Saturated distribution channels with situations that have compromised the availability of transportation, port congestion that complicate the receipt of shipments, plus alterations in demand due to consumption patterns that have become increasingly urgent, are the main challenges facing businesses today.
In addition to the above, there is a demand for constant updating of customs regulations, which forces supply chain leaders to be constantly updated and better prepared to develop faster, more efficient and visible logistics processes, as well as to consider investments to generate better technological adaptability that will allow them to build solid global chains to achieve their business objectives.
This situation has resulted in the strengthening of trends such as nearshoring and a strong demand for space for new CEDIS, cross-docks and dark stores in strategic logistics nodes such as the main Mexican border cities with the United States. As a result, a record demand for industrial space was generated in 2021, with more than two million square meters in areas such as Monterrey, Tijuana and Ciudad Juárez, which, thanks to their location, infrastructure and skilled labor force, received significant investments from domestic and foreign companies.
Therefore, companies have found it necessary to look for industrial space but issues such as defining the ideal location and the availability and search for qualified labor can represent a significant investment, not only in financial terms but also in time, and if we add to this the fact that some of the strategic cities have a shortage of space inventory, this becomes even more complicated.
In this context, there has also been a growing interest of companies in generating alliances with logistics service providers, who have identified the needs of different industries and have decided to grow in these regions; such is the case of Ryder, a supply chain logistics provider, which in 2022 announced important investments in new sites in Ciénega de Flores, Nuevo León, as well as in Laredo, Texas.
In addition to these investments, during 2021 the company increased the transportation fleet that outsource to transportation companies and obtained the Registration as a Specialized Service Provider (REPSE), in addition to strengthening its business in Ciudad Juarez and Tijuana, all with the intention of enhancing its infrastructure and equipment to offer its customers comprehensive solutions with real value for modern supply chains.
The uncertainty of global commerce and the constant disruptions that remain in this 2022 are challenges that any company, no matter the industry, has experienced, for this reason the key focus is to effectively manage the development, expansion and digitization of operations that allow businesses to save time and resources while responding to new market needs.
Being strategic in the definition of initiatives or investments that effectively benefit not only one, but several of the essential processes within the supply chains, becomes critical.
