Nissan, COMPAS and suppliers: what is happening to industrial demand in the South corridor

Formal employment in transportation equipment manufacturing in Aguascalientes fell 4.7% in one year, to 54,285 jobs (IMSS, September 2026). Behind that are two opposite moves: Nissan consolidated its Mexican production in the state and COMPAS stopped operating. For anyone who owns or needs a building in the South corridor, both matter.

Nissan: more volume in Aguascalientes

• It closed its CIVAC plant (Morelos) on March 27, 2026 and started production of the NP300 Frontier pickup at its A1 plant, with an investment of USD 96 million (Cluster Industrial).
• It opened an 80,000 m² logistics yard between the A1 and A2 plants for finished vehicles.
• A1 produced 345,439 vehicles in 2025, at 92% of capacity. That year Aguascalientes was Mexico's second-largest producer of light vehicles, with 594,717 units.
• In 2025 it drove more than 100,000 m² of industrial construction in the South corridor (Solili).

COMPAS: closed and without a buyer

The plant that Nissan and Mercedes-Benz ran jointly, with capacity for 220,000 to 230,000 vehicles a year, closed on May 31. In February, Reuters reported BYD and Geely as finalists to buy it, and the state government has mentioned up to nine interested parties. As of October 12, no buyer had been announced.

Employment, quarter by quarter

Formal employment in transportation equipment (IMSS)	Jobs	Change in the quarter
September 2025	56,981
December 2025	56,209	−772
March 2026	56,798	+589
June 2026	55,014	−1,784
September 2026	54,285	−729

The sharpest drop came in the second quarter, when COMPAS closed. In the third, automotive kept losing jobs, although total manufacturing added 311. Outside automotive and apparel, manufacturing in the state grew over the year.

Change in formal employment by manufacturing industry, September 2025 to September 2026. Source: IMSS.

Automotive investments in 2026

• February: K&S Mexicana opened a wire harness plant with USD 31 million and 200 jobs.
• April: NP300 Frontier at Nissan's A1 plant (USD 96 million).
• July: Huatai Mould announced more than MXN 520 million and 250 jobs for a mold plant in La Aurora Industrial Park, with operations starting at the end of 2026. Magna International is considering expanding its presence, with no amount announced.
• July and October: LORESA (MXN 183.7 million, 110 jobs) and VOLMEX are investing in trailers and semi-trailers.

Source: Cluster Industrial.

What it means for buildings in the South corridor

• Nissan suppliers. They need to be close to A1 and A2. With state vacancy at 0.9%, the realistic route is a build-to-suit building (BTS), 9 to 12 months from signing to move-in, or a second-generation building if the operation allows it.
• COMPAS suppliers. While the plant stays closed, some of their buildings may come back to the market. Subleases in the South corridor are the signal to watch.
• If COMPAS is sold. A new automaker would bring another wave of suppliers looking for buildings in the South, in a market with almost no space left.

In the report we set out three scenarios for 2027: vacancy of 1.5% to 2.5% if COMPAS stays closed and half of the speculative space is leased; below 1% if it is sold; and 3% to 4% if speculative buildings are delivered empty and COMPAS suppliers release space.

Download the Industrial Market Report Aguascalientes Q3 2026

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Do you own a building in the South corridor or need one near Nissan? Write to us at alonso.lpz@alcamo.com.mx or call +52 449 311 0031.

Data as of October 12, 2026. Sources: IMSS, Cluster Industrial, Solili, Reuters, Expansión, El Financiero, State Government of Aguascalientes. Scenarios: Álcamo analysis.