Mexico: Safe for businesses, safe for families

Many manufacturers are often concerned about safety in Mexico when they are deciding whether to offshore to the country. This is because Mexico has often been portrayed by outsiders as an unsafe country. However, the opposite is actually true. Research into crime statistics around the world has found living in Mexico is actually safer than in certain U.S. cities. While drug cartels do remain a presence in the country, they tend to avoid industrial clusters and their influence is waning due to stricter law enforcement.. Living, producing products and transporting goods are just as safe in Mexico as in other North American countries. In fact, it may even be safer.

Mexican crime rates
According to Focus On Mexico, data from the Seventh United Nations Survey of Crime Trends and Operations of Criminal Justice Systems ranks Mexico as one of the safest North American countries. According to the data, the U.S. averages 80 crimes per 1,000 people and Canada approximately 75 crimes per 1,000 residents, while Mexico averages 12 crimes per 1,000 individuals. 

The worst violence is also concentrated to only a few areas of the country, often where organized crime is strongest. According to the report "Drug Violence in Mexico: Data and Analysis Through 2012" by the Trans-Border Institute at the University of San Diego, organized crime, such as from drug cartels, occurs in less than 10 percent of the country. The prevalence of organized crime is rapidly declining as well, with the report highlighting the arrests of key drug cartel leaders in recent years. When President Enrique Peña Nieto took office in December 2012, he instituted strict policies on organized crime and the country has experienced additional arrests. Although Mexico does have dangerous areas, its industrial centers have long been safe from drug cartel influence and crime. 

Safely producing goods and living in Mexico
The manufacturing clusters of Guadalajara, Saltillo and Guaymas and Empalme are key industrial regions in the country, and are more than just a safe place to work and live - they are strong cultural centers and offer U.S. and Canadian professionals and their families key aspects of metropolitan life.

Guadalajara is Mexico's second largest city, with the municipality alone home to 1,494,134 people in 2010. The entire metropolitan area boasts a population of 4.4 million, and is a central location for music and art festivals in the region. Manufacturers are able to take advantage of Guadalajara's strong industrial legacy in electronics and its manufacturing infrastructure, as well as the city's economic opportunities. 

Saltillo is also one of the most important cities in Mexico, being the oldest settlement in the region. It is home to some of the country's most skilled workers due to having numerous universities in the area, as well as many logistical opportunities due to its international airport and close proximity to the U.S. border.

Living and manufacturing in Guaymas and Empalme gives U.S. manufacturers the small town atmosphere with a strong English-speaking presence. 

While each of these cities are safe for manufacturers, partnering with a shelter company is often the best way for U.S. and Canadian businesses to keep their production secure.