Brownsville and Matamoros Strengthen Regional Industry at the 2026 International Business Gathering

Manufacturing capacity, in sites lined toconnect suppliers across the border took center stage as the event opened Oct.1 at the River Bend Resort clubhouse in Brownsville.

Organized by CANACINTRA Matamoros, the GreaterBrownsville EDC, and the City of Matamoros, the three-day program combinesbusiness panels, investment presentation visits, and networking activitiesunder the theme "Ideas, Alliances and Growth Without Borders."

Opening Panel

The opening panel examined how companies canbuild operations around existing workforce, industrial, maritime, and energyassets. Leaders from COSTEP, CODEM, and NextDecade outlined how bothestablished manufacturing capabilities and new projects shape the region'sfuture demand.

An Industrial Base

The regional overview from the Council forSouth Texas Economic Progress highlighted that the region has registered morethan 400 manufacturing plants across the broader Rio Grande-Tamaulipas region.Metal-mechanics, tooling, electrical/electronic products, and plastics accountfor the largest category in the industry breakdown.

Other sectors included packaging and medicaldevices, illustrating a range of available supply options.

The panel also emphasized transportation,position, and logistics, closely linking the appeal of an integrated approachthat builds on earlier collaboration between regional organizations andauthorities in Mexico.

Speakers previously reported discussions on anindex of official focus and gathering participating supply chains.

Automotive and Manufacturing

El Comité para el Desarrollo Económico deMatamoros (CODEM) identified target markets through its bridges, rail, air, andsea connectivity. The automotive sector features prominently. According toCODEM, Matamoros has 55 specialized maquiladoras, with a workforce exceeding30,000 people producing components, safety systems, dashboards, and wiringharnesses.

The slides noted assembly points and proximityto distribution networks in the United States and Canada.

ERA Group

ERA Group presented an initial $3 millionproject aimed at helping reduce resource use in operations. Expanding a U.S.R&D base, the company maintains a model for energy, storage, and shippingconsiderations across a 48-hectare site with 17 lots along the channel.

A lease model tailored to requirementsdescribes specific operational needs and potential permits to commercializetoward a Foreign-Trade Zone (FTZ No. 62) status.

Rio Grande LNG

NextDecade outlined its Rio Grande LNG project,a natural gas liquefaction facility near the Brownsville Ship Channel. Thefirst phase, involving three trains, is expected to start producing in thesecond half of 2027.

Itinerary & Events

Beyond the conference room, the 2-day itineraryincludes tours of Boca Chica Starbase, scheduled for Oct. 2, followed by a golftournament and networking events where participants can connect on-site.