Borderlands Mexico: Tariff pressure shows up in customs data across North America

Borderlands Mexico is a weekly rundown of developments in the world of United States-Mexico cross-border trucking and trade. This week in Borderlands Mexico: Tariff pressure shows up in customs data across North America; Arvato opens Denton logistics hub to support AI, data center growth; and Tramontina opens cookware plant in Mexico to serve Americas.

Tariff pressure shows up in customs data across North America Customs and trade data from the U. S. , Canada and Mexico for February show a mixed picture for North American supply chains, with declining customs revenue in Mexico, rising imports in Canada and a widening U. S. trade deficit.

The data could suggest tariffs and currency shifts are reshaping trade flows rather than stopping them. In Mexico, customs revenue fell for the second consecutive month, even as trade volumes held relatively steady, indicating tariffs and taxes collected at the border are weakening faster than actual freight activity.

According to Mexico’s National Customs Agency (ANAM), customs revenue totaled about $11. 49 billion in January-February, down 13% year over year in real terms. The biggest drop came from VAT collected on imports, which fell 22. 6%, while import duty revenue fell 7%.

That suggests the taxable value of imports — not necessarily shipment volumes — is declining, a trend often seen when companies shift sourcing strategies, reclassify goods, or route freight differently to reduce tariff exposure. Mexico’s land border customs were hit particularly hard, with revenue down 18.

2% and the declared value of goods handled at border crossings falling 8. 1% year over year. Border customs declarations also dropped 6. 1%, pointing to softer cross-border activity in key freight gateways such as Nuevo Laredo, Tijuana and Ciudad Juárez. At the same time, the Mexican peso strengthened about 15.

7% year over year in February, reducing the peso value of imports and lowering the tax base used to calculate duties and VAT. Canada imports surge as trade deficit widens Canada’s February trade data showed a different trend: imports surged to record levels, rising 8. 4% to $72. 1 billion, while exports rose 6. 4%, widening the country’s trade deficit to $5.

7 billion — the largest since August, according to Statistics Canada. Imports from the U. S. jumped 13. 6%, driven by higher purchases of gold and motor vehicles, while imports from other countries also reached record highs.

The surge in imports — especially metals, vehicles and industrial goods — suggests companies may be accelerating purchases or shifting sourcing patterns, moves often associated with tariff uncertainty or changes in trade policy. U. S. deficit widens as imports rise faster than exports In the U. S. , the goods and services trade deficit widened to $57.

3 billion in February as imports rose faster than exports. Imports increased $15. 2 billion in February, while exports rose $12. 6 billion, according to the U. S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. The U. S. goods deficit increased in part because imports rose from major manufacturing partners including Mexico and China. The U. S.

trade deficit with Mexico alone increased by $4. 1 billion to $16. 8 billion in February, as imports from Mexico increased and exports declined. Taken together, the February data across North America suggests tariffs are not reducing trade flows as much as they are changing how and where goods move.

Key signals from the data include: Mexico collecting less customs revenue even as trade value remained relatively stable. Canada importing record volumes of goods, including metals and autos. The U. S. importing more goods from key partners, widening the trade deficit.

The pattern points to companies continuing to move freight across borders but restructuring supply chains — shifting sourcing locations, adjusting declared values, or routing goods through different countries — to manage tariff costs.

For freight markets, that means trade lanes may shift faster than total freight volumes, with cross-border trucking, rail and port volumes changing by region depending on how companies adapt to tariffs and currency changes. Arvato opens Denton logistics hub to support AI, data center growth Supply chain provider Arvato is expanding its U. S.

data center services footprint with a new logistics hub in Denton, Texas, aimed at supporting the rapid growth of cloud computing and AI infrastructure. The facility, located in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, includes 270,000 square feet, with 150,000 square feet initially dedicated to operations and room for future expansion.

The site has direct access to Interstate 35 and is about 30 minutes from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, positioning it to serve one of the fastest-growing data center markets in the U. S.

Arvato said the facility will handle inbound and outbound shipments of sensitive technology hardware, provide high-security warehousing, and manage specialized “white-glove” deliveries to active and under-construction data center