Peacock Tariff Consulting works with Texas importers and Houston exporters in automotive Mexico-side manufacturing, petrochemicals, steel, IMMEX/maquila operations, and agricultural exports. We are bilingual (English/Spanish), USMCA-fluent, and structured for SMB cross-border manufacturers and distributors. Laredo handles $354B+ in annual U.S.-Mexico trade – more than most U.S. ports combined.
Laredo is the #1 U.S. land port – $354B in annual trade, 96% of it with Mexico. Houston is the #1 U.S. export port. Together they form the spine of the U.S.-Mexico supply chain. Every U.S. auto OEM, every maquila, every IMMEX program operator either touches Laredo directly or ships through Houston for Gulf-region petrochemical and steel exports.
Peacock Tariff Consulting works with Texas importers and exporters across automotive Mexico-side manufacturing, petrochemical exports, steel imports, agricultural exports, and IMMEX programs. Our team is bilingual; our engagements are designed for SMB cross-border operators in the $10M-$250M revenue range.
Why Texas-Mexico importers benefit from independent advisory
Texas-Mexico cross-border trade involves three regulatory regimes: U.S. CBP, Mexican SAT/Customs (now Aduanas), and the IMMEX program for maquila operations. Big customs brokers handle the filings; Big-4 firms run the strategy at large enterprise pricing. The independent advisor lane fills the gap for $10M-$250M companies running cross-border production.
Our typical Texas-Mexico engagement: USMCA qualification analysis on cross-border auto and machinery flows, IMMEX program optimization, Section 232 steel exposure for Gulf Coast service centers, and Mexican surtax reciprocal scenarios.
USMCA and IMMEX – layering the two programs
USMCA provides preferential rates for U.S.-Mexico-Canada qualifying goods and exempts USMCA-qualifying imports from Section 122. IMMEX (the Mexican Maquiladora program) provides Mexican-side benefits – duty deferral or elimination on inputs imported into Mexico for incorporation into export products.
Layered correctly, USMCA + IMMEX create the most favorable cross-border manufacturing structure in North America. The work is in the layering: making sure the products that meet USMCA RVC also meet IMMEX requirements, that the supplier certifications support both programs, and that the Mexican-side accounting aligns with U.S.-side import documentation.
Laredo cross-border flow – the operational layer
Laredo handles roughly 18,000 commercial trucks per day across its border crossings. The operational layer of Texas-Mexico trade – driver POAs, customs broker-to-broker handoffs, IMMEX entries on the Mexican side, U.S. consumption entries on the U.S. side – is where many SMB operators encounter friction.
For these operators, we run process audits to identify where USMCA documentation, IMMEX paperwork, and CBP entries are out of sync. The fix is usually procedural rather than statutory; the savings are in reduced port holds and faster cash flow.
Section 232 steel – Gulf Coast service center exposure
Section 232 steel and aluminum tariffs hit Gulf Coast importers and service centers directly. Houston is a major steel import hub serving petrochemical, oil services, and construction markets across Texas and the Gulf states.
For SMB steel buyers, the Section 232 work is in: (1) verifying classification – many fabricated steel products fall outside Section 232 derivative scope and are misclassified; (2) origin documentation – Section 232 has country-specific exemptions and quota structures; (3) duty drawback for steel that goes into exported finished products.
Petrochemical exports – Houston duty drawback opportunity
Houston is the #1 U.S. export port, dominated by petrochemicals, refined products, and chemicals. Many Houston petrochemical exporters import feedstocks or specialty chemicals, pay duty on imports, and export finished or processed products. Manufacturing drawback recovers up to 99% of the duty paid on imported inputs.
For Houston petrochemical exporters running active drawback programs, we audit existing claims for completeness. For exporters not yet running drawback, the first-year setup is the largest lift but the ongoing filings are highly automated.
IMMEX – Mexico-side optimization for Texas-headquartered operators
For Texas operators running maquila operations on the Mexican side of the border, IMMEX is the central Mexican-side program. IMMEX provides duty deferral on imports into Mexico that will be incorporated into exports, plus simplified procedural treatment.
Common engagements: IMMEX certification review for SMB maquila operators new to the program, audit response when SAT verifications question IMMEX qualification, and U.S.-side coordination when IMMEX inputs eventually flow into U.S. consumption rather than re-export.
Frequently asked questions
Do you serve Texas-headquartered companies running Mexican maquilas?
Yes – that is a core engagement profile. We run dual-jurisdiction compliance reviews (CBP + Mexican SAT/Aduanas), USMCA + IMMEX layering, and ongoing advisory for SMB operators in the $10M-$150M range.
Can you handle Spanish-language correspondence with Mexican suppliers and SAT?
Yes. Our Director of International Trade is bilingual. Engagements with Spanish-speaking suppliers run in Spanish; SAT/Aduanas correspondence is drafted in Spanish.
What is IMMEX and do I need to be enrolled?
IMMEX (Programa de la Industria Manufacturera, Maquiladora y de Servicios de Exportación) is the Mexican government program that provides duty deferral and simplified procedures for Mexican maquila operations. Enrollment requires meeting export percentage thresholds and procedural requirements; not every Mexican operation needs it, but most maquilas should evaluate.
How does Section 232 steel apply to Gulf Coast steel buyers?
Section 232 covers steel and aluminum at the input level and certain derivative products at the downstream level. Gulf Coast service centers and steel buyers face exposure on imported steel from non-exempt countries. Country-specific exemptions and quotas add complexity worth a classification review.
Do you offer USMCA qualification analysis for Texas auto suppliers?
Yes. Texas auto suppliers – particularly those with Mexican Tier 2 production – face the same USMCA RVC, Labor Value Content, and certificate-of-origin requirements as Detroit suppliers. USMCA qualification is now Section 122-exempt, making the qualification work directly value-creative.
Get started
Book a Texas-Mexico cross-border tariff review for your maquila or petrochemical operations.