Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1546383
8 SMT007 MAGAZINE I SEPTEMBER 2026 Mexico increasingly serves as a low-cost gateway to the U.S. market for computer-related products and, as such, you can feel a shift in its four elec- tronics manufacturing hubs: Guadalajara, Nuevo Leon, Juarez, and Tijuana-Mexicali. As the Mexican government invests in infrastructure that encour- ages more sophisticated electronics manufacturing, Mexico's leadership potential is rising. All one must do is visit SMTA Guadalajara, Oct. 7–8, to see what I mean. It's impressively large for a regional show, revealing just how much momentum Mexico carries. In this issue, SMTA's Ana Mendoza shares the why and how SMTA Guadalajara is important to the Mexican electronics industry. Speaking of momentum, Mexico has opened an "overland canal" in the past few years, known as the CUII, linking the Atlantic to the Pacific on the Mexican isthmus. While this idea has had its starts and stops for more than 150 years, it seems to have found its time. Read my article on the history and strategic importance of the CUII, a corridor that not only offers an alternative shipping lane but also suggests that a manufacturing chain could easily develop along the route. In my research, I learned that recent low water levels in the Panama Canal have threatened canal operations, underscoring the importance of the CUII in Mexico. To continue with the theme, I'm including inter- views with suppliers building out their local pres- ence in Mexico: Paul Lancaster talks about Heller and Seho's investment in the Mexico market and N O L A N 'S N OT ES how a local presence improves their ability to serve their customers, while Chris Bastecki of Indium discusses his company's brand-new solder paste manufacturing facility in Guadalajara, built to improve product quality, delivery times, and cost savings for their customers. Jamie Noland discusses important training updates from Blackfox. I'm also pleased to introduce a new column by Tianming Liu, president and CEO of FS Quality and Fuji PCB, who will share his vantage point as a Chinese fabricator with Japanese training and a novel new plant in Thailand. Mr. Liu's insights will assist the entire electronics ecosystem in better understanding how cross-cultural manufacturing practices, efficiency standards, and communication styles are both unique and universal. To that end, I see the ongoing evolution in Mexico as a key player in the global market. It is attracting foreign companies from more than just the U.S., locally owned companies are thriving, and changing trade agreements and shipping patterns create a bold new opportunity for Mexican-based distribution. It's not at all hard to see that Mexico's time has come. SMT007 Nolan Johnson is managing editor of SMT007 Magazine. Nolan brings 30 years of career experience focused almost entirely on electronics design and manufacturing. To contact Johnson, click here.