With just one year of operations in the country, Cainiao Mexico , the logistics subsidiary of the Chinese giant Alibaba , is making steady progress toward its goal of offering 48-hour deliveries in Mexico City and the surrounding area , and up to five days from China to anywhere in the country.
Its promise is to revolutionize Mexican logistics with cutting-edge technology, sustainable solutions, and global experience.
Jason He, CEO of Cainiao Mexico, explained that the company was founded in 2013 as a technology platform driven by Alibaba to digitize logistics infrastructure in China , where daily e-commerce volumes already exceeded 100 million packages .
Since then, the company has evolved in three stages: first as a technology developer, then as a global logistics operator, and now as a network spanning more than 200 countries and regions.
“In Mexico, we want to offer convenience and quality for all consumers. When I arrived five years ago, ordering something from China took more than two weeks. Today, thanks to our logistics solutions, products can arrive in five days,” He said.
Cainiao has brought with it a battery of technological innovations adapted to local conditions.
These include an Artificial Intelligence (AI) system for forecasting volumes and planning resources, as well as routing technology for delivery drivers to optimize their routes and deliver up to three times as many packages per day.
In areas like southern Mexico, where blockades or protests can occur, Cainiao uses cameras and real-time monitoring to activate contingency plans that prevent delays.
In terms of safety, if a truck is stopped off-route for more than 15 minutes, the system sends an alert to the control center.
In the last mile, the company has developed tools to accurately validate delivery.
“The system requires the delivery person to upload a photo of the package with the customer, including the legible label, the georeferenced location, and a person receiving it. This way, we avoid complaints and improve traceability,” He explained.
In addition, Cainiao has increased the accuracy of delivery addresses using machine learning .
“We started with 75% accuracy, and now we’re at 95%, even in areas with unclear addresses or no records on traditional maps,” He explained.
Local network and national expansion
Cainiao currently operates express deliveries in Mexico City and the State of Mexico, but plans to gradually expand nationwide.
The company already has an operations center that processes thousands of packages daily and has begun integrating automation technologies, such as the recently implemented automated sorting centers in Brazil.
“From pickup in China to delivery in Mexico, we control almost the entire logistics chain. Our biggest challenge remains customs clearance, but with technology, we can understand clearance patterns and plan better,” He added.
To expand its coverage and adapt to the Mexican environment, Cainiao collaborates with local logistics partners, especially in hard-to-reach areas or those with high crime rates.
The firm provides technology to small businesses to increase their efficiency and improve their competitiveness.
“It’s not just about copying what we did in China. We want to adapt our solutions to the Mexican context, respecting its culture and conditions. This is only our first year in Mexico, but we have a long-term vision,” the executive emphasized.
Since 2016, Cainiao has also invested in sustainable logistics solutions , such as reusing boxes, implementing eco-friendly packaging technologies, and using smart routing systems to reduce last-mile emissions.
In its sorting centers, it uses tools to reduce its carbon footprint from storage to transportation.
“We’ve been committed to green logistics from day one. We were one of the first logistics companies in China to invest in sustainability, and now we’re bringing it to Mexico,” He said.
Cainiao in the State of Mexico
The Chinese company opened the doors of its complex in the State of Mexico , a 20,000 square meter (m2) facility of which only 10,000 m2 is currently being used for the raffle of the packages.
According to Julio Jara , the company’s Director of Operations, the merchandise arrives through the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) customs office, which is where merchandise from China arrives.
Once they pass through the complex’s inbound area , workers take the packages to the sorting area, where they pass through two filters to classify the packages according to their final mile destination.
Once sorted, packages can arrive the same day in Mexico City, or within two days in any other city.
The half-mile shipments are delivered through various partners , and the assigned unit will depend on demand. Additionally, for longer distances, such as the Yucatán Peninsula, they are implementing air transport to ensure packages arrive on time.
Once in the destination city, a cross-dock strategy is implemented to assign the package to the last-mile carrier that will deliver it to the end consumer.
This is how Cainiao can connect China to Mexico in five days, thanks to its tracking and prediction systems implemented throughout the operation.
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