest remains active.

“We know there are companies interested in Matamoros… we are waiting for more complete information to communicate the benefits,” she said.