1. a factory or assembly plant, typically in Mexico or Central America, that imports materials or components and exports finished goods, often for a foreign company.
Usage: also called maquiladora; common in international trade and manufacturing contexts; often refers to labor-intensive assembly operations

Examples

• The maquila employed hundreds of workers assembling electronic components.
• Many maquilas operate along the U.S.-Mexico border.
• The company opened a maquila to take advantage of lower labor costs.
• Workers in the maquila performed repetitive assembly tasks.
• The maquila industry has grown significantly in Central America over the past two decades.