Honda halts production in Celaya

Due to a shortage of semiconductors, Honda's plant in Celaya, Guanajuato, has suspended production, according to confirmation from the Japanese Embassy in Mexico and the Mexican Automotive Industry Association (AMIA).

“Honda has stopped operations due to a shortage of semiconductors, as I was informed yesterday,” said Kozo Honsei, Japan's ambassador to Mexico, in an interview during the 31st Mexican Foreign Trade Congress.

Rogelio Garza, executive president of AMIA, explained that Honda's supply problem is due to Nexperia's difficulties in supplying chips.

The Dutch supplier, which is Chinese-owned, was intervened by the Dutch government on September 30, while also facing export restrictions due to sanctions imposed by the United States and China.

“The issue of rare earths and semiconductors is extremely important globally because China currently dominates that market,” said Garza.

The executive president of AMIA warned that there is a risk of contagion from semiconductor shortages in the automotive industry in Mexico, so the problem needs to be solved quickly.

He commented that US President Donald Trump's negotiations are aimed at resolving this issue and gaining support to reduce dependence on China.

Honsei commented that they are seeking dialogue with the Mexican government to ensure a stable supply chain, particularly for these inputs, not only for the automotive industry, but for all industries.

Garza believes that in order to meet the growth expectations of the country's main productive sector, caution is needed, as it has experienced a series of ups and downs throughout the year due to tariffs imposed by the United States. “There has been abnormal behavior in this regard. So, we must be cautious at the end of this year,” he said.

Given the slowdown in the Mexican economy, Garza commented that the sector he represents has not been affected, as in the first nine months of 2025, both production and exports are practically the same as in the same period last year.