Baja Supply Day Connects Regional Suppliers with Buyers in Mexicali

-Editorial 

Representatives from industry, government, academia, and the business community gathered at CETYS University for Baja Supply Day MXLI 2026, an event focused on connecting regional suppliers with companies seeking products and services for their supply chains.

The Sept. 30 event, organized by INDEX Mexicali, brought together businesses and other organizations to identify potential commercial relationships and examine ways local companies can become more involved in regional and binational supply chains.

The Baja California Secretariat of Economy and Innovation participated through its B2B Business Center, helping facilitate meetings between 46 supplier companies and 12 purchasing companies.

Suppliers presented their products, services and production capabilities to companies representing industries including aerospace, medical devices, electronics and construction.

Rodolfo Andrade Pelayo, undersecretary for investment management with the Secretariat of Economy and Innovation, said increasing connections between regional suppliers and larger industries could help Baja California companies respond to changing economic conditions.

“Baja California has capabilities and talent that we must continue connecting with the needs of industry,” Andrade Pelayo said. “Given changes in geopolitics, nearshoring and new conditions in tariff policy, strengthening regional suppliers is also an opportunity to generate greater value in our state.”

The state agency has also developed Baja Supply Chain, a platform intended to identify and profile companies’ capabilities, assess industry demand, and provide information that can help connect potential suppliers with buyers.

The platform provides information on products and services companies in Baja California seek and identifies regional businesses that could meet those requirements.

Andrade Pelayo said collaboration among businesses, universities, business organizations, and government agencies will be important as companies seek to increase their participation in supply chains for industries considered strategically important to the state.

He also recognized INDEX Mexicali and CETYS University for their participation in the event.

Representatives from CETYS discussed the role academic institutions can play in supplier development, particularly by supporting technological innovation, workforce development, research and industry certifications.

Verónica Rojas, director of the Center for Excellence in Innovation and Design at CETYS University, said universities can help companies develop technological solutions and prepare workers with skills needed by specialized industries.

Rojas also highlighted the importance of national and international networks that can help companies obtain certifications required to participate in certain industrial supply chains.

Research and intellectual property can also help companies develop products, improve processes and increase the value they generate, she said.

Salvador Maese Barraza, president of INDEX Mexicali, said efforts to strengthen regional suppliers extend beyond Mexicali and have regional and binational implications.

Maese Barraza said INDEX Mexicali has worked with the Secretariat of Economy and Innovation to better understand industry demand, identify purchasing requirements and determine which suppliers have the capabilities to meet those needs.

The effort is intended to create more direct connections between companies already operating in major industries and businesses seeking opportunities to become part of their supplier networks.

Octavio Sandoval, president of the Mexicali Business Coordinating Council, said increasing the participation of regional companies in supply chains is an important part of strengthening the local economy.

Sandoval also emphasized the need for financing opportunities that allow entrepreneurs and established companies to expand their operations and develop the capacity needed to compete for industrial contracts.

Baja Supply Day MXLI 2026 included a presentation on supply chains and regional competitiveness and a conference addressing certifications required by different industries.

The program also included presentations on financial products and a panel examining what purchasing companies in specialized industries expect from potential suppliers.

Business-to-business meetings served as the central portion of the event, allowing previously profiled suppliers to meet directly with purchasing companies and discuss potential business opportunities.

The meetings were structured to connect companies according to their capabilities and the purchasing needs identified by participating industries.

The event comes as Baja California continues to focus on supplier development amid broader changes affecting manufacturing and international trade, including nearshoring, tariffs, and shifts in global supply chains.

Andrade Pelayo said connecting existing regional capabilities with industry demand could create additional opportunities for Baja California businesses to enter supply chains in strategic sectors.