Already at the beginning of 2022, multiple signs of increased activity are advancing for the shallow area. This activity goes hand in hand with the growth in demand for manufacturing and logistics activity.

At the end of 2021, the Bajío as a whole had managed to overcome the total industrial demand of 2020 by 115%, which had been greatly influenced by the pandemic, where manufacturing and the automotive sector had been among the most affected, mainly in San Luis Potosí and Aguascalientes.

Now, Querétaro and Guanajuato had had increases in gross industrial demand between 2021 and 2020 of 107% and 26%, respectively.

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In the case of Querétaro, despite the fact that the entity started the first quarter of 2021 with a negative net demand, it has managed to far exceed this indicator, closing 4Q 2021 with almost 143 thousand square meters, the highest figure reflected since 2018.

For its part Guanajuato, affected with negative net demands in the last two quarters of 2020, achieved positive levels of net demand exceeding 215 thousand square meters during 2021.

Both Queretaro and Guanajuato had a decisive participation of speculative ships during the last two quarters of 2021.

Throughout 2020, the demand for manufacturing space in Querétaro usually consisted of 70% manufacturing and 30% from the logistics sector, mostly represented by manufacturing companies or supplier companies of other durable goods companies that during the pandemic period collapsed.

In the last two quarters of 2021, industrial demand in Querétaro remained driven by manufacturing, food and logistics, while Guanajuato had a large share of manufacturing.

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According to projections by Citibanamex and El Gran Bajio, the region closed 2021 with 5.8% economic growth after coming from the sharp contraction of 7% in 2020 and expects to maintain an average growth rate of 2.4% for the 2022-2025 period. .

However, this year's projections suggest that logistics activity will increase its participation in the growth of industrial demand in the lowlands, mainly in Querétaro, where electronic commerce has been very well received.

In turn, Querétaro occupies the third position at the national level only below Mexico City and Monterrey, in the group of entities with a high degree of competitiveness, according to the results of the 2021 State Competitiveness Index (ICE) that measures the capacity of states to nurture, attract, and retain talent and investment.

These important projections for both Guanajuato and Querétaro, together with other investments recently announced for San Luis Potosí, and the lowlands in general, underpinned the growth of electronic commerce, which will affect the increase in logistics demand in 2022.