In 1965 we established the first maquiladora in Mexicali. 60 years later, the founding family is still building.
Rodolfo Nelson Barbara arrived in Mexicali and built the city's first industrial building. There were no industrial parks, no proven business model, no border manufacturing market. What existed was a piece of land and a decision. From that decision came everything that Grupo Nelson is today: 4 industrial parks, over 4 million square feet developed, and 33 international corporations operating in our facilities.
We didn't grow fast. We grew without stopping. Every decade, a decision that made us more relevant. Never a bet that put us at risk.
Our first park was built with cinder blocks and low ceilings. The second already had green areas, parking, and a perimeter wall. The third features a dedicated electrical substation, a 360,000-gallon fire suppression tank, and LEED-certified buildings. The fourth already has land. Each park was an investment decision we made before the market demanded it.
Nelson II Industrial Park
27 hectares. Dedicated electrical substation. Centralized fire suppression system. The park that shows where the evolution led.
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In 1997 we founded our own construction company
We depended on external contractors to build the facilities our clients needed. We decided that was a bottleneck. We founded Baumex — our in-house construction firm — and since then we control the entire chain: from land to turnkey. 75+ projects built in 30 years.
35+
years with our longest-standing clients. The companies that arrived decades ago are still here.
4 generations
of the founding family. The fourth generation is already working within the group.
We never built inventory waiting for clients. Only when there is real demand. We have only sold 1-2% of all the buildings we have constructed — the rest we lease. That conservative discipline is why, 60 years later, we are still here. And why you can sign a 15-year lease with the certainty that we will be on the other side when it renews.