U.S. manufacturing companies argued that if the USMCA is respected, U.S. industry can outperform China. This message came from the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) at a recent meeting in Mexico City.
The NAM is the largest association of manufacturers in the United States. It represents a wide range of companies, from small to large, across all states and industry sectors. In total, the U.S. manufacturing industry employs 13 million people. It also contributes $2.85 trillion annually to the U.S. economy. This sector has the largest economic impact among industries and accounts for more than half of the nation’s private sector research and development.
The NAM highlighted the importance of the USMCA. This agreement will be reviewed in 2026. According to the NAM, “if the terms are adhered to, the USMCA could help U.S. manufacturing outpace China.”
U.S. manufacturing companies
NAM acts as the voice of the manufacturing community. In addition, it advocates for a policy agenda that favors the competitiveness of manufacturers in the global economy. It also focuses on job creation in the United States. It should be noted that NAM does not have a parent corporation. No publicly traded company owns more than a 10% stake in the NAM.
A few days after the meeting with NAM, the Undersecretary of Foreign Trade, Luis Rosendo Gutiérrez, announced that Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration will seek support from U.S. manufacturers. The goal is to repatriate the production of critical technologies, mainly from China.
NAM’s Vice President for International Policy, Andrea Durkin, stated that the organization intends to work to ensure that the agreement strengthens the competitiveness of manufacturers. During a three-day visit to Mexico City, NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons met with a number of business bodies. These included:
- Consejo Coordinador Empresarial (CCE).
- Confederation of Industrial Chambers of Mexico (Concamin).
- Mexican Business Council (CMN).
- Consejo Nacional de la Industria Maquiladora y Manufacturera de Exportación (Index) (National Council of the Maquiladora and Manufacturing Export Industry).