Metropolitan Automotive Cluster and Rio South Texas Region Sign Agreement to Strengthen Industrial Integration Between Mexico and the United States

At the Adient plant in Lerma, the Metropolitan Automotive Cluster (ClautMet) and the Council for South Texas Economic Progress (COSTEP) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at fostering competitiveness, innovation, and economic integration between Mexico and South Texas within the automotive industry.

The agreement establishes a framework for long-term collaboration focused on investment attraction, supply chain strengthening, advanced manufacturing, workforce training, and public policies that enhance industrial competitiveness across North America.

During the signing ceremony, Elisa Crespo, President of the Metropolitan Automotive Cluster, emphasized the importance of this partnership as a strategic step toward deeper industrial cooperation between both countries.

“It is a great pleasure to formalize this initiative, which began several months ago during our participation in McAllen, where we presented the automotive industry’s labor taxonomy project to identify potential areas of collaboration. Today, from Lerma, we take a concrete step toward linking strategic regions and enhancing the competitiveness of the automotive sector,” Crespo stated.

She added that the agreement reflects the efforts of two committed organizations united by the goal of shared growth. “Collaboration with COSTEP offers an opportunity to bring Mexican and U.S. companies closer together, creating synergies that generate value throughout the entire automotive supply chain,” she noted.

A Shared Vision for Economic Integration

Adam González, CEO of COSTEP, highlighted that the Rio South Texas Region—stretching from Brownsville to Laredo, Texas, and connecting with northern Tamaulipas—is one of the most dynamic areas for trade and investment between the two countries.

“Our mission is to position this region as a strategic hub for North American competitiveness by promoting trade integration and sustainable economic growth. We see Mexico as a key partner in building an industrial corridor that links advanced manufacturing, logistics, and innovation,” González stated.

He explained that COSTEP, a nonprofit organization, has worked for more than six decades to strengthen South Texas’ economy through initiatives in education, infrastructure, and foreign direct investment attraction. Today, the organization leads binational business forums, industrial visits, and international promotion programs that showcase the region’s manufacturing capabilities.

“We want global companies to view South Texas and northern Mexico not merely as crossing points, but as development hubs built on talent, infrastructure, and technology. This agreement with the Metropolitan Automotive Cluster represents a decisive step in connecting complementary industrial ecosystems and expanding the reach of the automotive sector across the border,” González emphasized.

Strengthening the Binational Automotive Corridor

The MoU reinforces the shared vision of positioning the Mexico–Texas region as a key axis in North America’s automotive supply chain—particularly amid opportunities arising from nearshoring and the upcoming USMCA review in 2026.

Both the Metropolitan Automotive Cluster and COSTEP agreed that binational cooperation must translate into tangible outcomes: data sharing, technical capacity development, university–industry collaboration, innovation partnerships, and joint promotion before international investors.

The Rio South Texas Region stands as one of the most active economic corridors between Mexico and the United States, combining manufacturing, logistics, and specialized services. Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Automotive Cluster represents companies across Mexico City and the State of Mexico, along with academic and government institutions committed to strengthening the sector’s competitiveness.

Both organizations reaffirmed their commitment to developing projects that strengthen the automotive value chain, foster sustainability, and consolidate the region as a model of binational industrial collaboration.

“The future of the automotive industry depends on integration—on our ability to align productive capabilities, innovation, and talent development. This agreement represents that shared commitment,” Crespo concluded.