UPS opens Texan sorting facility to drive cross-border business
UPS is opening a new package sorting and delivery facility close to the US-Mexican border. The new facility in Laredo, Texas, will double the capacity of the previous building, and use advanced technology to increase processing efficiency.
Offering 33,000 square feet of capacity, the facility will accommodate up to 66 delivery trucks or trailers.
UPS said the investment would mean customers in South Texas shipping to Mexico will experience a one-day improvement in transit times.
The world’s largest package delivery company said Mexico was an “extremely important” market for its services, with trade with the United States increasing 113% over the past decade according to US government figures.
Every day, more than $1.35bn worth of commerce takes place across the border, UPS said.
The new Laredo facility will allow UPS to move packages through its system more quickly, arriving in Mexico sooner.
New sorting equipment will mean improved accuracy and faster sorting, UPS said.
“These upgrades will result in an improved working environment and simultaneously reduce fuel consumption, miles driven and carbon emissions versus the previous Laredo building,” the company said.
UPS launched a new economy door-to-door package shipping service from the United States to Mexico last October. The UPS Standard to Mexico service is available from scheduled pick-ups or from 4,300 outlets of The UPS Store, delivering from the US to Mexico in four to eight days with end-to-end tracking.
Romaine Seguin, president of the UPS Americas region, said: “Mexico is an extremely important market for UPS and our customers. Mexico was the United States’ second largest export market in 2012, and is the largest importer of US computer and electronic parts.”
Mexico has also proven an important market for UPS rivals FedEx, which acquired local domestic express firm MultiPack in Mexico in late 2010.
FedEx revealed yesterday that it will be opening a new hub station and customer service call centre in Mexico City next week as part of its continuing expansion in the country.
