Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1546383
N O L A N 'S N OT ES 6 SMT007 MAGAZINE I SEPTEMBER 2026 U.S. trade attorney James Kim recently pointed out that certain Chinese-origin IT goods can qualify for USMCA preferential treatment when shipped to the U.S. from Mexico, even when the Mexican operation consists only of sorting, picking, packing, and shipping. The provision, rooted in NAFTA Annex 308.1 and recognized in U.S. Customs and Border Protection rulings, gives Mexico a potentially valuable role as a gateway into the U.S. market and strengthens the case for further investment there. So, what does that look like on the ground? We surveyed a variety of companies that represent the mix of electronics manufacturing in Mexico today and asked them about the country's climate. Their responses can largely be summarized in two words: "optimistic" and "legitimate." Mexico has been a legitimate manufacturing player for some time, of course, but there's a growing sense that it is evolving from a strong regional player to a strate- gically important global one. Find the results of that survey in this issue. BY N O L A N J O H N S O N , I - C O N N ECT 0 07 Why Mexico's Time Has Come