Automation Alley Executive Director Tom Kelly: Don’t wait for Sept. 15 deadline — first 10 qualified companies get the openings
TROY — Michigan companies looking for customers and business partners in Mexico shouldn’t wait until the September application deadline to make a decision.
Only 10 Michigan companies will be accepted for Automation Alley’s Nov. 8-13 trade mission to Mexico, and the first 10 qualified applicants will get the openings, Automation Alley Executive Director and CEO Tom Kelly told MITechNews in a video interview.
“Don’t wait for the deadline,” Kelly said, warning that all 10 positions could be taken before applications officially close Sept. 15.
The program costs $2,500 for Automation Alley members and $3,500 for non-members, plus $500 for each additional traveler. Eligible Michigan companies also may qualify for partial reimbursement of participation and travel expenses through the Michigan State Trade Expansion Program, or MI-STEP.
For companies that qualify, Automation Alley is essentially offering a relatively low-cost way to test the Mexican market without having to build their own international business-development operation.
Why Mexico Matters To Michigan
Mexico is the United States’ largest trading partner, with annual bilateral trade exceeding $800 billion, according to Automation Alley.
But Mexico is increasingly important for another reason: manufacturers are reconsidering supply chains that previously stretched thousands of miles into Asia.
Nearshoring — moving manufacturing and suppliers closer to U.S. customers — has helped make Mexico an increasingly important part of the North American manufacturing system.
Mexico also has 13 free-trade agreements covering more than 50 countries, giving companies operating there access to markets representing more than 60% of global GDP.
For Michigan, the strongest opportunities overlap with industries where the state already has substantial expertise: automotive and mobility, aerospace and defense, advanced manufacturing and Industry 4.0, information technology and cybersecurity, energy and electrification, infrastructure and medical technology.
Supply-chain gaps among Mexican Tier 2 and Tier 3 suppliers could create additional openings for Michigan manufacturers.
“Michigan companies have world-class technology, talent and manufacturing expertise, but growth increasingly depends on their ability to compete globally,” Kelly said.
“Mexico is one of our most important trading partners and an essential part of North America’s manufacturing ecosystem.”
More Than A Business Trip
The central selling point of the program isn’t simply getting 10 Michigan executives onto airplanes.
It is getting them into the right rooms once they arrive.
Automation Alley and its international trade partners will develop customized, pre-vetted business-to-business meetings for each participating company.
That means a Michigan manufacturer selling automation equipment could be matched with Mexican manufacturers looking for that technology, while a cybersecurity company could meet businesses seeking to protect increasingly connected factories and industrial systems.
Participants also receive market intelligence from trade specialists, a pre-mission business orientation, networking opportunities and on-the-ground assistance from Automation Alley and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.
The participation fee includes the business orientation, B2B matchmaking, a welcome dinner, interpreter services if needed and transportation to business meetings, capped at $280 per day.
Airfare, hotels and most meals are not included. Participants should expect approximately five hotel nights.
Michigan Companies May Get Financial Help
Some companies may be able to reduce those costs through MI-STEP, Michigan’s State Trade Expansion Program.
Eligible businesses can potentially receive partial reimbursement for participation and travel expenses associated with international business development.
The actual reimbursement depends on MEDC and MI-STEP eligibility requirements and approval, so companies should determine what assistance they qualify for before calculating their final cost.
That financial support could make the mission particularly attractive to smaller Michigan manufacturers and technology companies that want to pursue international sales but cannot justify the cost of establishing their own overseas business-development operation.
Mexico’s Supply-Chain Gaps Could Be Michigan’s Opportunity
Michigan and Mexico already are tightly connected through automotive manufacturing.
Parts and components routinely cross North American borders as vehicles move through production, and Mexico has developed major automotive manufacturing centers as well as a growing aerospace industry.
But the changing global supply-chain environment could create another opening.
Companies throughout North America have spent years trying to reduce their exposure to lengthy overseas supply chains following pandemic disruptions, geopolitical tensions and changing U.S. trade policies.
Mexico’s proximity to the United States, competitive manufacturing costs and existing industrial base have made it one of the principal beneficiaries of that shift.
For Michigan suppliers, the opportunity does not necessarily mean moving production to Mexico.
It could mean selling Michigan-made products, equipment, software, engineering expertise and manufacturing technology to Mexican factories expanding their capabilities.
That distinction matters for Michigan’s economy. Increased exports can translate into additional production — and potentially additional jobs — back home.
Previous Mexico Mission Opened Aerospace Doors
Automation Alley recently led another Michigan trade mission to Querétaro, one of Mexico’s major automotive and aerospace manufacturing centers.
Companies participating in that mission reported developing connections with potential customers and industry decision-makers.
Centracore, a Michigan manufacturer that participated in the earlier trip, said the mission helped strengthen its visibility within Mexico’s aerospace sector.
Fernanda Pérez, who works in new business development for North America at Centracore, said the program provided meetings aligned with the company’s strategic objectives and direct access to qualified decision-makers.
For a smaller company without an established Mexican sales operation, those introductions can be difficult and expensive to arrange independently.
55 Trade Missions, $2.4 Billion In Export Sales
Automation Alley has been taking Michigan businesses into international markets for more than two decades.
Since 2001, the organization says it has conducted 55 trade missions to 23 countries, generating approximately $2.4 billion in export sales and helping create more than 12,000 Michigan jobs.
Its international development work also runs in the other direction.
Automation Alley says it has helped 59 companies from 20 countries establish a presence in Michigan and hosted 154 foreign delegations exploring business, partnership and investment opportunities in the state.
The broader strategy is to make international commerce accessible to Michigan companies that may be too small to maintain overseas sales offices or international business-development teams.
Don’t Wait Until Sept. 15
The official registration deadline is Sept. 15, 2026, but Kelly’s message to Michigan companies considering the trip is straightforward: don’t treat that as the date when you need to make a decision.
The first 10 qualified Michigan companies to apply will get the available openings.
The mission runs Nov. 8-13.
Companies interested in applying should contact Lisa Lasser, Automation Alley’s manager of international business services, at [email protected] or 248-457-3283 and complete the trade mission profile form.
For a Michigan business already considering Mexico as its next market, waiting until September could mean waiting too long.
