Nuevo León · Coahuila
Automotive and component plants with crane runways.
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Structural steel export · Mexico
AISC 360 · NTC-RCDFAWS D1.1 weldingASTM A572 Gr.50 equivalent
Structural Steel for Mexico Nearshoring Plants and Industrial Parks
Steel frames for industrial parks, manufacturing plants and logistics buildings across Mexico. Fabricated to AISC 360 and NTC designs, shipped trans-Pacific to Manzanillo or Lázaro Cárdenas in about 18 days and railed to the Bajío and the north.
16–20 daysShenzhen to Manzanillo
18–22 daysTo Lázaro Cárdenas
32–45 kg/m²Typical industrial shed steel
25–40 daysFabrication after shop drawing approval
01Why South China
Steel for a nearshoring build-out on a short program
Nearshoring has filled Mexico’s industrial parks in Nuevo León, Coahuila, Querétaro, Guanajuato and Jalisco. Tenants want buildings fast, and local fabrication shops serving the same parks are often booked for months.
Many plants in Mexico are designed by US engineering firms to AISC 360 and AWS D1.1, while local permits reference the Normas Técnicas Complementarias and state building regulations. Our detailers work to both, and our steel grades map directly to ASTM A572 Gr.50 and A36.
Trade policy on imported steel in Mexico changes often. Before you award, we review the HS codes and current tariff position for your package with your customs broker so the landed cost is known, not assumed.
- Shop drawings in English with Spanish annotations on request
- Q355B supplied against ASTM A572 Gr.50, Q235B against A36
- Seismic detailing for Pacific coast and central Mexico zones
- Member lengths set for rail and road transport inland
Roof truss installation on an industrial building
02Codes & compliance
Designing and fabricating to Mexico requirements
Structural design in Mexico follows the NTC of Mexico City or state regulations, CFE design manuals for wind and seismic actions, and AISC 360 for many foreign-owned plants. Your engineer of record designs; we fabricate to it.
| Topic | Mexico requirement | How we deliver |
|---|---|---|
| Steel design | NTC-RCDF for steel structures; AISC 360 for many US-designed plants | Connections to AISC 360 or to the engineer’s details |
| Seismic and wind | CFE Manual de Diseño de Obras Civiles (sismo, viento); NTC-RCDF | Design inputs from your drawings; seismic connection details flagged on shop drawings |
| Welding | AWS D1.1 widely specified | Qualified WPS/PQR, 100% UT on CJP welds, MT on fillets by sampling |
| Steel material | ASTM A36 / A572 Gr.50, NMX-B equivalents | Q235B / Q355B with EN 10204 3.1 MTCs; third-party testing on request |
| Bolting | ASTM F3125 (A325 / A490) | Bolts supplied to ASTM F3125 or by the erector, agreed per project |
| Imports | SAT / customs, NOM and tariff rules by HS code | Commercial invoice, packing lists, certificate of origin and MTCs for your agente aduanal |
| Corrosion | Project specification, SSPC / ISO 12944 | Sa2.5 (SSPC-SP10) blast, primer or full system; galvanizing for secondary steel |
Typical references for industrial buildings. The approved drawings, local permit and specification govern.
Tariffs: Mexico applies tariff and import measures to steel from countries without a free trade agreement, and these have been revised several times. We do not quote landed cost as fixed. We confirm the HS codes for your package and ask your customs broker to verify the current rate before contract award.
03Shipping routes
From Shenzhen and Guangzhou to Manzanillo and Lázaro Cárdenas
Trans-Pacific services from South China call at Manzanillo for central and Bajío projects, and at Lázaro Cárdenas, which has direct rail links to Mexico City, Bajío and Monterrey.
| Port of loading | Port of discharge | Transit (days) | Typical mode |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shenzhen (Yantian / Shekou) | Manzanillo | 16–20 | 40HQ / break-bulk |
| Guangzhou (Nansha) | Manzanillo | 18–21 | 40HQ |
| Shenzhen (Yantian) | Lázaro Cárdenas | 18–22 | 40HQ / break-bulk |
| Shenzhen (Shekou) | Ensenada | 17–20 | 40HQ |
| Guangzhou (Nansha) | Altamira / Veracruz (via Panama) | 30–35 | 40HQ / break-bulk |
Transit times are typical port-to-port sailing times and vary with carrier, transshipment and season. Confirmed per booking in our quotation.
40HQ for industrial sheds
Columns, rafters, purlins and bracing packed by bay, 22–26 t per box.
Break-bulk for long members
Long trusses and heavy crane girders through Lázaro Cárdenas or Manzanillo.
Port to park by rail
Pieces sized for rail to Bajío and Monterrey and for truck delivery into the park.
Packing rules, 40HQ loading plans and break-bulk limits are covered in our 40HQ container steel loading guide and on the quality, NDT and shipping page.
04Building types
What we commonly supply for Mexico projects
Mexican enquiries are mostly manufacturing plants and logistics buildings for nearshoring tenants, often in repeat phases on one park.
Bajío · Jalisco
Logistics and spec buildings in industrial parks.
Build-to-print
Frames detailed and made to US or Mexican engineer drawings.
Members and systems most often ordered
- H-Beams & Plate Girders: welded portal frames, tapered rafters and crane girders
- Steel Trusses & Space Frames: long-span roof trusses for plants and logistics
- Purlins, Stairs & Platforms: purlins, mezzanine stairs and equipment platforms
- Truss Floor Deck & Mezzanine: office mezzanines inside plants
Typical steel consumption
Industrial sheds without cranes typically use 32–45 kg/m². Plants with cranes and equipment platforms run 55–95 kg/m². Indicative FOB price is USD 1,100–1,800/t before freight and import duties.
05Delivery model
Clear scope: what we deliver and where our responsibility ends
We supply fabricated steel to Mexican developers, contractors and plant owners. We have no office in Mexico and do not perform site works there.
FOB Shenzhen / Guangzhou
Steel delivered on board, export-cleared, with packing lists, loading plans and MTCs. You or your forwarder control freight and insurance.
CFR / CIF Manzanillo
Freight and insurance to Manzanillo or Lázaro Cárdenas. Customs clearance, tariffs and inland rail or road transport stay with your agente aduanal and forwarder.
Supervision & installation
Erection supervisors for the first bays, bolt tensioning and alignment checks, working with your Mexican erector. No civil works.
- Shop drawings issued for approval in 5–10 working days
- Repeat-phase frames fabricated from the same model to save detailing time
- Packing per bay to match erection sequence
- Dossier with MTCs, UT, DFT and dimensional reports
06Reference projects
Logistics and industrial park projects delivered in China
These projects were built in China. We show them as evidence of comparable building types and tonnages, not as Mexican references.
Dongguan · Logistics
Long-span frame for an automated logistics hub.
Foshan · Logistics
Steel frame for the Rrs logistics park in Foshan.
Guangzhou · 7,000 t
Xiangxue Health Industrial Park: 7,000 t of steel and 30.6 m spans.
07FAQ
Questions Mexican buyers ask
Send AISC or NTC drawings and we return a BOM and FOB price within 24 hours.
Other markets we ship to
How long does shipping from China to Manzanillo take?
Typically 16–20 days from Shenzhen, and 18–22 days to Lázaro Cárdenas. Add 25–40 days of fabrication after shop drawing approval, plus rail or road time inland.
Do you fabricate to AISC 360 and AWS D1.1?
Yes. Most nearshoring plants are designed to AISC 360 and welded to AWS D1.1, which we work to routinely. All CJP welds are 100% UT tested.
What tariffs apply to steel imported into Mexico?
Rates depend on the HS code and current trade measures, which change frequently. We prepare the classification and documents, and your customs broker confirms the rate before contract award.
Which grades do you supply for Mexican projects?
Q355B against ASTM A572 Gr.50 and Q235B against A36, with EN 10204 3.1 certificates. Bolts to ASTM F3125 on request.
Do you install in Mexico?
No. We supply steel and erection supervision. Erection and foundations are by your Mexican contractor.
Send your drawings. Get a 24-hour BOM and FOB price.
DWG, IFC, Tekla or PDF. Engineering review by our Tekla team, from 50 t or 2,000 m².