Financing of industrial parks in Nuevo León

The dynamism of various economic sectors internationally, as well as the nearshoring effect, which has led foreign companies to consider Mexico an attractive destination for relocating part or all of their production lines, have triggered accelerated growth in demand for industrial real estate infrastructure in the country.

Its strategic geographic location, skilled workforce in diverse industries, and industrial parks position Nuevo León as one of the states in the country with the greatest participation in meeting the industrial real estate needs of domestic and foreign companies.

In February 2025, the Nuevo León government reported that the state has the largest industrial market in Mexico, with more than 250 industrial parks located in 15 municipalities. Demand will rise in the automotive, electrical and electronics, steel, construction, e-commerce, and supply chain sectors in 2024.

Considering current and projected demand, the industrial space inventory in Nuevo León is constantly growing to provide companies with options for establishing their plants in suitable conditions regarding location, infrastructure, equipment, and services. The demand for new industrial parks and the rising cost of land, which has impacted the price of these projects, are factors that drive the need to obtain resources through financing.

In order to contribute to the economic development of rural populations in Nuevo León through financing, the Agricultural Trusts (FIRA), through the Nuevo León State Residence and its agencies in Monterrey and Montemorelos, constantly conduct analyses to identify industrial parks that, due to their geographic location, are eligible for funding and/or guarantee services, and continually offer their products and services.

Highlights include improved credit conditions regarding rates and terms on current loans, long-term loans with competitive fixed rates and no prepayment penalties, and the recognition of fixed investments made by companies with their own resources.

This is achieved under the auspices of FIRA's "Special Rural Financing Program," which considers these investment projects viable because they are located in towns with fewer than 50,000 inhabitants, according to the "Single Catalog of Keys to State, Municipal and Local Geostatistical Areas of Inegi," which, in April 2025, indicates that Nuevo León is comprised of 51 municipalities made up of 10,814 localities, of which only 14 have a larger population.

This program contributes to the creation of new jobs, encourages the use of domestically sourced inputs, supports projects that help minimize, reduce, avoid, or control environmental impacts, and encourages companies to provide services for the well-being of people living in rural areas. From 2022 to 2024, FIRA funding in rural areas of Nuevo León reflects a nominal growth of 80.9 percent.

The industrial parks identified in Nuevo León that are eligible for the FIRA Program are located in the municipalities of Apodaca, Ciénega de Flores, Santa Catarina, Salinas Victoria, General Escobedo, Pesquería, Cadereyta, El Carmen, García, Guadalupe, Hidalgo, and Montemorelos. They are comprised of 14 administrators representing more than 150 companies.

Because FIRA operates as a second-tier bank, it provides funding and/or guarantee services to the industrial real estate market through financial intermediaries with a comprehensive approach, that is, to both industrial park developers and their tenants. This helps in the urbanization of new areas, facilitates the purchase of available land for construction, supports the leasing or purchase of spaces in industrial warehouses, finances infrastructure improvements, expansions and equipment, and promotes investments in the generation and transmission of electrical energy (substations, solar panels, LED lighting) and the construction or installation of wastewater treatment plants.

FIRA will continue to promote the financing of investment projects in industrial parks located in rural areas of Nuevo León, thereby directly fulfilling one of its priority objectives by promoting increased productivity and efficiency at all stages of the agricultural value chain, through strategies applicable to all branches of its focus, including economic activities carried out in rural areas.

*Mónica Félix Díaz Bórquez is a promoter at FIRA's Monterrey Agency in Nuevo León. "The opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official views of FIRA."