- Definition
A maquiladora is a factory, often in Mexico, that makes products for foreign companies, usually paying low wages and having fewer rules about worker safety or the environment.
A car company in the U.S. might own a maquiladora in Mexico to assemble car seats using parts shipped from Asia.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: A maquiladora is a manufacturing plant in Mexico that assembles goods, often using imported parts, for export.
Ask your child: How can a factory that uses parts from several countries be part of a global supply chain?
Common mix-up: Maquiladoras are not simply any factory in another country. Their history is tied to Mexico's border industrialization programs and trade arrangements; working conditions and impacts vary by company and place.
Examples
- An electronics brand sending components to a factory in Central America to have phones assembled for a lower cost.
- A clothing company using a maquiladora to sew t-shirts that will be sold in stores around the world.
maquiladora is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
