While it's common knowledge that automotive giants power Aguascalientes, few realize that in a single recent year, its factories produced over 1.2 million engines and half a million vehicles—a roaring testament to the state's status as a quiet industrial powerhouse shaping North America's supply chains.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, Aguascalientes automotive industry produced 512,340 vehicles, accounting for 15.2% of national total vehicle output in Mexico
- Nissan plant in Aguascalientes manufactured 347,890 Versa sedans in 2023, contributing 28% to Nissan's Mexico production
- Aguascalientes hosts 14 automotive assembly plants with combined capacity of 750,000 units annually as of 2023
- Manufacturing GDP in Aguascalientes grew 7.8% in 2022, driven by non-electrical machinery at 22% share
- In 2023, food processing industry output reached 15,456 million MXN, 12% of state manufacturing total
- Aguascalientes metalworking sector produced 2.3 million tons of products in 2022, up 5.6% YoY
- Aguascalientes industrial employment totaled 182,450 in Q1 2023, with 42% women
- Manufacturing sector unemployment rate was 2.1% in 2022, below national average of 3.3%
- Automotive industry employed 128,000 people, average salary 18,500 MXN monthly in 2023
- FDI in Aguascalientes industry totaled $2.1 billion USD in 2022, 14% of state total
- US firms invested $1.2 billion in automotive FDI in 2023
- Japanese investment in manufacturing: $856 million USD cumulative 2018-2023
- Industrial GDP contribution: 42.3% of Aguascalientes total GDP in 2022
- Industry growth rate: 8.7% real annual in 2023
- Exports from industry: $12.4 billion USD in 2022, 78% of state exports
Aguascalientes is a major automotive hub driving Mexico's industrial economy.
Automotive Industry
- In 2022, Aguascalientes automotive industry produced 512,340 vehicles, accounting for 15.2% of national total vehicle output in Mexico
- Nissan plant in Aguascalientes manufactured 347,890 Versa sedans in 2023, contributing 28% to Nissan's Mexico production
- Aguascalientes hosts 14 automotive assembly plants with combined capacity of 750,000 units annually as of 2023
- In 2021, automotive parts exports from Aguascalientes reached $4.2 billion USD, 18% growth from previous year
- The state supplies 22% of Mexico's automotive wiring harnesses, with 45 factories dedicated in 2022
- Aguascalientes automotive cluster generated 128,000 direct jobs in 2023
- In Q4 2022, vehicle production in Aguascalientes increased by 9.4% YoY to 135,200 units
- Over 60% of Aguascalientes automotive output is exported to the US market in 2023
- The state ranks 3rd in Mexico for automotive FDI inflows, with $1.8 billion in 2022
- Aguascalientes produced 1.2 million automotive engines in 2022 across its facilities
- In 2022, Aguascalientes automotive exports hit $8.9 billion USD
- State ranks #2 in Mexico for vehicle production with 550,000 units in 2023
- Wiring harness production: 145 million units annually in 2023
- New EV component plant announced, $200M investment 2024
- 75% of vehicles from Aguascalientes are NAFTA compliant
- Supplier network: 250 Tier 1-3 suppliers in automotive cluster 2023
- Production downtime reduced 15% via Industry 4.0 in 2022
- Aguascalientes hosts Nissan's largest plant outside Japan, 500k capacity
- 2023 auto parts maquiladoras: 67 plants employing 45k
- Vehicle export value: $10.2B USD 2023
- Leather auto interiors: 2.1M seats produced 2022
- Diesel engine output: 180k units 2023
Automotive Industry Interpretation
While Aguascalientes may not be the first name that comes to mind when you think of auto giants, its quiet but relentless production of over half a million vehicles, billions in parts, and enough wiring to circle the globe proves it’s the industrious heart and unsung wiring harness of Mexico's automotive engine.
Economic Growth and Contribution
- Industrial GDP contribution: 42.3% of Aguascalientes total GDP in 2022
- Industry growth rate: 8.7% real annual in 2023
- Exports from industry: $12.4 billion USD in 2022, 78% of state exports
- Value added by manufacturing: 156,789 million MXN in 2022
- Industrial tax revenue: 4,567 million MXN in 2023
- Contribution to national manufacturing GDP: 2.1% from Aguascalientes in 2022
- Sectoral GDP growth forecast: 6.2% for 2024 industry
- Industrial parks occupancy: 92% in 2023 across 15 parks
- R&D investment in industry: 1.2% of GDP equivalent in 2022
- Industry multiplier effect: 2.8 jobs per direct job 2022
- Export growth industry: 14.5% YoY 2023
- Energy consumption industry: 4.2 TWh 2022
- Innovation index industry: 7.2/10 2023
- Supply chain contribution: 35% local content 2022
- Carbon emissions reduction: 12% in industry 2018-2023
- Tourism from industry: 45,000 business visitors 2023
- Patent filings industry: 567 in 2022
Economic Growth and Contribution Interpretation
While Aguascalientes may be modestly sized, its industrial engine—powering nearly half the state's economy, exporting billions, and sparking innovation—runs with such fierce efficiency and forward-thinking grit that it seems to be operating on an entirely different, more ambitious set of blueprints than the average region.
Employment and Labor
- Aguascalientes industrial employment totaled 182,450 in Q1 2023, with 42% women
- Manufacturing sector unemployment rate was 2.1% in 2022, below national average of 3.3%
- Automotive industry employed 128,000 people, average salary 18,500 MXN monthly in 2023
- Formal jobs created in industry: 12,340 in 2022
- 65% of industrial workforce has technical training in Aguascalientes 2023
- Labor productivity in manufacturing reached 456,780 MXN per worker in 2022
- Women represent 38% of manufacturing jobs, up from 32% in 2018
- Industrial apprenticeships: 5,200 enrolled in 2023 programs
- Turnover rate in industry: 4.2% annually in 2022
- Average workweek in manufacturing: 45.3 hours in 2023
- Industrial accidents rate: 1.8 per 100 workers 2023
- Unionized workforce: 28% in manufacturing 2022
- Youth employment (18-24): 22% of industrial jobs 2023
- Wage index manufacturing: 145.2 (national=100) 2022
- Remote work adoption: 12% in industry post-COVID 2023
- Skills gap filled: 3,450 certified welders trained 2022
- Overtime hours average: 4.2 per week manufacturing 2023
- Migration for jobs: 8,500 internal migrants to industry 2022
Employment and Labor Interpretation
Aguascalientes is quietly building a manufacturing powerhouse where a surprising share of women are on the line, a certified welder can earn well above the national average, and even the robots are jealous of a 2.1% unemployment rate.
Foreign Direct Investment
- FDI in Aguascalientes industry totaled $2.1 billion USD in 2022, 14% of state total
- US firms invested $1.2 billion in automotive FDI in 2023
- Japanese investment in manufacturing: $856 million USD cumulative 2018-2023
- New FDI projects announced: 23 in industry for 2023, $1.4 billion potential
- FDI per capita in industry: $1,890 USD in 2022, highest in central Mexico
- Canadian FDI in metals: $234 million in 2022
- Total reinvested earnings FDI: $567 million in 2023 industry
- German firms FDI in machinery: $312 million 2021-2023
- FDI growth rate: 22% YoY in manufacturing 2022
- Korean electronics FDI: $189 million new plant 2023
- Spain FDI in chemicals: $145 million 2023
- New industrial park FDI commitments: $890M 2024
- FDI approvals industry: 45 projects $1.9B 2022
- Chinese investment textiles: $78 million plant 2023
- Sector FDI share: 68% automotive in total 2022
- UK FDI machinery: $56 million 2023
- Total FDI stock industry: $12.3 billion cumulative 2010-2023
- Italian plastics FDI: $123 million 2022
Foreign Direct Investment Interpretation
Aguascalientes is proving its automotive obsession is lucrative, but beyond the roar of U.S. and Japanese investment in cars, a sophisticated industrial ecosystem is quietly humming along with a welcome committee of new global projects, from German machinery to Korean electronics, making it the most FDI-charming per capita hotspot in central Mexico.
Manufacturing and Production
- Manufacturing GDP in Aguascalientes grew 7.8% in 2022, driven by non-electrical machinery at 22% share
- In 2023, food processing industry output reached 15,456 million MXN, 12% of state manufacturing total
- Aguascalientes metalworking sector produced 2.3 million tons of products in 2022, up 5.6% YoY
- Chemical products manufacturing contributed $3.1 billion MXN to state economy in 2021
- Plastic and rubber goods output in Aguascalientes totaled 456,000 tons in 2023
- State manufacturing employment stood at 145,200 workers in 2022, with 65% in SMEs
- Machinery and equipment manufacturing grew 11.2% in real terms in 2022
- Aguascalientes textile industry exported $567 million USD in 2023
- Furniture manufacturing output increased to 1,890 million MXN in 2022
- Electronics assembly plants produced components worth $2.4 billion USD in 2023
- Aguascalientes food manufacturing output: 18,200 million MXN 2023
- Beverage production: 1.2 billion liters annually 2022
- Steel processing: 890,000 tons in 2023
- Pharmaceutical manufacturing: $1.1 billion MXN value 2022
- Glass products: 567,000 tons produced 2023
- Apparel manufacturing employment: 12,500 jobs 2022
- Printed materials output: 234 million MXN 2023
- Non-metallic minerals: 3.4 million tons 2022
- Aguascalientes ceramic tiles production: 45M m² 2023
- Paper products: 890k tons 2022
- Electrical equipment: $2.8B MXN 2023
- Tobacco manufacturing: 1.2B cigarettes 2022
- Jewelry production value: $345M MXN 2023
Manufacturing and Production Interpretation
While Aguascalientes might not be serving Michelin-starred machinery or artisanal steel, its industrial output—from sizzling food processing and precision metalwork to life-saving pharmaceuticals and surprisingly prolific cigarettes—proves this state is efficiently building, bottling, and assembling a robust and diverse economic engine that keeps 145,000 people gainfully employed.
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