Querétaro Manufacturers Explore Pharr–Reynosa Logistics Route

Carlos Canseco looks forward to strengthening the relationship between Querétaro’s industry and the Pharr–Reynosa International Bridge, supported by measurable results. For the director of the Clúster para la Innovación Logística del Estado de Querétaro, known as CILQRO, stronger regional ties should help companies move goods more efficiently and make better operating decisions.

In an interview at the Gateway Forum, Canseco said imports and exports within North America would continue and that the task was to make those movements more efficient, predictable and focused on economic results. He connected that objective with the importance of relationships among businesses and logistics organizations across regions.

His proposed approach gives Texas–Mexico integration a concrete next step: compare the performance of different border routes using shipments and timing data that industry can evaluate.

Putting route options to the test

Canseco said CILQRO was working with Querétaro industry to prepare comparative tests of crossing and clearance times, including comparisons with Laredo. The purpose is to provide evidence that companies can use when considering Pharr–Reynosa as a logistics option.

During the international panel, he clarified that the proposed trials were still being finalized and that customs arrangements remained to be resolved. He described a plan to send comparable shipments from the same manufacturing location through different crossings and use tracking data to assess the routes.

The proposal therefore concerns an evaluation to come, rather than completed results. Its value would lie in helping companies understand the actual time and operating conditions associated with their shipping choices. For manufacturers planning deliveries into the United States, that information can support decisions grounded in their own production and customer requirements.

Canseco also described the effort as collaborative. Providing industry with additional workable routes can give companies options when a crossing becomes congested and help distribute activity across the wider border network.

Connecting industry with a regional network

Canseco’s panel remarks placed logistics within Querétaro’s broader industrial community. He described a network of clusters serving activities including automotive, aerospace, medical products, manufacturing, information technology and data centers, with CILQRO responsible for the logistics connection.

He explained that the cluster model brings together industry, academic institutions, government, society and financing. Its purpose, he said, is to generate economic activity by connecting those participants around projects that support development.

He also described outreach involving Pharr and companies from Querétaro and other Mexican locations, including San Luis Potosí, Aguascalientes and Mexico City. Those conversations introduced businesses to the crossing and the regional opportunities surrounding it.

For South Texas, the opportunity extends from handling shipments to building relationships with the manufacturers producing them. Companies assessing a border route may also need warehousing, transportation, distribution and other services on the Texas side.

Linking logistics with Texas industrial growth

Canseco’s proposal fits alongside the work presented by other organizations at the forum. Luis Bazán, director general of the Pharr International Bridge, said the newspan was opening in phases and was expected to be fully open in November, adding 100 percent more bridge capacity. Victor Perez, president and CEO of Pharr EDC, highlighted support for businesses exploring investment and dry or cold warehouse space.

Jael Durán, director general of INDEX Nacional, explained why dependable crossings are important to manufacturers operating under just-in-time systems. Her emphasis on production continuity reinforces the value of the performance data Canseco wants to bring into route decisions.

Together, these efforts connect infrastructure, business support and the needs of industrial users. Canseco’s contribution is to move the discussion toward an assessment manufacturer can use: how the Pharr–Reynosa route performs for their shipments and whether it strengthens their access to U.S. markets. Developing that connection can help South Texas earn a larger role in the logistics and industrial services supporting Mexico’s manufacturing base.