Westerville, Ohio—Oct. 8, 2012—Supply chain solution provider Exel’s new 250,000-square-foot distribution center in Laredo, Texas will host a grand opening on October 12, with an associate and family event on Oct. 13.
Located half a mile from the U.S. and Mexico border, the facility—which produced nearly 100 jobs to date in the Laredo community—serves as a hub for Exel and DHL Supply Chain’s Logistics Without Borders solution. The supply chain solution incorporates several industry sectors and provides customers with a one-stop access to the tools, expertise and services necessary for cross-border commerce. The facility is a multi-client, multi-industry operation that supports customer supply chains on both sides of the border. Current customers include Sensata, Flextronics, Daimler Trucks, Vitromex and BOS.
“With the cost advantages of traditional offshoring increasingly offset by rising wages and transportation costs, U.S. companies are looking for opportunities to bring supplier operations closer to home,” said Luis Eraña, President for the Technology, Aerospace and Service Logistics Industries, Exel. “This facility is a major step in Exel/DHL Supply Chain’s strategy to do just that. With more than five million truck containers crossing the U.S./Mexico border per year, and with a historical growth rate of 3.9 percent, Laredo offers a perfect location for Exel and DHL Supply Chain.”
This new site, which averages 3,600 outbound loads per month, will bring further integration and expanded capabilities for Exel and its customers in an area of the world vital to global trade. Capabilities offered at the facility include comprehensive managed transportation services; cross-docking; U.S. and Mexico customs brokerage; Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI); and value-added services such as classification. These logistics services are backed by an integrated and bilingual information technology platform that tracks inventory, facilitates and exchanges documentation and connects into the customs clearance process.
The Logistics Without Borders facility includes sustainability design elements such as energy efficient lighting; sky lights; low-flow plumbing; a white roof system; storm water runoff containment; and a recycling program. The company applied for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for the site. If received, it will be the first LEED-certified distribution center in Exel’s North American real estate network and in the city of Laredo.
“Moving goods across the U.S./Mexico border is a necessity for many of our customers, however, working across the border can present challenges with things like security, customs compliance and border congestion, to name a few,” said Eraña. “This facility gives us the opportunity to leverage our cross-border expertise, while at the same time, giving our customers a best-in-class option when it comes to supply chain services at the U.S./Mexico border.”
