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Mexico Heavy Truck Production and Exports Surge in July
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Mexico Heavy Truck Production and Exports Surge in July

By Heavy-shift 3 min read
Mexico Heavy Truck Production and Exports Surge in July
Mexico Heavy Truck Production and Exports Surge in July

Mexico Heavy Truck Production and Exports Surge in July

Mexico's heavy-duty vehicle industry delivered its strongest monthly growth of 2026 in July, with production up 51.8% and exports up 66.7% year over year, according to data released Aug. 11 by the country's National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI).

Manufacturers assembled 14,675 trucks and buses in July, up from 9,668 units in July 2025. Exports rose to 13,117 vehicles from 7,867 a year earlier, and more than 90% of those shipments — 92.4% by ANPACT's count — crossed the border into the United States, where the freight market has continued its recent upward trajectory.

July output was 3.9% below June's 15,262 units, while exports gained 3% on June's 12,730. The surge extends a recovery that has built through the spring after a weak start to the year, when production fell 49% in February to a five-year low.

International, Freightliner and Kenworth dominate

Three builders accounted for 95.8% of Mexican heavy-truck production in July, assembling a combined 14,056 vehicles.

International's Escobedo plant was the standout, building 4,151 trucks — up 87.2% from 2,218 units a year earlier. Freightliner's Saltillo and Santiago Tianguistenco plants produced 8,984 trucks, a 50.3% gain, while Kenworth's Mexicali plant eased 3.4% to 921 units. Escobedo, which supplies subassemblies for International and IC Bus plants in the United States, had cut a second shift and 900 jobs in April 2025, making the July rebound all the more notable.

Freight-market recovery drives demand

ANPACT, the national industry association, credits the rebound primarily to the US commercial market. US buyers imported 9,374 Mexican-built heavy trucks in July, up 11% from 8,437 a year earlier.

"We see signs of recovery in the United States market," said Alejandro Osorio, ANPACT's director of public affairs and communication. "We hope that this trend consolidates throughout the year, that the tariff uncertainty or volatility we observed during last year and the beginning of this one settles down."

Underlying demand reflects fleet renewals that were delayed for more than a year and a half, supported by government measures including accelerated tax depreciation for heavy-vehicle purchases. The upturn is also stabilizing employment: the industry has recovered about 6 percentage points of the jobs lost in 2025, when roughly 6,000 positions — a fifth of the sector's workforce — were cut.

Year-to-date numbers still lag

Despite July's surge, 2026 remains a down year. Exports from January through July fell 6.1% to 71,377 units, and production dropped 6.1% to 85,551 vehicles — the lowest seven-month totals since 2020 on both measures. Cargo vehicles represented 97.5% of output.

Mexico's domestic market is struggling more than its export business. Wholesale sales slipped 9.89% in July to 3,043 units on AMDA data, and retail sales have now logged six consecutive months of negative annual rates. ANPACT separately reported wholesale sales of 2,590 units, up 19.1%.

What it means for the North American market

The July data underline Mexico's role as the manufacturing backbone for North American Class 8 supply. With US freight demand firming, truck makers are also investing on the US side of the border: International is considering a second shift at its San Antonio plant, and Daimler Truck North America unveiled plans Aug. 6 for its largest US manufacturing site.

For fleets and buyers, rising Mexican output translates into shorter delivery times and more available trucks as the North American market moves into an upcycle — provided tariff and USMCA uncertainty stays in check.

Sources

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