Mexico is poised to reach third place in the world in exports of medical devices, a historic leap in a sector that positions the country among the top five globally, with a share of 8.66% in the international market. according to data from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
9 of the 10 most important companies in the medical device sector work in the republic
The president of the National Association of Health Providers (Anaps), Carlos Salazar, explained to this newspaper that “Mexico is moving towards greater national integration, as we are a key manufacturing platform, from plastic components and prostheses to high-specialty technology in cardiology and hearing aids for the deaf.”
He added that “our country harboredto 9 of the top 10 global companies in the sector, and that 13 of the 15 world leaders currently operate in national territory, taking advantage of the advantages of the T-MEC and the proximity to the United States, of which we are its main supplier.”
Sustained growth is expected in jobs, biomedical and technological engineering
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In this way, Salazar Gaytán stressed the importance of creating a National Chamber of Medical Devices in the country, which will allow greater institutional coordination, access to strategic data and strengthening of the value chain.
It is being observed within Plan Mexico that we are becoming less and less dependent on Asia” CARLOS SALAZAR President of Anaps
“Currently, 60% of national production is concentrated in Tijuana, one of the most dynamic clusters (association of companies to achieve competitiveness in the sector) in the country, which generates thousands of specialized jobs,” he commented.
$678 million in FDI was allocated for medical devices alone in 2024
8.6% of Mexican participation is in the international market
He estimated that the consolidation of the chamber and the tax incentives provided by the Ministry of Economy -such as the deductibility of 100% of the ISR for new investments- will trigger sustained growth in job creation, especially in biomedical engineering and technological research.
The National Association of Health Providers (Anaps) announced that 19 of the 34 companies in the sector belong to the medical devices sector, and 17 of them are consolidated importers; However, for more than 2 years there has been a problem regarding material shortages.
Experts give their opinion
Carlos Salazar explained that there is no possibility of immediately covering the volumes of supplies that the federal government requested in the purchase of medicines and devices, due to the manufacturing, import and distribution times required by this sector.
“Thus, in January the tender was canceled and in May it was reactivated with extremely short deadlines; in addition, many companies were given just 10 days to produce devices that require more than 3 months.” In 2024, the country registered 678 million dollars in foreign direct investment in the sector, 1% of the national GDP.
The production of these pieces for the health sector cannot be produced expressly, they warn
-Complexity. Manufacturing a simple medical device requires at least 60 days.
-Origin. Around 60% of the inputs come from abroad.
-Import. Now customs entry of products takes up to 2 months.
-Shipment. At the moment there is no way to immediately cover the delivery of devices.
-Clue. Our country plays a relevant role in the health sector.
-Deductibility. Tax incentives will boost the industry.