Mexican heavy-duty truck production, exports soar in July

Factory workers paint tractors at the International assembly plant in Escobedo, Mexico. (International Motors)

Production of Class 8 trucks in Mexico jumped year on year in July, driven by soaring output at International Motors and Freightliner assembly plants, data released by the country’s National Institute of Statistics and Geography on Aug. 11 show.

The climb was even steeper in terms of exports, particularly to the United States, where the freight market continues its recent upward trajectory.

Exports of trucks and buses produced in Mexico jumped 66.7% to 13,117 vehicles from 7,867 vehicles in the same period a year earlier, INEGI said. Exports also rose 3% compared with 12,730 in June. More than 90% of exports head north to the U.S.

Mexican heavy-duty commercial vehicle production soared 51.8% year over year in July to 14,675 trucks and buses from 9,668 vehicles in the year-ago period. However, production fell 3.9% month on month compared with June’s 15,262 total.

The Escobedo plant built 4,151 trucks in the most recent month, an 87.2% increase year over year from 2,218 vehicles in July 2025.

Although July’s total dipped a marginal 0.7% compared with the 4,181 trucks built in June, output was up 18% compared with 3,519 trucks in May and 42.4% versus 2,915 trucks in April.

Escobedo produces subassemblies for International trucks alongside assembling a full range of the company’s Class 8 vehicles. It is an internal supplier for the plant’s own production lines and International and IC Bus manufacturing plants in the U.S.

Shift reduction in 2025

That said, capacity at the Escobedo facility declined in April 2025 when a second shift at the plant was axed, with 900 employees losing their jobs.

International, DTNA’s Freightliner unit and Paccar’s Kenworth division produced a combined 14,056 trucks in Mexico in July, accounting for 95.8% of all commercial vehicles built in the country in the month.

The three truck makers’ Mexican plants produced a combined 14,735 trucks in Mexico in June, 13,878 vehicles in May and 11,755 trucks in April.

50.3% gain for Freightliner

Freightliner’s Saltillo and Santiago Tianguistenco plants built 8,984 trucks in July, a 50.3% year-over-year increase compared with 5,977 trucks in the same month in 2025.

Production at Kenworth’s Mexicali plant fell 3.4% in July to 921 trucks from 953 trucks in July 2025.

Demand across North America continues to grow in parallel with the freight market rebound, with International considering adding a second shift at its San Antonio assembly plant while Daimler Truck North America unveiled plans Aug. 6 to start building its largest U.S. manufacturing site by the end of 2026.

Possible workforce increase

Increasing the size of the workforce at Lisle, Ill.-based International’s only assembly plant in the United States is a possibility due to a number of factors, Chief Financial Officer Michael Jackstein said during Traton’s second-quarter 2026 earnings call July 23.

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Jackstein 

International is planning an overhaul of its on-highway truck portfolio’s cabs, the truck maker is looking to increase its share of North American Class 8 truck sales, and market demand is at the start of an upcycle, Jackstein and Traton CEO Christian Levin noted during the call.

The San Antonio plant builds Classes 6-8 diesel and electric vehicles. The 900,000-square-foot facility, which began operations in 2022, includes a general assembly line, body shop, paint shop and logistics center. There also is a center for onsite aftermarket modifications.