C.H. Robinson opens 400,000-square-foot facility near Mexican border

Freight forwarder C.H. Robinson opened a 400,000-square-foot cargo facility in Laredo, Texas, this week, bolstering its U.S.-Mexico border logistics presence. The move comes as more logistics providers are nearshoring businesses to “diversify and fortify their supply chains,” according to a release from Eden Prairie, Minn.-based C.H. Robinson. The location signifies a focus on investing in and strengthening cross-border offerings for customers, Mike Burkhart, C.H. Robinson’s vice president for Mexico, told Air Cargo Next . [caption id="attachment_57138146" align="alignright" width="403"] Trucks pull into C.H. Robinson's new Laredo, Texas, facility. (Photo/C.H. Robinson)[/caption] “Unlike some of our competitors that are just now trying to get a toehold in the market, we’ve been in Mexico, in Laredo and in cross-border shipping for more than 30 years,” Burkhart said. “We’ve been continually growing there in tandem with our customers’ growth. That’s not going to stop. We’re the market leader and we intend to continue being the market leader.” The new cross-dock facility features 154 dock doors and room to park 700 trailers, Burkhart said. The company declined to disclose the facility’s cost. Tapping into Mexico markets C.H. Robinson landed at No. 19, up a spot from 2021, on the list of top 25 freight forwarders, with gross logistic s revenue of $23.8 million and airfreight tonnage of 285,000 tonnes. The Laredo facility positions the company to grow as a top forwarder, Burkhart said. “The past three years were eye-opening for many companies as they saw the need to further diversify their supply chains to lower delays and disruptions,” he said. “Now that shippers have been able to catch their breath, we’re seeing some companies act on implementing that diversification through nearshoring or reshoring in Mexico. “Our new cross-dock facility plays a major role in how international freight is moved, whether you’re dropping ocean containers or moving airfreight, it has a purpose across the entire global supply chain,” Burkhart added. He said there are limited air capacity options and only select services that run direct to Mexico. Therefore, many C.H. Robinson customers can import into a larger U.S. hub and use the Laredo facility for Mexico-bound freight. “With air known for its speed, our cross-dock facility … increases throughput across the border, which is especially important for our automotive customers and others who work in a just-in-time environment,” Burkhart said. The Port of Laredo handled $268 billion in trade with Mexico in 2022, up 20% compared with 2021, according to the release. Efficiency through automation In addition to its strategic location, Burkhart emphasized that automation at the facility will increase efficiency and streamline operations. “Cameras are installed on the forklifts, throughout the building and outside capturing the perimeter,” Burkhart said. “That means every square inch of the facility and every second of activity is captured in HD quality. Plates, trailer numbers and tractor numbers are automatically captured for security during check-in and checkout. “The cameras also help to identify any discrepancies between the bill of lading and the freight that arrived, so we can immediately convey that to the shipper and they can make accommodations for their end customer,” he said. Electronic data interchange “connectivity between the facility and Navisphere provides visibility to arrivals/departures.” Navisphere is C.H. Robinson’s transportation management system “that makes it easier to automate and optimize every aspect of the shipment life cycle to better manage supply chain complexity,” the company’s website states. Despite a disappointing second quarter this year, with the company’s revenue dropping 35% year over year, C.H. Robinson emphasized the importance of technology moving forward. “I’m excited about the potential benefits from generative [AI] in conjunction with the machine learning and artificial intelligence that the company has already been utilizing,” Chief Executive Dave Bozeman said during an Aug. 2 earnings call. “With more data and history to leverage than any other 3PL, we have opportunities to harness the power that these advanced technologies now offer to further capitalize on our information advantage. And we’ll continue to look for and pursue those opportunities.” The clock is ticking! It is your last chance to join Air Cargo Next for its second annual Air Cargo Tech Summit on Sept. 18-19 in Brussels, sponsored by Unisys and Brussels Airport and featuring a fireside chat with Brian Hodges, managing director, American Airlines Cargo. For more details and to register, click here .

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