Mexico Advanced Manufacturing Cobots
Mexico’s industrial sector is continuously evolving and experiencing rapid transformation driven by the demands of industrial automation and advanced manufacturing. 2025 marked Mexico’s highest number of direct foreign investment with almost 41 billion dollars, consolidating the country as one of the main destinations for investment in industrial strategic sectors. Mexico’s manufacturing sector is not only growing in numbers but is also becoming more technologically advanced.
Cobots or collaborative robots are machines that work in coordination with humans performing repetitive tasks that could be unsafe for humans. Cobots are commonly used for tasks such as welding, assembly, and lifting. The introduction of cobots in the manufacturing process can represent a boost in efficiency as well as a protective measure for human workers completing complex tasks.
Unlike traditional robots, cobots contain safety features, such as sensors and AI, that allow them to recognize human interactions, so they can change their pace and direction based on the worker’s engagement and are often linked with production management systems, sharing real-time information, helping with data integration and optimization.
It is a market that’s expected to continue exponential growth worldwide to reach a value of USD 6.8 billion by 2029.
Although not as prevalent in Mexican manufacturing as it is in the United States, the industrial sector is already using cobots in several industries. The current cobot installed capacity in Mexico falls into the following industry sectors:
* Automotive, mainly in the production line, as well as machine tending, loading and unloading components. In Mexico there are approximately 4,087 units installed working in automotive manufacturing. This industry has 70% of cobots installed in Mexico.
• Electronic, used for the assembly of electronic components and material manipulation, as well as testing. There are 276 units installed that represent 5% of all installed cobots in Mexico.
* Chemical, with 289 units installed, representing 7% of cobots in Mexico.
* The remaining 18% are used in the logistics, agriculture, construction, and healthcare industries.
Mexico is not currently a manufacturer of finished cobots, thus imports the industrial robots being used in Mexico. Import statistics do not specify whether industrial robots are collaborative robots, but they provide an idea of the origin of products currently imported into Mexico. Robots manufactured in China represent 30%, Japan 16%, United States 14%, and other countries 40% of the Mexican imports of industrial robots.
Opportunities for U.S. companies that provide cobots, related services and parts can benefit from the expected growth in automation and use of robotics in the Mexican manufacturing space. As statistics indicate, automotive, electronic and chemical manufacturers could be the most readily available targets for suppliers of these products.
Cobots are sold in Mexico through distributors based in-country who can install and service the equipment. The Commercial Service can assist you in identifying potential partners for cobots in Mexico.
For more information on the advanced manufacturing sector in Mexico, please contact: Yazmin Rojas Yazmin.Rojas@trade.gov