In CTPAT’s 25 years , three generations of professionals linked to international trade and security have come together. In Mexico, each generation of professionals who complete their university studies and enter the workforce encounters a different environment than those who came before them. It’s not just a technological difference: the rules, the markets, the threats, the ways of doing business change, and with them, the paradigms we have considered correct for years.

If we go back two generations, approximately 42 years, we find that generation, we could call the “NAFTA Generation”, formed in Mexico’s transition to an open economy.

Between 1985 and 2005, Mexico transitioned from a protectionist model to one of gradual integration into the international economy . Accession to the GATT, the implementation of NAFTA, the 1994 financial crisis, the national security environment following the EZLN uprising, and, particularly, the events of September 11, 2001, all altered the landscape of international operations.

Trade liberalization increased the need for competitiveness, quality, and logistical efficiency, but it also made it clear that goods, means of transport, and companies could be used for illicit activities.

After 9/11, a new concern emerged: trade not only had to be facilitated, but it also had to be secure. CTPAT was established in 2001 , and a few years later, in 2005, the World Customs Organization adopted the SAFE Framework of Standards to secure and facilitate global trade. This marked the beginning of a new vision: security could no longer be considered solely the responsibility of authorities, but rather a shared responsibility between governments and businesses.

Thus emerged a second generation: the “Globalization and Security Generation .” Between 2005 and 2025, this generation experienced a much deeper transformation of supply chains. Globalization multiplied suppliers, routes, logistics operators, and levels of outsourcing, while threats evolved from traditional smuggling to phenomena such as drug trafficking, human trafficking, forced labor, terrorism, cargo theft, internal conspiracies, and, subsequently, cyberattacks on supply chains.

In Mexico, the period from 2006 to 2012 was also marked by the intensification of the security strategy against organized crime. Violence began to directly impact transportation, logistics, and business continuity. The global financial crisis of 2008–2009 highlighted the interdependence of economies; subsequently, the renegotiation of NAFTA and the entry into force of the USMCA forced a renewed review of supply chains. The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated that a global supply chain could be disrupted by a cause not necessarily related to crime. And then came nearshoring .

Mexico once again became a strategic player for North America, but now under a different condition: competitiveness no longer depended solely on cost and speed; it began to depend also on resilience, traceability, compliance, and security. During these same years, CTPAT evolved. What was originally perceived as a post-9/11 security initiative gradually became a much broader risk management system for supply chains, incorporating trading partners, transportation, seals, procedures, cybersecurity, personnel security, and awareness.

That’s why I believe the 25th anniversary of CTPAT shouldn’t be seen merely as a celebration of a US program. It’s also evidence of how security has been progressively incorporated into the very fabric of international trade.

And here a third generation emerges. Those who will begin entering the professional world around 2026 will, in my opinion, be the “CTPAT Generation .” This generation will no longer find two separate worlds—trade on one hand and security on the other. They will find a single ecosystem. The international trade we have known for decades is evolving into what I consider a more accurate concept: Trade & Cargo Security.

This isn’t just about changing a term. It’s about acknowledging a reality: security is now intrinsically linked to any logistics operation. Goods that cannot be reliably identified, tracked, protected, and delivered pose a risk to the entire supply chain, regardless of whether the customs process is correct.

The evolution of the WCO’s SAFE Framework itself confirms this trend. Its 2025 version incorporates, among other aspects, greater attention to cooperation between authorities, insider threats, codes of conduct, and the integrity of authorized economic operators. Security is no longer just a control point; it has become a cross-cutting element of the supply chain.

And where is this third generation headed? We cannot predict the future, but we can observe its signs. Current leading forecasting exercises point to a more geopolitically fragmented world, with greater competition for technologies, strategic resources, and supply chains. At the same time, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, automation, and technological risks are acquiring a significance that just a few years ago seemed reserved for science fiction. The World Economic Forum specifically identifies geoeconomic confrontation, cybersecurity, and the adverse impacts of artificial intelligence among the risks that will shape the next decade.

Therefore, the biggest paradigm shift will likely not be technological, but professional. The new generation will have to learn to simultaneously manage commerce, logistics, information, technology, security, and risk. They will have to understand that a supplier can be a risk, that a person can become an internal threat, that data can be as valuable as merchandise, and that a logistical disruption can quickly escalate into a national security issue.

After 25 years, CTPAT leaves us with a lesson worth acknowledging in Monterrey: supply chain security didn’t come after international trade; it came to be an integral part of it. The first generation opened borders, the second learned to globalize and protect them; the third will have to learn something different: making trade secure from its origin to its destination. That is, perhaps, the true meaning of the next 25 years of CTPAT. And that is the new paradigm of Trade & Cargo Security.

Connect and comment with  Victor via LinkedIn .

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El cargo Three generations facing the new paradigm: Trade & Cargo Security apareció primero en T21.

More volume. Stagnant margin.

Review your financial statements for this year. Then read the industry news.

They don’t add up. That contradiction is the starting point of everything.

Cross-border freight rates between Mexico and the United States have risen between 8 and 15% since February , with the epicenter in Laredo. Uber Freight reported up to 10 loads waiting for each available truck. The industry itself projects increases of 25 to 35% for the full year .

And the corridor is at its peak: $872.8 billion in bilateral trade in 2025, a historic record ; in April alone, road transport crossed $64.2 billion, 23.4% more than a year earlier .

On the other side of the income statement, the pincer movement, documented by the same sector.

Diesel went from 22.50 to almost 29-30 pesos per liter, until the federal government intervened with a cap of 28 ; today it takes more than 40% of a transport company’s income .

Insurance premiums rose 34% this year, after an 18% increase last year : the cause is road safety concerns, not inflation. And the industry standard is that for every peso diesel price increases, freight rates rise by 4% , while customers reject the rate hike “because it’s temporary.”

You get paid more per trip. You earn the same or less.

And the outcome already has a number: half of Mexican trucking will close 2026 without profits , and some are already operating at a loss.

The easy answer is that 2026 is a bad year. The cycle corrects itself; we just have to hang in there. However, this logic has two flaws:

1. The profit margin that returns with the cycle will be reaped by those who are still operating by then. And continuing to operate is precisely what half the sector may not be able to do.
2. Insurance premiums didn’t rise 34% because of oil prices. They rose because of highway robberies . That cost won’t decrease when diesel prices fall.

If holding on isn’t enough, the question changes: where did the margin go?

The usefulness doesn’t disappear. It moves.

Clayton Christensen formulated it as a law: profit is concentrated in the link of the chain where performance still falls short for the customer, where the problem remains unresolved. When that link matures and anyone can solve it just as well, it becomes a commodity , and the price is set by the competition. The margin migrates to the next link where the customer still can’t get what they need.

It happened to IBM. When any manufacturer could assemble an equally good computer, the profit shifted to the chip and the operating system, where performance still fell short. Intel and Microsoft stopped at the limitations. IBM stuck to what they had already solved.

Now apply it to cross-border transport in Mexico.

Moving cargo is already solved. Thirty years of free trade perfected it: any of 20 carriers can transport it from origin to destination equally well, and that’s why the rate is decided by auction. It’s the commodity link .

What the customer still can’t get is something else : that the cargo arrives without theft, without delays at the border, and with proof of each delivery. They can’t buy that even if they want to pay for it. That’s the constraint, and that’s where the profit margin lies.

And the raw material to address the constraint is already generated by your operations on every trip. It’s called operational evidence . What follows is a roadmap for how to leverage it.

The map of opportunities

The Logistics Pulse 2026 mentions that nearshoring can bring an additional $35 to $50 billion in the next decade, concentrated in four sectors.

Automotive: those who prove origin stop competing on price

In the review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) , Washington proposed raising the regional content requirement from 75 to 82 percent . This may not pass. No matter, the agreement entered a cycle of annual reviews that could extend until 2036 , and each review is a source audit.

You already generate the evidence: Bill of Lading, GPS, proof of delivery. Today it’s scattered; compiled in a file for each trip, it’s the evidence your client will have to present.

The decision: sell the service as a product and get CTPAT/OEA certified ( 70% fewer inspections ). You withdraw from the bidding process when renewing with you costs the client less than auditing another provider.

Electronics: Guaranteed time is the broker’s highest-paying service.

Mexico accounts for 85% of Latin America’s high-tech exports (Pulsómetro 2026). A one-hour delay at the border halts operations at a plant in Texas, and the fast lane has already quantified the impact: FAST carriers save an average of 27 minutes per crossing ; at 20 crossings per week, that’s nine hours of delay avoided. “We arrive on time” without evidence isn’t a promise: it’s an opinion.

The decision: guaranteed cross-border windows, sealed arrival time, and our own price. Same truck. Different product. Different price.

Medical devices: custody is the entry ticket, and few sell it.

The FDA, the US health regulator, and Cofepris, its Mexican equivalent, require that each batch travels with documented custody and the manufacturer is obligated to audit whoever moves it .

The decision: a custody file per batch and per trip, with good distribution practices. The reward is a lock : you become part of your client’s regulatory file, and changing it means reopening an audit.

Processed foods: every undefended deduction is a free margin

The buyer validates each delivery using systems (16.9% of retailers adopt AI), while the transport company documents it manually (6.2%). Discrepancies regarding missing items, appointments, and condition are resolved in favor of the party with the record.

The decision: a conciliation file per delivery, as a service, with its own price. Documenting at the buyer’s level doesn’t win disputes. It eliminates them.

The method and the table

I know what you’re thinking: “I need a system.”

Stop. If the file is scattered across emails, GPS devices, and Excel spreadsheets, a new system will only exacerbate the chaos. Elon Musk’s rule for broken processes applies in full: first question and eliminate, then simplify and accelerate, and automation comes last, because automating the chaos only scales it . The logistical version: a single file per trip, delivered in hours, with its own price tag. Because the guarantee that travels free within the fare is valued at zero by the customer.

Even with that resolved, there’s still something money can’t buy: peers. Sharing builds trust, trust builds business, and the cluster advances faster than any single company: that’s how the aerospace industry in Querétaro took off. That’s why the ConaLog Logistics Dialogues exist —the forum where corridor operators share what works, including names, numbers, and methods.

Volume no longer pays. Certainty of the journey does.

The corridor split into two markets. In the first, kilometers are sold : the price is decided by auction, and the lowest bidder always wins. There, the record fare of 2026 will be remembered as the highest that no one ever captured. In the second, certainty is sold : documentation, guarantees, and a set price. That’s where the new cargo lands.

And there’s a clock ticking. Capacity has stopped being renewed; sales of heavy vehicles fell 35.7% in January , on a fleet with an average age of 19 years . When capacity dwindles, those who remain set the price. Those who also sell certainty come to that table with an extra advantage.

Same trucks. Same border. The difference is who prepared before the cargo arrived, which pays differently.

Connect and comment with  Gibrán via LinkedIn .

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El cargo Never before has so much money crossed the border. Never before has so little been earned moving it. apareció primero en T21.

When we think of beer, we usually think of its ingredients, its flavor, or the tradition behind it. We rarely think of data analytics, automation, or predictive systems. However, today, beer manufacturing is one of the industries where technological innovation is advancing most rapidly, and where every improvement has a direct impact on quality, sustainability, and the consumer experience.

Innovation in beer no longer happens solely in the product itself; it happens, above all, in the way it’s produced. Each bottle of beer contains much more than a recipe: it embodies science, industrial precision, and a constant evolution of manufacturing that has made this industry a global benchmark for innovation. Today, beer represents one of the most sophisticated production processes in the beverage sector, where tradition and technology coexist to meet the demands of increasingly discerning consumers.

Beer manufacturing is part of a deeply integrated value chain that begins in the fields with barley and culminates in high-speed packaging lines. In Mexico, this agro-industrial integration is key: the industry is built on solid agricultural production standards and highly controlled industrial processes that guarantee consistency on a large scale. This level of integration allows each batch to maintain excellent quality, even when millions of hectoliters are produced annually.

The scale is significant. Between 2018 and 2024, beer production in Mexico grew at an average annual rate of 2.5%, reaching 140.9 million hectoliters in 2024 and positioning it among the world’s leading producers. Today, one out of every five beers exported globally is produced in Mexico . This volume demands advanced manufacturing systems where automation, real-time monitoring, and data analytics are essential to ensure efficiency, reliability, and quality at every stage of the process.

For those of us who lead operations, the challenge is no longer just about producing more. The real challenge is producing better: with greater precision, using fewer resources, reducing environmental impact, and maintaining the highest quality standards in every bottle that reaches the consumer.

One of the key differentiators of modern brewing is its ability to evolve without losing its essence . Although the basic process—milling, brewing, fermentation, and maturation—has remained the same for centuries, the way each of these stages is managed has changed radically thanks to digitalization.

Today, the most advanced breweries incorporate smart sensors, automated systems, and artificial intelligence to reduce variations, optimize resources, increase operational efficiency, and ensure quality. Innovation no longer depends solely on large investments in infrastructure; it also lies in the ability to make better decisions based on data.

Sustainability has become a central pillar of beer manufacturing. Today, the most advanced operations integrate solutions that aim to optimize resource use and reduce their environmental impact. This is reflected in more efficient processes , the use of cleaner energy, and responsible water management. More than just a trend, these actions are part of a new way of understanding manufacturing: one where operational efficiency and sustainability go hand in hand.

At the same time, manufacturing innovation is geared towards decarbonizing the entire value chain , from the origin of the ingredients to the point of consumption. This approach drives improvements at every stage: agriculture, production, logistics, and refrigeration, with the goal of moving towards increasingly efficient and sustainable operations. Thus, efficiency is no longer concentrated solely in the factory but extends throughout the entire product journey.

Finally, the brewing industry stands out for its ability to balance scale and precision. Unlike other industries, here every process variable, such as temperature, time, pressure, etc., directly impacts the final product. Therefore, innovation doesn’t just mean increasing production capacity; it means ensuring that every beer maintains the same quality, consistency, and experience that millions of consumers worldwide expect.

Beer is, in essence, a story of continuous industrial evolution . Behind every product lies a combination of technical expertise, investment in technology, and a commitment to excellence. And it is precisely in manufacturing where this transformation becomes tangible: in every controlled process, every resource saved, and every innovation that redefines what is possible.

*Felipe Ibarra currently serves as VP of Manufacturing at HEINEKEN Mexico .

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El cargo Behind every beer: the innovation that is transforming the future of brewing apareció primero en T21.

For years, exporting was presented as a kind of business graduation.

First, a company had to establish itself in the local market. Then, it had to find a distributor, open an office, hire specialists, understand regulations, finance inventory, and negotiate with banks, customs brokers, and logistics operators. Only then could a company say it had “gone global.”

It was expensive. It was slow. It was epic. Not anymore.

T21  recently reported  that over 3,000 Mexican companies sell internationally through Amazon’s international sales program, and that this group grew by 12% over the past year. The same article raises an important point:  e-commerce is lowering the barriers for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to access international markets , especially the United States.

The door opened. That’s great news. But opening the door doesn’t mean knowing how to operate on the other side.

Today, a company can launch a product in another country, run campaigns, reach international consumers, and leverage a platform that handles much of the warehousing, distribution, and customer service. Things that once required years, capital, and relationships can now begin with an account, a catalog, and a few decisions.

Access has become more democratic. Execution, not so much:  selling abroad is increasingly easier. Fulfilling obligations abroad remains difficult .

The product must arrive on time, with the correct labeling, the correct documentation, the correct inventory, and a price that still makes sense after adding shipping, storage, returns, taxes, commissions, and errors.

And there’s something else: the customer isn’t buying an export. They’re buying a promise . They don’t care if the product crossed a border, went through customs, or traveled thousands of kilometers. What matters to them is that it’s available, that it arrives when promised, and that a return doesn’t turn into a reverse logistics nightmare.

The epic nature of exporting has disappeared for the consumer, and that completely changes the standard. For a long time, exporting meant placing goods in another market. Today, it means sustaining an experience in another market.

They are different things.

An international sale can happen in seconds. An international operation is built over months and proven every day.

That’s where logistics comes in  , not as a post-sales function, but as part of the product itself . Speed ​​matters. Availability matters. Traceability matters. But something less obvious matters too: the ability to repeat the process.

One successful shipment can be a matter of luck. One hundred successful shipments start to resemble a business.

E-commerce has reduced the cost of testing a market, and that’s huge. A small or medium-sized business no longer needs to risk its entire company to find out if there is demand in the United States, Canada, Europe, or Japan.

You can start smaller, learn faster, and correct course sooner. But that ease can also create a dangerous illusion:  confusing international presence with export capacity .

Having active listings in another country doesn’t mean you have an international strategy. Selling a few units doesn’t mean you’ve solved your supply problem. Growing demand doesn’t mean you’re ready to scale operations.

And then the problems begin: stockouts, late deliveries, disappearing margins, costly returns, incomplete paperwork, suppliers falling short, and teams still managing expansion with spreadsheets and WhatsApp messages.

Opportunity grows faster than structure.

A platform can provide reach, warehousing, payments, and last-mile delivery. What it can’t provide indefinitely is margin control, inventory discipline, or the ability to learn from mistakes. That remains within the company.

The challenge, therefore, is no longer to convince more Mexican companies that they can export. Many already understand that.

The challenge is that they don’t discover too late that  internationalization isn’t simply about selling the same thing a little further away . Each market adds its own conditions, expectations, and frictions. The rules change. Times change. The consumer changes. Inventory logic changes. Even the way a mistake is amplified changes.

In the local market, a bad delivery might cost you a sale. In another country, it could cost you your entire profit margin.

Technology is doing a lot to reduce that complexity. Platforms, automation, and artificial intelligence make it possible to anticipate demand, optimize inventories, detect documentation errors, translate catalogs, adjust prices, and coordinate operations that just a few years ago required entire teams.

But there is an important difference between making something easier and making it easy.

Technology reduces friction, but it doesn’t eliminate the physical realities of commerce. Products still take up space, cross borders, incur taxes, require documentation, arrive late, get damaged, are returned, and occasionally, someone makes a mistake.  Digitizing the experience doesn’t digitize the merchandise .

Perhaps that’s the most interesting change. For decades, exporting was difficult because accessing other markets was difficult. Today, access is becoming a commodity . What’s scarce is something else: the ability to operate well, consistently, profitably, and repeatedly.

This changes even the way we think about internationalization. The first sale is no longer the major milestone. It could happen tomorrow, almost by accident. The real milestone is reaching the thousandth sale without each new order adding proportionally more people, emails, errors, and exceptions.

That’s where a company that simply sells abroad differs from a truly international company.

Exporting is no longer a feat reserved for large, sophisticated companies or those with years of preparation. More and more businesses are able to test, learn, and grow beyond their borders much sooner.

But democratizing access also raises the standard.

Because when anyone can sell abroad, the advantage is no longer in getting there. It’s in being able to stay.

I invite you to read my previous column:  Resilience is no longer enough .

*Gabriel Gurovich is Chief Evangelist Officer of  KLog.co  and a speaker on technology, innovation and the future of
organizations .

Connect and comment with  Gabriel via LinkedIn .

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El cargo Exporting is no longer epic apareció primero en T21.

The conversation about electromobility in Mexico is no longer solely about innovation and sustainability. Today, for the transportation industry, the real discussion is much more uncomfortable and strategic: how viable is it to electrify an operation without compromising productivity, profitability, and logistical continuity? Because while public discourse tends to focus on the electric future of transportation , operational reality still demands a practical approach.

Fleet electrification is indeed progressing, but at very different speeds depending on the type of operation, the available infrastructure, and the financial capacity of companies. In Mexico, technological enthusiasm still coexists with significant structural limitations: high investment costs, insufficient charging infrastructure, and logistics operations that simply cannot be halted.

And that is perhaps the most important point, one that is rarely stated clearly: in transportation, time is profitability . A vehicle stopped, even if only to recharge, is an asset that ceases to produce.

Therefore, at least in the short term, electromobility seems to find its most natural foothold in the last mile ; there, conditions are favorable with predominantly urban routes, shorter distances, and operations that allow vehicles to return to the distribution center to recharge outside of operating hours. A vehicle with a range of around 300 kilometers can be perfectly functional for operations that cover between 100 and 150 kilometers daily.

This also explains why adoption is concentrated mainly in cities like Mexico City, State of Mexico, Nuevo León and Jalisco, regions where urban density favors shorter journeys and where the charging infrastructure is beginning to develop more rapidly, unlike in less dense cities, where journeys are longer and more dispersed, the equation changes radically.

However, it would be a mistake to interpret this situation as a definitive halt. Rather, we are witnessing a transitional phase where the private sector is playing a decisive role in accelerating the ecosystem; we see how companies in the food, beverage, and courier industries have already begun building their own cargo hubs , driving infrastructure that the public sector has not yet been able to develop at the necessary speed.

And there is an important message for the industry: electrification will not advance solely through technological will, but through a collaborative strategy where government, private initiative and technology providers will have to coordinate to strengthen the infrastructure in key logistics nodes , guarantee energy stability and create viable operating conditions for fleets.

In parallel, telemetry is becoming a critical part of this transition; managing an electric fleet involves not only monitoring routes, but also understanding battery behavior in real time, optimizing charging cycles, identifying premature degradation, and efficiently coordinating the rotation of units and chargers. Here, energy management becomes as important as logistics management.

This is where one of the most interesting aspects of this new stage lies: electromobility no longer depends solely on the vehicle, but on the operational intelligence surrounding it. The energy transition in transportation will not happen suddenly or uniformly , and perhaps that is the most common mistake when talking about electromobility: thinking of it as an immediate replacement, when in reality it will be a gradual coexistence of different technologies and different operating models.

Check out Eduardo’s previous column:  The human factor in the age of telemetry .

*Eduardo Allegre is the general manager of  Métrica Móvil .

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El cargo Electromobility in Mexico: the operational reality behind the electric future apareció primero en T21.

Attracting and retaining operators in the freight transport industry is a strategic challenge that must be addressed from a holistic perspective. Organizational culture functions like the company’s DNA, directly influencing results, growth, and organizational stability . Therefore, the daily practice of its values ​​must be a conscious and ongoing exercise, initially carried out periodically and systematically until it becomes a habit and integrated into the organization’s daily operations.

Every organization has a culture that originates from its founders, but it isn’t always given the importance it deserves. Consequently, it becomes distorted when its interpretation and correct practice are left to the discretion of leaders, losing strength when it is precisely the fundamental source of organizational energy. This is only true if the correct interpretation is maintained and disseminated primarily through the behavior of its leaders, until it becomes the good operating habits of organizational behavior. From an axiological perspective, a virtue is a good operating habit, and a vice is a bad operating habit. What kind of habits are you promoting in your organization?

How organizational DNA is formed

Culture is built upon beliefs, values, attitudes, behaviors, and habits. This diagram explains how individual behaviors transform into collective practices that define an organization’s identity.

Beliefs → Values ​​→ Attitudes → Behaviors → Habits

Beliefs are assumptions formed from the experiences we have in community and always from the statements that a leadership figure repeatedly mentions and instills in the rest of the organization the ideas about those experiences, that is, the beliefs and their favorable or unfavorable effects when they are not respected.

This is when beliefs become values, which are the virtues or positive qualities that guide people in distinguishing right from wrong, and predispose behavior toward correct action (a good operating habit). We can call this predisposition an attitude.

Attitude precedes behavior, so it is important and key to be aware of this process because they are the basis of organizational behavior. That is, to the extent that we focus our efforts and programs on establishing what the belief system behind organizational success is, we will be able to achieve a standardization of behaviors in all members of the organization.

As the above is repeated, encouraged and rewarded, its practice will become a habit (a virtue and not a vice) and when this happens, its daily exercise is done unconsciously and permanently, and it is at this moment that it becomes integrated into the culture.

Therefore, the organization must be aware of what it is promoting through its daily behavior, not just what it says on its promotional posters. This is where the phrase “the noise of your actions prevents me from hearing what you say” comes into play .

If a company aims to be people-oriented, management should focus first on analyzing organizational behavior and then on the numerical analysis of results, since these results largely reflect its cultural system.

Organizational integration

In the transport industry there are two worlds: the one experienced by the operators and the one experienced by the administration , and integrating them requires a 360-degree vision that aligns emotions, results, strategies and working conditions.

First, we must understand the lives of our employees as individuals, whether they are young people, parents, or family members, with aspirations for self-improvement in every sense, and join them in their daily efforts to achieve their personal goals and aspirations. Few leaders understand that work is the means for personal fulfillment and must be valued and respected.

To dignify means to emotionally connect with everything people seek beyond the economic, everything that gives profound meaning to their lives. Otherwise, life becomes a boring and overwhelming routine that quickly drains their energy and empties their sense of purpose.

On the other hand, in the world that administration lives in, there are also people who live different stages and have different needs in life, and with whom the first step is to dignify their work, in order to connect with each of the team members and from this point develop a productive and lasting relationship.

Leadership and alignment

Leaders must prioritize talent management and alignment of wills through a communication process that allows all members of the organization to work towards common goals.

When we connect with each employee’s personal aspirations and goals, it becomes easier to find points of convergence with organizational goals, facilitating their achievement. Organizational goals are only achieved when they translate into benefits that allow each employee to reach their personal goals.

In this sense, leadership with a humanistic approach plays a fundamental role by prioritizing the well-being of its employees , creating an environment where they feel valued within an atmosphere conducive to their personal and family growth.

Factors of permanence

An employee’s retention within an organization depends on much deeper human factors than simple monthly financial compensation. The greatest weight of retention factors lies in more intangible, but highly important human-social factors, such as self-motivation, self-esteem, recognition, and working conditions, which together we can call Emotional Salary .

A positive environment that prioritizes Emotional Salary strengthens employee commitment and gives them a solid vision of their future where their family’s assets are secure.

Paradigm shift

In our industry, it is necessary to take a fundamental step that would take transportation in Mexico to the next level, and this is a change of paradigms that have discredited the profession of Freight Transport Operator for decades.

Some of these paradigms include thinking that the operator is a driver, a trucker, or a lorry driver, with many bad practices and negative attitudes, who must be kept at a distance and treated roughly, because that is how they respond to the demands of their work to barely reach the minimum productivity standards, and we have repeated it so many times that we no longer need to say it, just by believing that this is the way, the attitude is generated and with it a behavior that reinforces their place in the organization day after day.

The pressure to “meet the numbers” can lead to disregarding the dignity of the people behind every position in the organization and every truck driver.

This is a decision for each transport business owner; it’s not easy, but you have to take the first step. If you want to grow your business through increased sales volume, this can only be achieved with better service and a strong focus on productivity. But above all, you must treat all your employees like customers—there’s no difference. Treat your employees the way you treat your best customers.

Training and future

There is certainly a real condition that will worsen if no action is taken in time, and that is the growing disinterest in being a Professional Freight Transport Operator, but there is the option of training operators and changing the focus in their organizational environments.

Out there is a large population of Mexican men and women with great potential for world-class talent, as has been demonstrated in all the industries in which Mexican entrepreneurs have invested and excelled internationally, and transportation does not have to be the exception, but we must inspire and train them, starting by dignifying the profession under a humanistic leadership that considers within its management all the human, technical and administrative aspects that are required under a comprehensive approach.

The solution to the challenge of attracting and retaining staff, especially professional operators, is cultural and strategic, and requires leadership with a humanistic approach and a long-term vision that gives each employee certainty in their future and wealth creation.

Our youth need opportunities, and the transportation industry can provide them; they just need training . Human beings learn to love things when they understand them, and when they understand them, they master them with expertise, and when they reach this level, it becomes a vocation.

*Sergio Hernández is the Human Capital Director of Trayecto , a company that is part of Drive Is Great , the ecosystem that gives visibility to best practices in operator management .

Connect and comment with Sergio Hernández on LinkedIn .

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El cargo Attracting and retaining freight transport operators apareció primero en T21.

Imagine the impact of 5.5 million fans arriving in Mexico in the second quarter of 2026, not only to cheer on their national soccer team, but also to unleash a wave of consumption, investment, and business opportunities. The FIFA World Cup, co-hosted with the United States and Canada, could generate up to $3.5 billion in economic activity nationwide , according to estimates from both the organizers and the Mexican Ministry of Tourism .

In Mexico City, Monterrey, and Guadalajara, key venues for this sporting event, a significant boost to commerce, tourism, and services is expected. Beyond the packed stadiums, restaurants, and Fan Fests, and the excitement in the streets, offices, and homes of fans, the real game will be played in businesses, retail chains, and online marketplaces , because this event will not only be a sporting spectacle but also a strategic platform for economic growth.

Those who stand to gain the most are Mexican entrepreneurs and micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) capable of transforming football fever into sustainable sales. From food, beverages, and clothing to souvenirs, logistics, and e-commerce, demand will grow like never before.

However, to compete on a global playing field, a good product is not enough. Order, efficiency, and responsiveness are essential. This is where crucial tools like GS1’s international standards GTIN, GLN, and EPC come in , fundamental for strengthening and streamlining modern supply chains.

Translated into business terms: these identifiers allow the excitement of the initial whistle to be transformed into a hat-trick of efficiency, traceability and access to formal markets, especially in retail , e-commerce , exports and logistics .

To understand its strategic value, the GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) is a GS1 barcode that uniquely identifies each product or service, including different presentations of the same item (unit, box, or pallet) on the shelf or at the point of sale. The GLN (Global Location Number) , on the other hand , is used to identify companies, warehouses, stores, and even internal areas within an organization, specifying who participates in and where each operation takes place.

Equally important is the EPC (Electronic Product Code) , a digital identifier linked to smart tags that allows for the automatic capture of information using RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology. Its main advantage is enabling real-time tracking and traceability of products and shipments throughout the entire value chain. Together, these standards reduce errors, accelerate deliveries, and improve operational control.

A market that will move billions of products

Mexico will host 13 of the 104 matches, which translates to weeks of intense consumer spending. The National Chamber of Commerce of Mexico City (Canaco) anticipates a 50% increase in food and beverage sales, as well as 35% in merchandising and 40% in hospitality .

For a Mexican SME in the snack, sportswear, or promotional products sector, this can mean contracts with distributors, retail chains, or digital platforms for amounts ranging from 500 million to 1 billion pesos, which would normally take years to achieve. The challenge is that seven out of ten of these companies lose between 10% and 15% of their annual sales due to logistical errors , disorganized inventory, or a lack of visibility; in other words, they have talent and a desire to succeed, but they operate without a strategy.

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This is where GS1 standards are a game-changer, reducing errors by 92% and enabling real-time tracking of 10,000 units. Goodbye to excess inventory, hello to just-in-time deliveries for Fan Fests!

In this regard, e -commerce will be the main stage . Platforms like Mercado Libre and Amazon Mexico anticipate a 60% increase in traffic. With a GS1 barcode, products from local entrepreneurs and SMEs will be able to stand out in marketplaces and digital catalogs, seamlessly complying with NOM-051 regarding the labeling of commercial and health information.

For example, an energy drink bottling company in Monterrey integrated these codes and saw its online sales grow by 45% , expanding to other regions of the United States through logistics processes that occur from when a customer makes a purchase until they receive their order ( fulfillment ).

Certified businesses report 30% greater visibility and a 25% increase in revenue—like a scoreboard going from 0-0 to 3-0 in stoppage time. This translates to more visibility, increased consumer trust, and higher conversion rates.

Exports will also play a key role. The nearshoring phenomenon , strengthened by the USMCA, finds in the World Cup an extraordinary opportunity for Mexican companies to take their products beyond our borders.

Countless visitors from around the world will be seeking out all kinds of local brands to take a piece of Mexico back to their countries. In this scenario, digital customs and traceability technologies can significantly accelerate logistics processes, reducing clearance times from seven to two days.

Let’s consider a textile company in Puebla that exports t-shirts to Texas during Mexican National Team matches, taking advantage of its commercial and geographic proximity to the United States. Cases like this reflect a growing trend. Companies that incorporate GS1 standards will be better positioned to integrate into international chains, handle larger orders, and respond quickly to more demanding markets. In other words, they will go from selling locally to competing in the big leagues, exporting 40% more than their competitors.

Logistics completes the counterattack . With 16 stadiums and fan buses everywhere, the demand for transportation and pop-up shops will skyrocket. Electronic messaging, EDI (Electronic Data Interchange), will reduce costs between 18% and 22%, scaling from 100 to 5,000 orders per day with precision. Thus, companies that adopt it will capture 15% more market share in the tournament’s supply chains, equivalent to an additional 200 million pesos.

In our organization, we maintain a permanent support effort for SMEs, micro-businesses and entrepreneurs in the country, bringing them tools such as the traditional barcode and the innovative 2D code that allow them to professionalize their products, strengthen their operations and facilitate their integration into commercial chains.

Today more than ever, on the road to the World Cup , these capabilities will be key for them to compete on equal terms, grow sustainably and access new opportunities in national and global retail .

*Juan Carlos Molina is currently the general director of GS1 Mexico .

Comment and connect with Juan Carlos through LinkedIn .

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El cargo Retail is also played on the field apareció primero en T21.

The Laredo, Texas , City Council approved on June 15, 2026, by a vote of seven to two, a phased increase in toll rates for the international bridges, effective from January 2027 to January 2029, with an automatic annual adjustment beginning in 2030. The decision was made against the recommendation of the Laredo Port of Entry Advisory Committee and generated public rejection from at least three representative organizations in the sector: the Nuevo Laredo Freight Carriers Association (ATC) , the Laredo Motor Carriers Association (LMCA) , and the Association of Logistics & Forwarding Agents (ALFA), which represents freight forwarders and logistics companies.

The controversial decision by the Laredo City Council was voted against by Mayor Victor Treviño and Councilwoman Alyssa Cigarroa but approved by the majority, who based their vote on Ordinance 2026-O-114. The city government argues that inflation, labor costs, maintenance, technology, insurance, public safety, debt service, and infrastructure have increased substantially since the last rate update (2017) for commercial and pedestrian tolls (2013) for non-commercial vehicles . Therefore, they proposed a phased increase plan as a responsible alternative to a single, much larger adjustment.

It should be noted that the main users of the Laredo international commercial bridges ( World Trade Bridge in Laredo and Solidarity in Colombia) have publicly rejected this increase.

ATC, LMCA, and ALFA all rejected the toll increase, though each from a different perspective: ATC focused its objection on the City Council’s disregard for the recommendation of its own Port of Entry Advisory Committee, which voted 12 to 1 against the increase, and on the inappropriate timing given the uncertainty surrounding the review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA); ALFA was more emphatic regarding leadership, noting that the decision sends the wrong signal to those who generate employment and investment and that efficiency alternatives should have been explored before passing the cost on to the user; and LMCA, with the most conciliatory tone of the three, did not oppose the need for infrastructure funds but rather the process followed , highlighting that the city collected approximately $88 million in tolls in 2025, of which, by a 1998 resolution, roughly half is transferred to the general municipal fund instead of being prioritized for the operation and expansion of the bridges themselves. They agree that the decision was made without exhausting alternatives and without listening to the sector that best knows the daily operation of what is recognized as the most dynamic land crossing for goods in America, which concentrates about 42% of the trade between Mexico and the United States and with a daily crossing, just through the World Trade Bridge, of between 16 and 18 thousand tractor trucks.

Use of the increased resources

However, it is important to note that while the ordinance states that the first priority of the bridge system’s revenue is operation, maintenance, rehabilitation, technological modernization, public safety, debt service, reserves, and infrastructure preservation, the same text recognizes that the bridge system must continue to generate revenue for municipal purposes “authorized in accordance with city policy,” meaning that the historical transfer to the general fund is neither modified nor limited.

Not everything is gray.

Something to highlight in the ordinance presented to the City Council is that the municipal government of Laredo is obligated to present an Annual Performance Report detailing income, expenses, debt, reserves, crossings, among others.

But perhaps the most important commitment assumed by the government and the City Council is the clause on extraordinary economic conditions, which indicates that the City Council can postpone, suspend, or modify future adjustments in the face of federal tariffs, changes to the USMCA, changes in the operation of CBP or Mexican customs, recession, pandemics, or supply chain disruptions.

They also proposed the mandatory review of the tariff study every five years at most and the authorization of commercial traffic management programs through incentives for peak/off-peak hours, volume, seasonal or promotional prices.

What’s coming

Although the increase might be considered marginal, it does reduce the competitiveness of the International Bridges and could make other crossings attractive for goods that do not depend on this route.

While customs agents or logistics operators will not pay this toll directly, they will be pressured with tariff adjustments by the trucking industry.

The aforementioned clause for an automatic 4% increase starting in 2030 fails to consider future scenarios of uncertainty, such as those experienced this year under the Trump administration. Trade dynamics cannot be dictated by decree. If, by then, the USMCA faces adverse renegotiation or new tariffs, this automatic increase could strike the sector at its most vulnerable moment.

What we will see in the coming days or months is increased pressure from the foreign trade sector to truly be taken into account in such crucial decisions that directly impact its competitiveness. But above all, we will see increased pressure to create a more cohesive bloc that promotes a more efficient revenue-sharing formula for bridges, one that is exclusively earmarked for the costs of infrastructure, technology, operation, and administration of international bridges, and not for municipal operating expenses.

*Eleazar Ixba is a marketing and institutional communication consultant with more than 25 years of experience in transportation and logistics, with a focus on cross-border issues.

Connect with Eleazar on LinkedIn.

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El cargo New increase in tolls for international bridges in Laredo apareció primero en T21.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicked off on June 11, with Mexico as one of the three host countries. The world’s biggest sporting event comes just as our supply chain faces its most demanding test in years: the renegotiation of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) . 

Behind every match lies a massive logistical operation across the three host cities in our country, driven by the peak demand, concentrated consumption, and population movement that each game represents. The stadiums and various fan festivals , as well as a large number of restaurants, bars, and hotels, will require constant, simultaneous, and error-free supplies, which, multiplied by the number of events, will have a considerable cumulative effect. 

Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey announced their mobility plans, which include multiple road closures with exclusive corridors, security perimeters, and last-mile zones designed to prioritize mass transportation for soccer fans. This will force dozens of producers and distributors in Mexico to reconfigure their usual routes , adding extra pressure to businesses for several weeks. 

The problem is that the infrastructure was already at its limit.

The World Cup arrives when our supply chain was already operating under maximum pressure . That same infrastructure must now simultaneously absorb the highest export volume in its history (we remained the top U.S. trading partner, with international manufacturing sales at record levels) and the pressure of an event that will bring more than five million international visitors. 

In addition to increased urban mobility, the surge in consumption, distribution, and transportation of goods during the World Cup will likely raise the risks of theft and losses for retailers , carriers, and supply chains. Furthermore, highway congestion, downtime, and unsafe stops could become critical issues just as Mexico seeks to solidify its position as a regional logistics hub.

An additional challenge that few companies are considering 

Exporting companies operating in the three markets must navigate three different customs regulatory systems (CBP in the United States, CBSA in Canada and ANAM in Mexico) with their own documentary requirements, tariff classifications and clearance times. 

This means that a misclassification, an incomplete invoice, or an inconsistency in documentation can not only cause delays but also halt a shipment at the worst possible time. Therefore, companies with real-time visibility of their supply chain, planned alternative routes, and suppliers available to respond to peak demand will have an advantage that extends far beyond the World Cup. Because the ability to operate under extraordinary pressure is precisely what the USMCA will demand of Mexican supply chains going forward. 

Undoubtedly, these next couple of months will be a real demonstration of how prepared companies in Mexico and their supply chains are to manage modern complexity.

On the field and in the supply chain, the difference is made by whoever arrives best prepared . 

We invite you to read Paulina’s latest contribution:  Mexico produces for North America; it needs to move at the pace it demands .

*Paulina Aguilar is currently co-founder and CRO of  Mundi .

Comment and follow  Paulina on LinkedIn .

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El cargo The supply chain also plays a role in the World Cup apareció primero en T21.

They no longer want to be treated as operational filler or as bargaining chips in labor negotiations. The staff are tired of propping up stagnant structures, of masking inefficiencies with job security. And I understand them.

I’ve spent years working in the supply chain , where every minute counts, every decision has consequences, and every mistake has ripple effects. I learned that time isn’t managed, it’s designed. It’s not about having more hours, but about knowing what to do with them. And now, with the proposal to reduce the workweek to 40 hours, that truth has become urgent.

Faced with imminent change, we must first understand that Mexico is one of the countries with the longest working hours per year, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) . More than 2,100 hours per person. But it is also one of the least productive . This isn’t a contradiction if we think about it carefully; it’s a sign. Something isn’t working, and it won’t be fixed with more time, but with a better strategy.

Reducing working hours isn’t just a legal adjustment. Now it needs to be approached as a profound reconfiguration. In logistics, when cargo space is reduced, merchandise isn’t eliminated: packaging is optimized, routes are redesigned, and essential items are prioritized . With this same process, it’s even better if we focus on time. Fewer hours don’t mean fewer results; they mean smarter decisions.

I know this presents a challenge for many companies: costs, reorganization, fear of losing competitiveness and profitability. However, from another perspective, it’s an opportunity to review what truly generates value. Are we measuring productivity or simply presence? Are we rewarding impact or burnout?

A Stanford study made it clear: after 50 hours a week, productivity plummets . And after 55, it simply collapses. I’ve seen it in teams that burn out without making progress, in processes that are pointlessly repeated, in metrics that celebrate effort but ignore results.

Efficiency isn’t measured by the clock. It’s about intention. For this particular sector, every minute counts; however, not all minutes are created equal. A key point is knowing which minutes multiply value and which ones simply consume energy.

Reducing the workday won’t be profitable if we continue to measure productivity by time spent at work. It’s time to redesign the logistics of time management. To stop thinking of hours as blocks to be filled, and start seeing them as units to be invested. Because in this new economy, every hour must be an investment, not an expense.

Yes, the hours are on a diet; but the important thing is to take them to the gym, replace fat with muscle, modify their “nutrition,” and increase their energy. To achieve this, we can’t just work the same way and think everything will be different. We have to execute differently : eliminate repetitive activities, train our teams, and invest in tools that make our employees more efficient and less worn out. It’s not about changing a machine; it’s about keeping it well-oiled.

The authorities will likely drive this transformation, but the real question is: what are you doing to make every hour count?

I invite you to read my previous column: When the chain stopped being a line .

*David Lati is currently Chief Revenue Officer at  LDM .

Comment and follow David through  his LinkedIn account .

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El cargo Time is on a diet; let’s take it to the gym apareció primero en T21.