Borderlands Mexico is a weekly rundown of developments in the world of United States-Mexico cross-border trucking and trade. This week: U.S. trade with Mexico rises to $74B in May; Redwood Logistics opens office in Queretaro, Mexico; and Franke Group opens production plant in San Luis Potosí, Mexico.
U.S. trade with Mexico rises to $74B in May
Bolstered by shipments of computers, cars and auto parts to the U.S., Mexico was the top U.S. trade partner in May at $74.5 billion, according to Census Bureau data analyzed by WorldCity.
It was a 2% year-over-year increase compared to May 2024 and 7% gain compared to April.
Canada ranked No. 2 for trade with the U.S. in May at $57.6 billion, and China ranked third at $27 billion.
Mexico’s exports to the U.S. totaled $46.4 billion in May, a 5% year-over-year increase, while imports from the U.S. to Mexico fell 3% year-over-year to $28.2 billion.
Chicago O’Hare International Airport was the No. 1 spot among the nation’s 450 international gateways for trade, totaling $35.8 billion in commerce during May.
The port of entry in Laredo, Texas, was the No. 2-ranked U.S. trade gateway in May, compared to the same month in 2024, when Laredo was the No. 1 gateway for trade. Trade in the month totaled $30.4 billion, a 4% year-over-year increase.
John F. Kennedy International Airport was the No. 3 international U.S. trade gateway in May, totaling $26.3 billion.
The top U.S. imports from Mexico in May were computers ($7.2 billion), cars and pickup trucks (4 billion) and auto parts ($3 billion).
Top exports from the U.S. to Mexico during the month were gasoline and other fuels ($2.2 billion), computer parts ($2 billion) and auto parts ($1.7 billion).
Redwood Logistics opens office in Queretaro, Mexico
Redwood Logistics has opened an office in Querétaro, Mexico, expanding its presence in the country.
The new location, situated in Mexico’s central Bajío region, is positioned to support nearshoring efforts and strengthen cross-border supply chains, Redwood officials said.
“Querétaro is the ideal location to deepen our service capabilities for clients across automotive, aerospace, manufacturing and consumer sectors, Jordan Dewart, president of Redwood Mexico, said in a news release.
The Querétaro office, with plans to expand to 100 employees, will house all of the company’s business divisions, including technology solutions and managed services.
In 2023, Redwood Logistics opened new offices in Monterrey, Mexico.
Chicago-based Redwood Logistics and Redwood Mexico is one of the fastest growing fourth party logistics providers in North America.
Franke Group opens $82M plant in San Luis Potosí, Mexico
The Franke Group recently opened an $82 million manufacturing facility in the Mexican City of San Luis Potosí, according to a news release.
The 333,681-square-foot facility expands the footprint of Franke Foodservice Systems – a division of the Franke Group and a supplier to global quick service restaurants and convenience store chains across the Americas.
The operation will initially create 200 direct jobs, with the potential to expand to 500 positions.
“This new site is a cornerstone of our strategy to localize production, improve supply chain resilience, and better serve our customers across the Americas,” Patrik Wohlhauser, CEO of the Franke Group, said in a statement.
The Franke Group is based in Aarburg, Switzerland. The company employs about 7,700 people in 35 countries.
