Cross-border trade rises 5% in July as new export rules take effect

Borderlands Mexico is a weekly rundown of developments in the world of United States-Mexico cross-border trucking and trade. This week: Cross-border trade rises 5% in July as new export rules take effect; EnergyX picks Texarkana for US lithium demonstration plant; and Junction Commercial breaks ground on logistics center in Houston.

U.S. trade with Mexico climbed 5% year-over-year in July to $74.4 billion, reinforcing Mexico’s position as America’s top trading partner even as new export regulations took effect.

The U.S. imported $44.4 billion in goods from Mexico and exported $29 billion during the month, according to WorldCity data. Port Laredo, Texas, remained the nation’s busiest international trade gateway in June, handling $30.3 billion in cross-border commerce.

Mexico’s expanding retail sector and ongoing nearshoring trends are fueling demand for southbound truck shipments, according to Redwood Mexico’s Q3 2025 Cross-Border Index.

The Bajío–Mexico City–Querétaro corridor has emerged as a key growth region, driven in part by Walmart de México and new foreign investment.

“Hundreds of people are flocking to Querétaro daily, rapidly transforming the area into a major retail hub with surging consumption,” said Jordan Dewart, president of Redwood Mexico.

Redwood Mexico is the cross-border shipping arm of Chicago-based fourth-party logistics provider Redwood Logistics.

Despite broader global trade uncertainty, Mexico’s economy grew 0.7% in the second quarter, up from 0.2% in Q1. Redwood noted that increased foreign direct investment and venture capital are helping sustain manufacturing and retail activity in Central Mexico.

“Mexico’s transformation into the United States’ primary trading partner continues, undeterred by past, present, or future challenges,” Dewart said. “This ongoing investment south of the border is demonstrably shortening cash cycles for companies in both nations, fueling economic growth amidst turbulence.”

At the same time, Mexico introduced new export rules on Aug. 11 requiring automatic notices for shipments of turbines, motor parts, transformer components, other electrical machinery parts, and fiber optic cables. Exporters must now submit both a free-form letter and a structured Excel form through the SNICE (Sistema Nacional de Información de Comercio Exterior) platform. Authorities have pledged a turnaround of 10 business days for approvals.

Redwood said the measure is designed to tighten oversight of sensitive industrial goods while keeping trade flows moving.

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EnergyX has selected TexAmericas Center in Texarkana, Texas, as the site for its Project Lonestar Lithium Demonstration Plant, advancing U.S. efforts to secure a domestic lithium supply.

The Austin-based clean energy company is investing about $20 million in a 22,000-square-foot facility that will create more than 40 skilled jobs. The plant will use EnergyX’s LiTAS direct lithium extraction technology and SoLiS solid-state batteries, showcasing tools designed to accelerate America’s clean energy transition.

“This project represents a new chapter for the Texarkana region,” said CEO Teague Egan. “We are turning a former defense property into a hub for America’s clean energy future.”

TexAmericas Center, a 12,000-acre industrial park with multimodal transport links and a skilled labor pool, offers ideal conditions for advanced manufacturing. EnergyX’s expansion aligns with the park’s eco-industrial goals, emphasizing sustainable operations, workforce inclusivity, and employee equity participation.

Scott Norton, CEO of TexAmericas Center, said the project “converts historic assets into a high-performing campus that supports energy security, quality jobs, and long-term growth.”

Project Lonestar is positioned as more than a plant — it’s a model for securing critical minerals, fostering local economic growth, and supporting America’s clean energy ambitions.

Junction Commercial Real Estate is developing a 157,336-square-foot industrial distribution facility, Shaver Broadway Logistics Center, on a 10.1-acre site at N. Broadway and S. Shaver near the Gulf Freeway and Beltway 8, in Houston.

Set for completion in the second quarter of 2026, the project marks Junction’s 10th land acquisition in three years as the firm expands nationally, including new markets in Phoenix and Laredo.

The Houston site, acquired from the Pasadena Independent School District, aims to fill a critical gap in industrial land near Port Houston. 

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