Manufacturing leaders today face a tough balancing act: cut costs, build supply chain resilience, and simplify global operations. But traditional offshore strategies aren’t delivering like they used to. Long lead times and shifting trade rules are turning once-reliable regions into costly liabilities.

In this new landscape, manufacturing in Mexico offers a powerful, cost-effective alternative. Just south of the U.S. border, manufacturers are finding the talent they need, the infrastructure to support growth, and the speed to stay ahead of shifting demand.

But deciding where to expand is only half the battle. The real challenge is knowing how. That’s where NAPS comes in. For over 30 years, we’ve helped manufacturers enter Mexico with confidence through our proven shelter program, a comprehensive, low-risk solution that enables companies to launch and grow manufacturing operations in Mexico without navigating the red tape alone.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through how the NAPS shelter model works, step by step, so you can better understand the advantages of manufacturing expansion in Mexico under a trusted partner.

What Is the Shelter Model in Mexico?

A shelter program allows foreign companies to operate in Mexico without having to establish their own legal entity. Instead, they partner with a shelter company, like NAPS, that takes on the administrative and compliance responsibilities needed to get up and running.

This model is designed to minimize risk and eliminate the steep learning curve that often comes with entering a new country. Shelter providers manage the essential back-office work — payroll, HR, customs, environmental compliance — so manufacturers can focus entirely on production and growth.

By operating under NAPS’ legal framework, companies operating in Mexico through the shelter model avoid regulatory delays, reduce liability exposure, and maintain full control over their manufacturing processes.

Step-by-Step: How NAPS Shelter Services Work

Here’s how NAPS simplifies the journey from idea to full-scale operation in Mexico.

1. Initial Consultation & Feasibility Assessment

Every engagement begins with a deep dive. NAPS works closely with your leadership team to understand your goals, production needs, and timelines. This phase determines whether Mexico shelter services are the right fit and outlines a tailored roadmap for success.

2. Site Selection & Setup

NAPS helps you identify your ideal manufacturing location. With decades of experience in Mexican manufacturing hubs, NAPS guides you through everything from site selection to infrastructure coordination, whether you need a move-in-ready facility or prefer to build custom from the ground up.

3. Entity-Free Entry into Mexico

Instead of forming your own legal entity, your business operates under NAPS’ established legal structure. This approach bypasses bureaucratic delays and streamlines your market entry, letting you start production sooner, with full legal coverage.

4. Labor & HR Support

NAPS recruits and onboards talent from Mexico’s strong manufacturing workforce, from skilled laborers to line supervisors and engineers. It manages payroll, benefits, and training on your behalf, ensuring full compliance with Mexican labor laws and helping you keep labor costs under control.

5. Administrative & Compliance Management

Cross-border operations come with layers of red tape. NAPS cuts through it with comprehensive administrative and regulatory management. That includes import/export coordination, tax compliance, environmental permitting, and customs processes for goods imported and exported under your program.

6. Ongoing Operational Support

Manufacturing leaders today face a tough balancing act: cut costs, build supply chain resilience, and simplify global operations. But traditional offshore strategies aren’t delivering like they used to. Long lead times and shifting trade rules are turning once-reliable regions into costly liabilities.

In this new landscape, manufacturing in Mexico offers a powerful, cost-effective alternative. Just south of the U.S. border, manufacturers are finding the talent they need, the infrastructure to support growth, and the speed to stay ahead of shifting demand.

But deciding where to expand is only half the battle. The real challenge is knowing how. That’s where NAPS comes in. For over 30 years, we’ve helped manufacturers enter Mexico with confidence through our proven shelter program, a comprehensive, low-risk solution that enables companies to launch and grow manufacturing operations in Mexico without navigating the red tape alone.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through how the NAPS shelter model works, step by step, so you can better understand the advantages of manufacturing expansion in Mexico under a trusted partner.

What Is the Shelter Model in Mexico?

A shelter program allows foreign companies to operate in Mexico without having to establish their own legal entity. Instead, they partner with a shelter company, like NAPS, that takes on the administrative and compliance responsibilities needed to get up and running.

This model is designed to minimize risk and eliminate the steep learning curve that often comes with entering a new country. Shelter providers manage the essential back-office work — payroll, HR, customs, environmental compliance — so manufacturers can focus entirely on production and growth.

By operating under NAPS’ legal framework, companies operating in Mexico through the shelter model avoid regulatory delays, reduce liability exposure, and maintain full control over their manufacturing processes.

Step-by-Step: How NAPS Shelter Services Work

 

Here’s how NAPS simplifies the journey from idea to full-scale operation in Mexico.

1. Initial Consultation & Feasibility Assessment

Every engagement begins with a deep dive. NAPS works closely with your leadership team to understand your goals, production needs, and timelines. This phase determines whether Mexico shelter services are the right fit and outlines a tailored roadmap for success.

2. Site Selection & Setup

NAPS helps you identify your ideal manufacturing location. With decades of experience in Mexican manufacturing hubs, NAPS guides you through everything from site selection to infrastructure coordination, whether you need a move-in-ready facility or prefer to build custom from the ground up.

3. Entity-Free Entry into Mexico

Instead of forming your own legal entity, your business operates under NAPS’ established legal structure. This approach bypasses bureaucratic delays and streamlines your market entry, letting you start production sooner, with full legal coverage.

4. Labor & HR Support

NAPS recruits and onboards talent from Mexico’s strong manufacturing workforce, from skilled laborers to line supervisors and engineers. It manages payroll, benefits, and training on your behalf, ensuring full compliance with Mexican labor laws and helping you keep labor costs under control.

5. Administrative & Compliance Management

Cross-border operations come with layers of red tape. NAPS cuts through it with comprehensive administrative and regulatory management. That includes import/export coordination, tax compliance, environmental permitting, and customs processes for goods imported and exported under your program.

6. Ongoing Operational Support

As your operation grows, so does your need for integrated support. NAPS continues to manage back-office systems and day-to-day administrative tasks, allowing you to stay focused on production and business strategy.

A Practical Tool for Cost & Risk Control

Launching a full-fledged operation in Mexico independently means forming a new entity and building a back-office team from scratch, all while navigating unfamiliar laws and regulations. That takes time, money, and deep in-country knowledge.

The NAPS shelter program removes these barriers. Companies can reduce costs, speed up timelines, and avoid the common mistakes that stall other expansions. The result: faster ROI with lower risk.

For contract manufacturing startups or advanced manufacturing firms scaling fast, this model offers the flexibility to ramp production without getting bogged down in administrative overhead.

Beyond Cost Savings: Benefits for U.S. Manufacturers

More than simply a cost-saving location, Mexico shelter companies are a complete strategic growth partner. U.S. manufacturers using the NAPS shelter model gain:

• Accelerated launch timelines — production can begin in months, not years
• Flexibility in manufacturing processes to respond to demand and innovation
• Resilient regional supply chains that minimize global disruptions
• Long-term competitiveness in an increasingly complex global economy

Why Manufacturers Choose NAPS as Their Shelter Service Provider

NAPS isn’t the only shelter company in Mexico, but it is one of the most experienced and trusted.

Experience: With over three decades in the field, NAPS has supported hundreds of manufacturing expansions across a wide range of industries.

Operational Autonomy: NAPS’ shelter services enable clients to operate independently — under their own name, in their own facility, and with full control over processes and culture.

Cross-Functional Teams: From legal experts to bilingual HR professionals and logistics specialists, NAPS provides full-spectrum support.

Compliance You Can Count On: Regulations change. NAPS stays ahead, so you stay protected.

Operational Clarity: NAPS delivers clear timelines, transparent costs, and measurable results from day one.

In a time when agility and cost-efficiency are mission-critical, NAPS provides a proven pathway to success in Mexico.

Expand into Mexico Without the Guesswork

Mexico offers the right combination of cost advantage, geographic proximity, and industrial infrastructure to support North American manufacturers under pressure to perform.

But launching a manufacturing operation in Mexico doesn’t have to mean doing it alone — or building from scratch.

With the NAPS shelter model, you can expand with speed, stay compliant, and keep your core business front and center. Whether you’re exploring a new location or preparing to scale, NAPS gives you the tools and expertise to move forward smartly and efficiently.

Ready to learn what a shelter service partner can make possible for your business? Reach out to us today.

As your operation grows, so does your need for integrated support. NAPS continues to manage back-office systems and day-to-day administrative tasks, allowing you to stay focused on production and business strategy.

A Practical Tool for Cost & Risk Control

Launching a full-fledged operation in Mexico independently means forming a new entity and building a back-office team from scratch, all while navigating unfamiliar laws and regulations. That takes time, money, and deep in-country knowledge.

The NAPS shelter program removes these barriers. Companies can reduce costs, speed up timelines, and avoid the common mistakes that stall other expansions. The result: faster ROI with lower risk.

For contract manufacturing startups or advanced manufacturing firms scaling fast, this model offers the flexibility to ramp production without getting bogged down in administrative overhead.

Beyond Cost Savings: Benefits for U.S. Manufacturers

More than simply a cost-saving location, Mexico shelter companies are a complete strategic growth partner. U.S. manufacturers using the NAPS shelter model gain:

• Accelerated launch timelines — production can begin in months, not years
• Flexibility in manufacturing processes to respond to demand and innovation
• Resilient regional supply chains that minimize global disruptions
• Long-term competitiveness in an increasingly complex global economy

Why Manufacturers Choose NAPS as Their Shelter Service Provider

NAPS isn’t the only shelter company in Mexico, but it is one of the most experienced and trusted.

Experience: With over three decades in the field, NAPS has supported hundreds of manufacturing expansions across a wide range of industries.

Operational Autonomy: NAPS’ shelter services enable clients to operate independently — under their own name, in their own facility, and with full control over processes and culture.

Cross-Functional Teams: From legal experts to bilingual HR professionals and logistics specialists, NAPS provides full-spectrum support.

Compliance You Can Count On: Regulations change. NAPS stays ahead, so you stay protected.

Operational Clarity: NAPS delivers clear timelines, transparent costs, and measurable results from day one.

In a time when agility and cost-efficiency are mission-critical, NAPS provides a proven pathway to success in Mexico.

Expand into Mexico Without the Guesswork

Mexico offers the right combination of cost advantage, geographic proximity, and industrial infrastructure to support North American manufacturers under pressure to perform.

But launching a manufacturing operation in Mexico doesn’t have to mean doing it alone — or building from scratch.

With the NAPS shelter model, you can expand with speed, stay compliant, and keep your core business front and center. Whether you’re exploring a new location or preparing to scale, NAPS gives you the tools and expertise to move forward smartly and efficiently.

Ready to learn what a shelter service partner can make possible for your business? Reach out to us today.