By the end of last year, manufacturing consolidated its role as a key driver of Costa Rica's exports, accounting for 67 per cent of total exports, with sales reaching $13.26 billion out of the $19.894 billion recorded during the year. The sector posted 10 per cent growth in value, driven by the performance of the precision and medical equipment sector—which continues to play a decisive role in the export structure—as well as by the advancement of new segments that expanded the country's manufacturing offer beyond medical devices.

As a result, Costa Rica is expanding its manufacturing exports across sectors such as electrical and electronics, chemical and pharmaceutical products, metalworking, plastics, rubber, textiles, leather and footwear, among others.

According to the Manufacturing Sector Export Performance study prepared by the Trade and Investment Promotion Agency of Costa Rica (PROCOMER), the products leading the sector's momentum during the year included needles and catheters, medical prosthetics, electrodiagnostic equipment, cables and electrical materials, antiserums, tires, textiles and apparel.

Laura López, General Manager of PROCOMER, stated that "manufacturing continues to consolidate itself as a strategic pillar of Costa Rica's economy. Its dynamism is driven not only by the leadership of the precision and medical equipment sector, but also by the progress of other industrial segments that broaden the country's export offer. These categories complement the weight of the medical devices industry and reflect an evolution toward more technologically sophisticated processes, strengthening the competitiveness of Costa Rica's manufacturing sector in international markets".

Diversification within the manufacturing sector is also reflected in the country's business structure. A total of 1,703 companies exported 3,368 different products in 2024. The main export destinations were the United States (55 per cent), the Netherlands (9 per cent) and Belgium (4 per cent).