Borderlands is a weekly rundown of developments in the world of United States-Mexico cross-border trucking and trade. This week: Mexico’s truckers plan nationwide strike against cargo theft; EV maker Lucid expands its U.S. manufacturing facility; Grainger announces new distribution center near Houston; and supply chain services provider Kinaxis opens Dallas office.
Mexico’s truckers plan nationwide strike against cargo theft
Truckers across Mexico plan to go on strike Monday to protest rising cargo theft and violence against freight transporters on the country’s roadways.
The strike is set to begin around 7 a.m. Monday and could include thousands of drivers representing up to 15 trucking industry organizations, including members of the United Federal Drivers Association (ACFU), the Mexican Transport Alliance and the Mexican American Transport Federation.
Organizers said they are seeking more patrols from Mexico’s National Guard on roads with a high incidence of theft, tougher penalties against cargo thieves and more support for the families of truckers hurt or killed by thieves.
“Unfortunately, we had to come to the necessity of demonstrating,” David Munoz, national president of ACFU, said on the “Ciro Gomez Leyva in the Morning” show. “This cannot continue like this and we need answers from the government.”
In August, a nationwide strike by truck drivers belonging to the Mexican Alliance of Carrier Organizations (AMOTAC) and other organizations was postponed just days before it was set to begin after federal authorities promised to increase security measures on roadways.
One of the agreements reached by AMOTAC and authorities included Mexico’s National Guard meeting monthly with trucking officials to create enhanced safety measures to combat cargo theft. The National Guard oversees protection of Mexico’s highways.
While the National Guard promised to increase security, cargo theft has continued to plague truckers across the country.
Recent data from Mexico’s National Public Security System said cargo theft cases increased 4% year over year in 2023 to 9,181 incidents, including 7,862 cases that involved violence.
According to Mexico’s National Chamber of Cargo Transportation (CANACAR), at least 50 truck drivers have been killed on the country’s roads by cargo thieves since 2023.
Officials for CANACAR recently penned an open letter to Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador asking him to meet with its members. CANACAR represents carriers totaling more than 500,000 truck drivers across the country.
“Beyond the official figures, the reality is that the number of crimes committed against cargo transportation hurts us daily and the most worrying thing is the violence that is committed with the crimes,” according to the letter. “We respectfully request a meeting … so that together we can reach a solution that allows us to travel with peace of mind and safety on the roads of Mexico.”
Along with the strike planned for Monday, other trucking protests have been occurring across Mexico in recent days. On Wednesday, members of AMOTAC and other trucking organizations held demonstrations on the Mexico-Queretaro federal highway to protest road insecurities.
The Mexico-Queretaro highway is one of the country’s busiest roadways and is used by commercial transporters traveling between Mexico and the U.S.
Lucid Motors announces EV factory expansion in Arizona
Electric vehicle maker Lucid Group Inc. recently announced the expansion of its Casa Grande plant about 47 miles south of Phoenix.
The expansion includes a 3 million-square-foot manufacturing facility and warehouse. Lucid will make its Gravity SUV at the plant with the aim of producing 90,000 vehicles a year, according to a news release.
“The expansion of our manufacturing footprint in Arizona is a significant milestone for the company, as we prepare for the next phase of Lucid’s growth,” CEO and CTO Peter Rawlinson said in a statement.
The expansion is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year.
California-based Lucid (NASDAQ: LCID) was founded in 2007. The company is a maker of luxury electric vehicles, including the $75,000 Lucid Air Pure.
Grainger announces new distribution center near Houston
Industrial supplier Grainger (NYSE: GWW) recently announced plans for a 1.2 million-square-foot distribution center in Hockley, Texas.
The facility will provide additional capacity for the company to continue delivering next-day orders to its customers, according to a news release. The facility is expected to create 400 jobs and open in 2026.
“Our customers want the right product, in the right place, in the right quantity, at the right time,” Rob Reynolds, senior vice president, branch and distribution operations, said in a statement. “Greater Houston is an ideal location because it’s geographically close to current and potential customers.”
The distribution center will house more than 250,000 industrial supply items, such as hand and power tools, heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment, and more.
The center will be constructed on a 108-acre parcel of land in Hockley, about 37 miles northwest of Houston. Illinois-based Grainger operates more than 45 locations in Texas, including six branches in Houston.
Supply chain services provider Kinaxis opens Dallas office
Ottawa, Ontario-based Kinaxis announced the opening of an office in Dallas to help serve the company’s expanding U.S. customer base.
The Dallas location will serve as a centralized hub for Kinaxis’ employees and customers to meet, according to a news release.
“Dallas is recognized as a growing, centrally located region for technical and supply chain management talent,” Megan Paterson, Kinaxis’ COO, said in a statement. “Establishing a permanent hub in the U.S. is a critical part of our global footprint as businesses continue to adopt Kinaxis to manage supply chains in an increasingly complex environment.”
Founded in 1984, Kinaxis is a supply chain management and sales and operation planning software company.
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