{"id":4502,"date":"2026-07-14T15:10:51","date_gmt":"2026-07-14T15:10:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=4502"},"modified":"2026-07-14T15:10:51","modified_gmt":"2026-07-14T15:10:51","slug":"toyota-announces-tacoma-production-moving-from-mexico-to-u-s","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=4502","title":{"rendered":"Toyota announces Tacoma production moving from Mexico to U.S."},"content":{"rendered":"
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Outside of Toyota\u2019s 700-acre Baja California manufacturing facility last week, trucks were loaded with Tacoma pickup trucks bound for the U.S. border. It\u2019s a common sight in this commercial area of eastern Tijuana, but one that will gradually change over the next four years.<\/p>\n

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Last week, Toyota announced that it will move Tacoma production from its Baja California plant to Texas as part of a $3.6 billion expansion project at its San Antonio manufacturing campus. The plan is expected to create 2,000 new jobs for the state.<\/p>\n

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In a Truth Social post, President Donald Trump praised the decision, calling it \u201ca really big deal,\u201d and credited the move to tariffs imposed by his administration.<\/p>\n

But in Tijuana the announcement has caused confusion and uncertainty. Some are calling for patience as they await further information about the company\u2019s plans after the move. The announcement has also spurred business leaders and government officials to begin work on ways to lessen the potential impact on the border state.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe took the news with caution, but very seriously,\u201d said Alfonso Mill\u00e1n of the Baja California chapter of the National Chamber of Freight Transportation. He represents the company that transports hundreds of Tacomas to the U.S. every day.<\/p>\n

The Toyota Motor Baja California manufacturing facility, the Japanese automaker\u2019s first full-scale operation in Mexico, opened in 2004. By 2019, the plant was estimated to employ more than 2,000 people and produce 166,000 units annually.<\/p>\n

The facility, located along the Tijuana-Tecate highway, manufactures the popular Toyota Tacoma, the best-selling mid-size pickup in the U.S. Operations include body welding, painting and assembly, according to the company website.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIt\u2019s been a great achievement to have the plant here,\u201d Mill\u00e1n said. \u201cI\u2019d be a little more cautious about what to expect going forward. As of now, the plant has been a model of efficiency, hard work and prompt deliveries.\u201d<\/p>\n

Toyota is the only manufacturer of passenger vehicles in the region, while Kenworth produces heavy trucks at its manufacturing plant in Mexicali.<\/p>\n

Mexico\u2019s Secretariat of Economy issued a news release saying the company had informed the government of the decision \u201cas part of a process to restructure its global operations.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe relocation of production will not happen immediately but rather as a gradual process completed by 2030,\u201d Mexican officials said, adding that the company is \u201ccontinuing to assess the plant\u2019s future\u201d beyond that date.<\/p>\n

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Mexico said that the company will keep its manufacturing plant in Guanajuato, where Tacomas are also made. That plant employs 2,800 people.<\/p>\n

A Toyota spokesperson said that Tacoma production in Baja California will continue as normal during the transition. However, it is unclear what will happen afterward.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are no future product announcements at this time,\u201d the spokesperson added. \u201cToyota is maintaining its operations in Mexico.\u201d<\/p>\n

On Wednesday, a worker outside the Tijuana facility said it was a good place to work and that, although she felt somewhat safe for now, she said she wasn\u2019t sure about the future.<\/p>\n

Read more California drug dealer was gunned down in his front yard for ignoring Mexican Mafia rules, prosecutors say<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2018A wake-up call\u2019<\/h4>\n

Toyota\u2019s announcement comes shortly after the United States announced that it would not renew the North American free trade agreement in its current form and instead has opted for annual reviews. Negotiations are still ongoing, with a third round of talks with Mexico scheduled for next week. <\/p>\n

Automakers are especially impacted. Currently, some vehicle imports face a Trump-imposed tariff of up to 25% on their non-U.S. content.<\/p>\n

Amid the uncertainty, some business leaders and researchers in Baja California believe it is time to plan for what comes next.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going to develop a strategy to mitigate the impact; these are decisions we cannot change,\u201d said Octavio Sandoval, president of the Baja California Business Coordinating Council.<\/p>\n

Toyota addressed the trade deal in its news release, stating that it \u201cencourages a quick resolution to USMCA to make the North American region globally competitive.\u201d<\/p>\n

The timing of Toyota\u2019s move could be seen as a \u201cwake-up call,\u201d said Elisa Iba\u00f1ez, president of the Tijuana chapter of Mexico\u2019s Employers Confederation, better known as Coparmex.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe see this as a great opportunity for Mexico to promote policies that will help keep these companies,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Iba\u00f1ez noted the jobs and investment Toyota brought to the region.\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s a very important brand,\u201d she said. \u201cCompanies tend to locate where other companies are, bringing their suppliers with them. We need to be mindful of that impact, and we can\u2019t downplay it. We need to pay attention to that warning.\u201d<\/p>\n

Data from Index Tijuana, an organization representing export-oriented sectors, estimates that the manufacturing industry generates approximately 400,000 direct jobs in Baja California.<\/p>\n

Ismael Plascencia, coordinator of the business administration program at CETYS University in Tijuana, argued that Mexico should not depend solely on the United States for exports. It is estimated that over 80% of Mexican exports head to the United States.<\/p>\n

\u201cMexico needs to seek diversification,\u201d he said. \u201cThat doesn\u2019t mean antagonizing the United States. However, if we see that they aren\u2019t treating us fairly as a trading partner, the smartest thing we could do is develop our own industrial policy and diversify our markets.\u201d<\/p>\n

Plascencia estimates that Toyota\u2019s decision could indirectly lead to an additional 2,000 job losses in Baja California among its suppliers. \u201cThe implications are significant because the jobs are well-paid. People earn more in the automotive sector than in other industrial sectors,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

He said that Baja California should continue investing in and strengthening industries such as medical devices, aerospace and health care services while considering other emerging industries of the future.<\/p>\n

\u201cInstead of seeing things in black and white because Toyota is leaving, which is a strong blow,\u201d he said, \u201cwe should continue to strengthen the other areas where we can develop value chains together with California, San Diego and Tijuana because, in the end, we are a metropolis that competes globally.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more Federal government pauses construction on ICE detention facility near Gilroy<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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