Nearshoring in Nuevo León has reached new heights. In 2024, the state recorded an all-time high of $33.7 billion USD in foreign direct investment (FDI), driven largely by the relocation of companies seeking to escape U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports. This follows a sharp growth trend: from $7.1 billion in 2022 to $20.7 billion in 2023.

So far in 2025, Nuevo León has already confirmed $8.8 billion USD in FDI, according to Emmanuel Loo, Acting Secretary of Economy for the state. Since the beginning of the current administration, investments total $73 billion USD, linked to 169 new projects and 179 expansions, representing over 361,500 new jobs.

Nuevo León: A Small State with Big Economic Impact

Although Nuevo León accounts for just 4% of Mexico’s population, it contributed 27% of Mexico’s GDP in Q4 of 2024. The momentum has been fueled by nearshoring and strong international investor interest.

“We’re inaugurating new companies nearly every week,” said Emmanuel Loo. “Over 120 companies have visited us recently, and there’s another $10 billion in the pipeline pending confirmation.”

Strategic Sectors Driving Investment in Nuevo León

Nuevo León is quickly becoming a magnet for global industry leaders in:

Automotive (e.g., ZF, Jabil, Aptiv)

Home appliances (producing 60–70% of those consumed in the U.S. and Canada)

Heavy machinery

Data centers and IT infrastructure (top global companies set to announce investments soon)

“We’re the #1 state for manufacturing chillers for data centers,” Loo emphasized. “And two or three firms are about to start producing servers here.”

The state’s engineering talent pipeline is also gaining international attention. A partnership with Tec de Monterrey and UANL is already training specialized engineers in autonomous vehicles, with over 900 graduates already in the workforce—many recruited by global firms.

U.S. Leads Investment Sources, Followed by China and South Korea

FDI into Nuevo León is coming from across the globe, led by:

United States: 107 projects

China: 71 projects

South Korea: 23 projects

Germany: 11

France: 10

Sweden: Including Volvo and others expanding in the region

In food and beverage, too, Nuevo León plays a key role in North American supply chains:

Nearly 90% of Oreo cookies consumed in the U.S. are produced at Mondelez's Nuevo León plant

95% of Hershey’s chocolates in the U.S. come from this region

The State Ministry of Economy is actively supporting suppliers in certification and integration, with $700 million USD in open purchase orders across strategic sectors.

Conclusion

The nearshoring boom in Nuevo León has positioned the state as a top destination for FDI in Latin America. With a record-breaking $33.7 billion USD in investment in 2024, a diversified industrial base, and thousands of skilled engineers, Nuevo León is not just leading in exports—it’s shaping the future of advanced manufacturing in North America.