Landstar System, a worldwide, asset-light provider of integrated transportation management solutions delivering safe, specialized transportation logistics services, celebrated the grand opening of its Landstar U.S.-Mexico Logistics Service Center in Laredo on Thursday, Jan. 19, 2017.
The new logistics center is one of the largest facilities of its kind in Laredo. City officials joined Landstar President & CEO Jim Gattoni for a ribbon-cutting ceremony and tour of the facility.
Also in attendance were members of Laredo's Chamber of Commerce; executive leadership and Landstar employees; cross-border carriers and customers; and Landstar independent agents.
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The 31,000-square-foot logistics facility is located on a 50-acre site in the Mines Road business district. The Landstar U.S./Mexico Logistics Service Center features a highly secured C-TPAT certified site, including a 30-bay cross-dock and transload facility, along with a dedicated platform and Heavy/Specialized freight area with a custom 120-ton, stand-alone bridge crane.
"We have expanded our cross-border and Mexico freight transportation operations to meet the needs of our customers," said Landstar Transportation Logistics Executive Vice President of Operations Eric Meyer. "Landstar is known for its high level of service and extensive geographic coverage, servicing the Mexico market using 1,000 van and platform trailers to accommodate the broad range of commodities that comprise cross-border trade.
"The facility will better serve Landstar's customers, capacity providers and agents, and we believe it will position Landstar as the premier freight transport provider of cross-border operations."
The logistics center cross-dock is comprised of more than 20,000 square feet designed to bring efficiencies to both less-than-truckload (LTL) consolidation and transload services. The new yard is capable of holding more than 450 trailers, which is 2.5 times the capacity of Landstar's previous facility in Laredo that went into service in 1999.
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The dedicated and expanded heavy-haul section of the yard includes a custom designed, 120-ton stand-alone bridge crane. This crane has a clearance area of 35 feet high and 37 feet wide to accommodate the ability to transload many of the largest super loads.
"The 120-ton bridge crane is unique to the cross-border market. It is used to transfer oversize, heavy and specialized loads between various types of platform equipment coming to and from Mexico," said Landstar Transportation Logistics Vice President of Mexico Operations Steve Wisnieski. "Landstar commissioned and directed the design of the new bridge crane to meet our current and future needs, and to allow load transfers to happen safely and efficiently."
The Landstar U.S./Mexico Logistics Service Center also features conference rooms and meeting space for Landstar customers and agents, and a state-of-the-art area for Landstar business capacity owners (BCOs), the company's term for truck owner-operators leased to Landstar. The BCO area includes a lounge, media center, computer room, laundry and much more, all designed with comfort and accessibility in mind. Landstar's Mexico service offerings include truckload, rail, LTL, transload and customs brokerage. Manufacturers and shippers that want more information about Landstar's Mexico cross-border services can email mexicosales@landstar.com or call 1-800-872-9474.
