Qualcomm plans to open its first satellite facility in Tijuana this fall, with a focus on engineering for internal research and development projects.
The San Diego wireless technology pioneer confirmed it was opening an outpost in Tijuana, but a spokesperson declined to provide further details, including its square footage, expected number of employees, location and the precise nature of the work that will be done there. Qualcomm has 185 locations globally.
In a t statement, Baja California Gov. Marina del Pilar Avila Olmeda and Qualcomm Chief Executive Cristiano Amon announced the new facility. It is expected to begin operation this fall.
“We are pleased to expand Qualcomm Technologies’ engineering and operations footprint to Tijuana and to strengthen our presence and commitment in Mexico and access the region’s engineering talent pool,” said Roawen Chen, senior vice president and chief supply chain and operations officer for Qualcomm Technologies.
Avila Olmeda said in a statement that Qualcomm has the of the government for its investment in Baja. She highlighted projects such as the Otay Mesa II Port of Entry — which is expected to be an advanced commercial link between the U.S. and Mexico — as helping pave the way for travel and operations for Qualcomm and other companies in the region.
The move comes as Qualcomm continues to diversify its business beyond smartphones, which are experiencing a sales slump as consumers buy less electronics gear and China’s economic bounce back from pandemic lockdowns remains muted.
Earlier this month, the company announced it was cutting more than 400 positions at its San Diego headquarters. The company is still among the region’s largest private employers, however, with 12,000 workers in San Diego.
