Ryder opens up new Laredo, Texas cross-border facility

Freight transportation and logistics services provider Ryder System Inc. said this week it has opened up a new Laredo, Texas-based logistics facility, which it said will mainly support cross-border shipments between the United States and Mexico.

This new 109,000 square-foot facility, said Ryder, is less than five miles from the World Trade Bridge and is comprised of 6,400 square-feet of office space, 51 dock doors, two ramps, and 114 trailer spaces. And the company added that the facility will handle thousands of shipments for 19 customers within the auto, industrial, retail, and high tech industries and also additional services and capacity opportunities to Ryder’s existing and future North American customers. Ryder said that this new facility also complements its newly renovated yard in Nuevo Lardo, Mexico, which has capacity for up to 400 trailers.

Frank Bateman, group director of Ryder Supply Chain Solutions, told LM that Ryder has been working with the landlord and builder of this facility since last spring, while the concept for the facility has been in the works for the last two years, as Ryder outgrew its previous facility and began renting a second overflow site.

“We wanted to bring the team together under one roof while at the same time have room to continue to grow,” he said.

One of the biggest customer benefits of this new Laredo facility is simplifying the complicated Cross Border Supply Chain for customers by acting as a one-stop shop for either northbound or southbound material between the U.S. and Mexico, he said, adding the main services provided for customers out of this facility include warehousing, cross docking, U.S. and Mexico transportation, and Customs Brokerage.

“Ryder’s Cross Border team met frequently with its customers in order to develop strategies on how best to serve them in the Cross Border market,” said Bateman. “We exist in this space and add value because there is a customer need. We will continue to grow in Laredo / Nuevo Laredo and also take steps to manage our expansion in other ports such as Tijuana/Otay Mesa and Juarez/El Paso.”