Borderlands is a weekly rundown of developments in the world of United States-Mexico cross-border trucking and trade. This week: US trade with Mexico tops $73B in June; Pharmaceutical maker plans $188M investment in Mexico; and Border agents find $7.6M in meth hidden in shipment of roses.
US trade with Mexico tops $73B in June
Despite ongoing trade uncertainty caused by tariffs, U.S. commerce with Mexico rose 4.4% year-over-year in June to $73 billion.
Canada was the No. 2 trade partner of the U.S. during June at $58 billion, a 9.6% year-over-year decrease compared to the same period in 2024.
China was the third-ranked U.S. trade partner in the month, totaling $28.4 billion, a 36% year-over-year decline.
During June, the U.S. imported $44.9 billion worth of goods from Mexico, while exporting $28.1 billion in products and services to the country.
The top five U.S. imports from Mexico in June were computers ($7.2 billion), passenger vehicles ($4.2 billion), auto parts ($2.9 billion), commercial vehicles ($2.8 billion) and insulated wire cable ($1.5 billion), according to Census Bureau data analyzed by WorldCity.
The top five U.S. exports to Mexico in June were gasoline ($2.7 billion), auto parts ($1.8 billion), computer parts ($1.6 billion), computer chips ($925 million) and natural gas ($803 million).
Port Laredo, Texas, was the No. 1 international U.S. trade gateway in June, totaling $29.8 billion in two-way commerce, according to WorldCity.
Chicago O’Hare International Airport was the No. 2 international trade gateway during June at $29.1 billion. The Port of Los Angeles was the No. 3-ranked U.S. trade gateway during the month at $24.8 billion.
During June, 249,079 commercial trucks crossed through the Laredo port of entry, a 3.5% year-over-year decrease. Commercial truck crossings through Laredo in July declined 1.3% year-over-year to 255,684 vehicles.
As of Friday, the Laredo market (OTMS.LRD) accounted for 0.66% of the total outbound truckload demand, an 8% week-over-week gain.
Pharmaceutical maker plans $188M investment in Mexico
Germany-based Boehringer Ingelheim said it is investing $188 million to expand its existing operation in the Mexico City suburb of Xochimilco.
The expansion aims to expand the site into the largest tablet production site within the Boehringer group, the company said.
“For over 70 years, Boehringer Ingelheim has believed in Mexico and its people,” Augusto Muench, Boehringer Ingelheim’s President for Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, said according to Mexico Business News.
“This investment is a commitment to national talent. We expect to generate 1,800 direct jobs and more than 15,000 indirect jobs, with the goal of manufacturing 5 billion tablets from Xochimilco.”
The facility produces antihypertensive and antidiabetic drugs.
The plant in Xochimilco, which opened in 1973, includes over 1 million-square-feet of production space, and currently employs about 1,000 workers.
Founded in 1885, Boehringer Ingelheim is one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies.
Border agents find $7.6M in meth hidden in shipment of roses
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in South Texas recently discovered 858-pounds of methamphetamine in a shipment manifested as roses, according to a news release.
The case occurred on Tuesday, when CBP officers at the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge cargo facility searched a tractor-trailer arriving from Mexico. The bridge connects Pharr, Texas, with Reynosa, Mexico.
Officers discovered 154 packages of alleged methamphetamine hidden inside the shipment of roses worth $7.6 million.
CBP officers seized the narcotics and vehicle and turned the case over to Homeland Security Investigations.
The post Borderlands Mexico: US trade with Mexico tops $73B in June appeared first on FreightWaves.
