ARIZONA & MEXICO

Today Sonora’s IMMEX Program employs more than 163,000, of which close to 114,000 persons (or about
70 percent) are employed in manufacturing. About 50,000 people are employed in non-manufacturing
sectors.
NOGALES IS STILL SONORA’S MAIN MAQUILADORA LOCATION
Although maquiladoras have spread throughout Sonora, Nogales is still Sonora’s main location for
maquiladoras. Nogales’ maquiladora sector is about 34,000 jobs strong and has more than 80
establishments (Table 1).
Table 1: Manufacturing IMMEX (Maquiladora) in Sonora 2014
Location Plants Plants Employees Employees
Number % Number %
Nogales 84 38.0 33,833 29.9
Hermosillo 48 21.7 26,121 23.1
Rest of Sonora 89 40.4 53,176 47.0
Sonora Total 221 100.0 113,130 100.0
Source: INEGI
Three industry sectors account for more than 50 percent of all employment: computer and electronic
product manufacturing (23.0 percent), apparel manufacturing (15.0 percent), and transportation
equipment manufacturing (14.1 percent). When electrical equipment and components manufacturing
(13.7 percent), and miscellaneous manufacturing (10.2 percent) are added, these five industry sectors
account for 76 percent of the maquiladora sector (Table 2). 3 Other sectors include fabricated metal
product manufacturing; machinery manufacturing, repair of equipment; plastics and rubber products
manufacturing, chemical manufacturing, and paper products manufacturing.
Table 2: Top Maquildaora (IMMEX) Industry in Nogales, Sonora
Industry
Number of
Employees
1 Computer & electronic product manufacturing 7,843
2 Apparel manufacturing 5,100
3 Transportation equipment manufacturing 4,802
4 Electrical equipment, appliance & components 4,675
5 Miscellaneous manufacturing 3,463
6 Fabricated metal product manufacturing 2,269
7 Machinery manufacturing 1,699
8 Repair & maintenance 1,565
9 Plastic & rubber products manufacturing 583
10 Chemical manufacturing 565
Other 746
Source: Author based on Index Nogales, Asociacion de Maquiladoras de Sonora, A.C.
Interestingly, the apparel industry, which employs more than 5,000 workers and ranks second in terms of
its share of total employment, as noted above, is principally related to manufacturing production of various
textile (mostly disposable) garments and other accessories used in hospitals. The third-ranking
transportation equipment manufacturing with more than 4,800 workers encompasses manufacturing of
various components for the auto industry (from harnesses, wiring components, and cables, to brakes and
radios), and a growing production of various key components for the aerospace industry such as turbines.
3
Author, based on the product description provided in Index Nogales, Asociación de Maquiladoras de Sonora, A.C.
45 • ARIZONA & MEXICO • ARIZONA TOWN HALL • APRIL 2016