Robert T. Huthnance Jr., ProLogis vice president, tells GlobeSt.com that the coming year will bring more such players to border developments. He says companies are dusting off business plans and considering the cost savings from manufacturing in Mexico. The Newton, IA-based Maytag is following the lead of Whirlpool, General Electric, Bissell, Nokia and Siemens.

"This is Maytag's first venture into Mexico," Huthnance says. Maytag produces home appliances under such brand names as Maytag, Amana, Jenn-Air and Magic Chef. Huthnance says Maytag will use the maquiladora space to make sub-assembly parts for other factories.

ProLogis has developed 1.5 million sf of inventory in the Reynosa Industrial Center and Del Norte Industrial Center. Occupancy, says Huthnance, is riding at 90%. Interest is such that ProLogis has just completed the infrastructure and started leasing another build-to-suit development, ProLogis Park Pharr Bridge. The acreage could support 1.5 million sf.

Huthnance says overall inquiries and negotiations have been extremely active as more and more companies look across the border for cost-saving initiatives. The 175 maquiladoras operating in 10 industrial parks in Reynosa currently employ 70,000 workers.

The maquiladora workers annually produce $1.7 billion of manufactured goods, primarily for the automotive, high-tech and textile industries. Manufacturers are saving money, but border towns like McAllen-Reynosa are reaping the benefits of having upward of $10 billion annually pumped into their economies.