- Capital - Hermosillo
- Population - 2,394,861
- State Website - Link
Sonora Investment Guide
Sonora Investment Background
Sonora is one of the primary states where the maquiladora industry is located, receiving over $256 million of foreign direct investment in 2006. Sonora has a total of 213 maquiladora factories. The aerospace sector is one of the most important economic clusters for Sonora, with automotive and electronics also playing an important role. The state has 15 industrial parks and 39 universities.
Investment Incentives
| Type | Incentive Description |
|---|---|
| Federal | Reduction of payroll taxes |
| Federal | Fiscal incentives for research and development |
| State | Exemption from the 2% payroll taxes for a given number of years |
| State | Training Programs |
| State | Possible infrastructure improvements depending on project |
| State | Free use of fully equipped office space during startup period |
| For more information on investment incentives view the Sonora incentives tab | |
Sonora Average Wage and Salary Information (2008)
The average wage information for a direct employee in a "Maquiladora" in Sonora will fall within the range of $2.00 to $3.00 an hour. Calculating the exact fully loaded cost of a direct employee on an hourly basis involves a complicated formula composed of a daily base salary, paid Sundays, mandatory bonuses, market based compensation schemes (busing, food tickets, etc.) and taxation. UnderstandMexico has prepared an example wage formula to help investors project the cost of investing in Mexico. For more specific data, contact the maquila association or investment promotion agency of the relevant municipality and ask for their wage survey.
Cities and Related Investment Information - 
City Information
- Labor - The fully loaded average hourly rate for a new unskilled employee in USD
- Population - data is taken from the 2005 census
- Airport - If a comerical airport exists in the city
- Toll Road - If there is toll road access to the city
- Sea port - If there is a sea port with 50km of the city
- Ind. Park - The number of industrial parks within the city
- Contact - The website for the city's investment promotion agency
| City | Population | Airport | Toll Road | Sea Port | Industrial Parks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ciudad Obregón | 432,992 | No | |||
| Guaymas | 101,507 | Yes | Yes | Yes | 2 |
| Hermosillo | 641,791 | Yes | Yes | No | 4 |
| Navojoa | 103,312 | Yes | Yes | No | 2 |
| Nogales | 189,759 | Yes | Yes | No | |
| San Luis Rio Colorado | 138,796 | No |
Investment incentives for each state will be administered by the state's investment promotion agency. This is a government agency (or non profit organization) whose goal is to encourage investment in the region. At no cost, they will provide guidance on how best to approach setting up a maquiladora in the region including tours, site visits and of course any state related investment incentives.
| Association | Short Description | Link |
|---|---|---|
| There are currently no Maquila assocations for this region in the Understand Mexico database. | ||
A maquila association is a city's local manufacturers association. They can be a good source of information on average wages, turnover rates or other positives or negatives of investing in the location.
+ Add New Shelter Company
Shelter Companies -
Shelter Companies
A shelter company is a vehicle by which a foreign company can quickly setup operations in Mexico so long as those operations are for the purpose of export. A shelter service company will hire employees, do pass through invoicing, manage permitting and more on the foreign companies behalf. The foreign company then manages the operations side of the company. For this service, most shelter service companies charge a fee per direct labor hour
| Shelter | Short Description | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Amistad Industrial Developers | Real Estate, Construction and Manufacturing in Mexico | View |
| International Assemblers, Inc. | We have been providing shelter programs and labor value-added subcontracting in Mexico since 1980. | View |
| The Offshore Group | You Manufacture, We Do the Rest | View |
| Collectron | Shelter Services in Nogales | View |
| Javid | Shelter Services in Nogales | View |
| Atronix | Nogales based contract manufacturer | View |
| Mo Mex | MEXICAN MANUFACTURING AND ASSEMBLY FOR AMERICAN MANUFACTURERS | View |
| Building | Short Description | Link |
|---|---|---|
| There are currently no available buildings for this state in the Understand Mexico database. | ||
| Real Estate | Short Description | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Verde Corporate Realty Services | Corporate Facility Solutions for the U.S. - Mexico Border Region | View |
| Intermex | Over 30 years providing services to more than 150 global companies | View |
| Consultants | Short Description | Link |
|---|---|---|
| TriVista Business Group Inc. | Project Planning & Manufacturing Relocation Specialists | View |
| Consorcio Ambiental | Ensuring Environmental Compliance to Industry in Baja California | View |
| Understand Mexico Consulting | Planning, implementing and follow through on Maquila projects | View |
| North American Production Sharing | Start Up and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) in Mexico | View |
| Everest Group | Turnkey solutions for successful manufacturing in Mexico | View |
| Dinamek | Automotive Industry Consulting Agency | View |
| Integra Realty Resources de México | Providing Valuation Services throughout México to Industrial, Commercial, Hospitalty, Tourism and Residential sectors. | View |
| AGIM Corporation | Industrial Real Estate Brokerage & Consulting Firm providing Shelter & Relocation Services | View |
| Mexico Consulting Group | Our partners have assisted U.S. business and manufacturing development in Mexico since 1968. | View |
| Shelter | Short Description | Link |
|---|---|---|
| There are currently no law firms for this state in the Understand Mexico database. | ||
| Shelter | Short Description | Link |
|---|---|---|
| There are currently no financial services companies for this state in the Understand Mexico database. | ||
This category includes NAFTA experienced shipping and customs companies to help with the import and export process necessary for manufacturing in Mexico. Our NAFTA guide may be a useful resource in helping to select a suitable logistics company.
| Shipping Company | Short Description | Link |
|---|---|---|
| The ILS Company | International Logistics Solutions | View |
| Real Estate | Short Description | Link |
|---|---|---|
| SolutionsAbroad.com | Solutions Abroad is a web site designed to help people moving to Mexico | View |
| Integra Realty Resources de Mexico | Providing Valuation Services throughout México to Industrial, Commercial, Hospitalty, Tourism and Residential sectors. | View |