COSTEP and the Tamaulipas Electrical-Electronics Cluster Strengthen Partnership to Boost Regional Competitiveness

In a strategic move to strengthen competitiveness, the border region, and economic development, the Council for South Texas Economic Progress (COSTEP) and the Tamaulipas Electrical-Electronics Cluster (CEET) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at enhancing economic, industrial, and technological collaboration between South Texas and northern Tamaulipas.

The signing ceremony took place at the International Museum of Art & Science (IMAS) in McAllen, formalizing a partnership designed to promote the development of regional supply chains, create new investment opportunities, and strengthen ties among companies, institutions, and economic development organizations on both sides of the border.

The agreement was signed by Adam Gonzalez, CEO of COSTEP, and Sergio Treviño, President of the Tamaulipas Electrical-Electronics Cluster, an organization representing leading companies in one of the state's most important manufacturing sectors. The agreement marks another step in COSTEP's strategy to build partnerships with Mexico's leading industrial clusters and position the Rio South Texas Region as a strategic destination for industrial expansion.

The event also brought together Walter Rico Murrieta, Secretary of the Cluster and Foreign Trade Manager at LG Electronics Reynosa; Sergio Antonio Ruiz Leal, Treasurer of the Cluster and General Director of TKR de México; Manuel García and Andrea García of Bright; Víctor Arellano, Alejandro Segura, and Iván Rivas of Alcom; as well as representatives from Corning. COSTEP’s Board members, team, institutional partners, business leaders, and representatives of the Rio South Texas community also joined the ceremony, reinforcing the broad regional support behind this partnership.

COSTEP and CEET Strengthen Binational Supply Chains and Investment

The collaboration between the two organizations will support the development of joint projects focused on investment promotion, strategic information exchange, strengthening binational supply chains, and fostering collaboration among companies, universities, and economic development organizations.

The memorandum will also help identify business opportunities for companies in the electrical and electronics sector seeking to leverage the region's logistics infrastructure, specialized workforce, and competitive advantages.

The Rio South Texas Region encompasses, on the U.S. side, the economic corridor stretching from Brownsville to Laredo, while in Mexico it includes the industrial corridor from Nuevo Laredo to Matamoros, Tamaulipas, making it one of North America's leading hubs for international trade and advanced manufacturing.

"The signing of this Memorandum of Understanding marks the beginning of a new chapter of collaboration between COSTEP and the Tamaulipas Electrical-Electronics Cluster. Starting today, we are committed to turning this partnership into concrete actions: creating business connections, promoting new investment opportunities, strengthening supply chains, and supporting the growth of the electrical-electronics sector on both sides of the border," said Adam Gonzalez, CEO of COSTEP.

Sergio Treviño emphasized that this partnership is built on a shared vision between the two organizations to drive regional growth through a comprehensive approach.

"It is very easy to reach agreements when you find a partner who shares your vision and helps you grow the strategy we are building together. This collaboration is not intended to benefit just one company or one location, but an entire region, its people, and their families. Growing this area will benefit everyone and every company," Treviño said.

The Cluster President added that the partnership will create new opportunities and accelerate the industrial development of northern Tamaulipas.

"We expect this type of collaboration to bring us more opportunities while attracting the growth we are working toward," he said.

Nearshoring Strengthens Industrial Integration Between Texas and Tamaulipas

The agreement comes at a pivotal time as nearshoring, the reconfiguration of global supply chains, and the growth of the electrical and electronics industry continue to reshape manufacturing. The sector plays a critical role in advanced manufacturing, medical devices, telecommunications, automation, electric mobility, and smart technologies.

For COSTEP, the partnership is part of a broader strategy to strengthen relationships with Mexico's leading industrial clusters—including the automotive, aerospace, electronics, and medical device sectors—to generate new opportunities for collaboration and investment across both regions.

In addition to promoting investment attraction, the Memorandum of Understanding aims to facilitate the exchange of best practices, support workforce development initiatives, foster innovation, and promote business networking events that strengthen industrial integration between Mexico and the United States.

The agreement also creates new opportunities to expand the participation of regional suppliers in the value chains of the electrical and electronics industry, one of the fastest-growing sectors in both Tamaulipas and South Texas.

With this new partnership, COSTEP continues advancing its strategy to position the Rio South Texas Region as a competitive ecosystem for North American industry, strengthening binational cooperation while fostering an environment that supports innovation, investment, and sustainable economic growth.