RXO officially opens up new Laredo, Texas-based cross-border facility

RXO, the fourth-largest full truckload broker in the United States, and asset-light transportation services provider, said this week it has officially opened up a new Laredo, Texas-based 127,000 square-foot cross-border facility.

Company officials said that this new facility, which has more than 25 employees, will provide customers with warehousing and distribution services, leveraging its location “at the center of the nearshoring movement—at the U.S.-Mexico border. RXO made a total investment of more than $30 million over the next 10 years, into this facility.

“We’re proud to officially unveil our new cross-border warehousing and services center in Laredo,” said Drew Wilkerson, chief executive officer of RXO, in a statement. “With the sharp uptick in demand for nearshoring, this state-of-the art facility – situated in a prime location near the border—delivers additional value to RXO customers across many industries.”

Demetri Venetis, division president of freight forwarding at RXO, told LM that that main driver for RXO to open this new facility came from customer input.

“We listened to our customers,” he said. “There was an increasing demand from many of our customers to have a facility that would allow for more cross-border solutions for their nearshoring needs. Laredo is one of the main gateways between the U.S. and Mexico and is the largest inland port of entry into the U.S. The proximity to the border is key to helping our customers save time and money. This facility allows us to deliver end-to-end solutions for our customers.

Venetis described the Laredo facility as a state-of-the-art tech-enabled warehousing and distribution service site, explaining that from yard management to warehouse management systems, everything integrates with RXO’s best-in-class technology, including the RXO Connect platform.

“The facility sits in a premium location, right on the border between the United States and Mexico,” he said. “The facility provides shippers with direct highway access to the World Trade Bridge, which reduces customers’ transit times and saves them money. The facility offers warehousing and customs brokerage services to help with timely crossings and is equipped with 43 dock doors, parking for 160 trailers and top-tier security features. Mirroring Mexico customs hours is a differentiator in the market for us. We have extended hours to ensure we are open to ship or receive freight during those U.S. and Mexico customs hours. Safety is also key at this facility. RXO is CTPAT certified, which helps our customers with faster and more secure trade lanes between Mexico and the U.S. It also reduces inspections and fees for RXO customers.”

When asked what this facility provides that was needed, or missing, for RXO, Venetis said that the Laredo facility offers an extended product offering for RXO’s customers, including cross-dock, warehousing, distribution, and customs brokerage services.

“Our investment in Laredo is strategic and increases our ability to handle the dramatic growth we have seen in cross-border volumes, as well as sustain even more growth in the future,” said Venetis.