In a less-than-truckload (LTL) shipment, a few centimeters can make all the difference . If the declared dimensions of a pallet don’t match its actual dimensions, the warehouse space is calculated based on an incorrect figure, and the freight charge may fall short of the actual volume moved. Accurately measuring each shipment seems like a basic task, but doing it manually, repeatedly, and at a scale that is time-consuming, is a real challenge. This is the problem that Grupo Cardinales and FreightSnap are addressing with a partnership that has already begun installing equipment in Mexico and has its sights set on expanding throughout Latin America.
The partnership unites two paths that crossed nearly 12 years ago. Mike Eichenberg, CEO of FreightSnap , recalled in an interview with T21 that his company was then developing a mobile application to record cargo information. Héctor Mora, founder and CEO of Grupo Cardinales , examined it as a potential tool for his operations. That initial contact didn’t immediately lead to the current agreement, but it did establish a relationship that has survived changes in both companies.
Grupo Cardinales grew from Manzanillo, where Mora had previously led the Integral Port Administration (API). His initial focus was tracking cargo after it left the port. This tracking evolved into monitoring, emergency response, and other technological applications for transportation . Eventually, this pursuit led him back to FreightSnap, now with a different question: besides knowing the cargo’s location and protecting it in transit, what information is available about its size and weight before it’s shipped?
“We understand logistics because we come from port logistics,” Mora also stated in an interview. For Eichenberg, that experience was a factor in choosing Grupo Cardinales as a partner in Mexico. FreightSnap needed a company capable of installing its systems , supporting users, and integrating the information obtained with their existing processes. The prior relationship between the two executives facilitated the agreement, but its commercial purpose also responds to a specific need.
According to Eichenberg, multinational clients using FreightSnap equipment in the United States are looking to implement similar processes in their Mexican distribution centers . “These clients want to implement the same automation in their Mexican distribution centers that they use in the United States,” he noted. To serve them, the manufacturer required a local presence; Grupo Cardinales, in turn, found a technology that expanded its work beyond cargo tracking and security.
The starting point is the pallets. Automated equipment records their dimensions and generates images ( a process that takes two seconds instead of six minutes when done manually) that can be linked to the shipment’s identification. If connected to a scale, it also records the weight. The result is a certified record that can be sent to the client’s administrative system and consulted when preparing a shipment, calculating space usage, or when a discrepancy arises regarding the merchandise data.
Among other certifications, the FreightSnap FS 5000 model is NTEP (National Type Evaluation Program) certified by the National Conference on Weights and Measures (NCWM) . This certification verifies that the model has passed a technical evaluation and meets applicable U.S. requirements for measuring equipment used in commercial transactions. Therefore, its measurements can serve as documented support when determining the dimensions of a load.
Mora believes this information is especially valuable for warehouses and carriers that bill based on volume or weight. A measurement smaller than the actual volume can translate into unused but unbilled space; a documented measurement allows for discrepancies to be reviewed with the client. “In this case, FreightSnap offers the assurance that the size of a pallet is being billed correctly,” he stated.
Héctor Mora recalled that he was familiar with the case of a company in Laredo, Texas. In their industrial facility, they measure an average of 300 pallets per day, and have managed to increase their weekly revenue by $25,000 to $40,000, thanks to improvements in pallet measurements.
The potential benefit, however, doesn’t end with the invoice. Knowing the dimensions of the received cargo helps in planning vessel occupancy and preparing a transport unit. Photographs provide a visual record of the cargo as it passes through the measuring point . For this data to be useful, it must reach those who allocate space, document shipments, and manage operations. Therefore, Grupo Cardinales proposes integrating the equipment with each user’s platforms, in addition to handling installation and support.
FreightSnap also develops solutions for parcels, conveyor belt measurement, and mobile data capture. Eichenberg explained that palletized cargo remains one of the company’s main applications, while Mora identified logistics warehouses as the market that has generated the most interest in this initial Mexican phase. Both agree that adoption will depend on demonstrating how the technology works within a real-world operation.
The alliance’s first facilities have already been established in Ciudad Juárez, according to Mora. From there, the plan is to consolidate service in Mexico and then expand to other Latin American countries. Colombia is among the markets they are considering, although Mora clarified that they have not yet begun sales in that country.
Regional expansion will be gradual. Before entering new markets, the company will have to demonstrate in Mexican warehouses that measuring a pallet yields more than just a number : reliable data that is incorporated into daily operations, allows for disputes over invoices with supporting evidence, and helps determine how to utilize available space. This is the challenge that reunited Mora and Eichenberg, more than a decade after their initial collaboration.
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