It is not a secret that Baja California is the cradle of Mexico’s aerospace manufacturing sector. But how big is the aerospace industry in Tijuana? Keep reading and find out about the aviation initiative in our country.
How and when did the Baja California aerospace cluster arise?
The aerospace industry began to develop in Baja California 60 years ago due to our proximity to the United States and, in particular, to California, a state that, if it were a country, would have the fifth largest economy in the world.
With the manufacturing program of the Department of Commerce and Industrial Development (SECOFI), the first aerospace company in the country was established in Tijuana in 1966, and little by little, others followed.
Many of the first projects were for defense since the seventh-largest military fleet in the United States is located in San Diego.
Currently, there is an aerospace industry in 18 of the 32 states of the country, but only five represent a strategic environment: Sonora, Chihuahua, Nuevo León, Querétaro, and Baja California.
Why do investors all over the world prefer Tijuana?
Foreign investment in Mexico arrives thanks to fertile ground, which is why the state focuses on supporting SMEs with Mexican capital, which lacks the subsidiaries’ infrastructure.
Our second pillar is the specialized workforce. Mexican students and their universities work hard to know what the industry requires to participate successfully in the global chain.
How important is Baja California in the aerospace industry, locally and internationally?
The Californias make up a binational region without a wall for the United States and the world. That is why businesses in California began to migrate part of their production to Mexico.
Tijuana is a complementary manufacturing area with the highest quality standards.
In 2007, the governments of Mexico and the United States signed the Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement (BASA). It is an international document that, like NAFTA and T-MEC, gives confidence to foreign investors.
From 2006 to 2016, there was an explosion in investments. That last year Tijuana reached exports a value of 2,500 million dollars, with 125 companies that employed 37,000 people.
Which business segments does Tijuana operate?
Tijuana is the only state involved in five segments: commercial, defense; cargo and logistics; drones, maintenance, and repair.
Defense is one of the most important. The Pacific Ocean has been the historical border with the United State’s potential commercial competitors.
Considering that Space x is three hours apart, the success of Elon Musk’s entrepreneurial initiative with the launch of the Dragon was a milestone of certainty for companies in Baja California.
So, now that you know how big the aerospace industry is in Tijuana do not hesitate to consider it as one of your next business opportunities in Mexico.
At EDC Tijuana, we have 30 years of experience providing specialized business consulting and logistics services for companies looking for contract manufacturing solutions.
We will help with the challenging task of finding the perfect location to install a manufacturing plant since we know the characteristics to consider.
Trust us. We are the business opportunity you were looking for.
