To address the growing demand for heavy-duty vehicles and to strengthen DAF’s presence in Mexico, PACCAR has begun importing these units via containerized cargo ships, which has changed the manufacturer’s import logistics.
Bertha García, leader of the Customs Area at PACCAR Mexico and customs agent for Kenworth Mexicana, explained in an interview with T21 that from the origin (Europe), the units are placed in a flat rack container that allows for the transportation of the units in a simple, agile, and safe manner.
“Once at the destination (port of Veracruz), we deconsolidate them; this has been a challenge because it is a completely new operation, but it is giving us advantages in the arrival times of the units because, unlike roll-on-roll-off ships that have sporadic departures, containerized cargo ships are arriving at least once a week,” García detailed.
Although the speed of unit arrivals is positive, on the other hand, it is also a challenge, as the manufacturer has fewer free days to remove the equipment from the port and avoid additional costs.
In this regard, the customs specialist detailed that they have suppliers who have facilitated the operation and have contributed to improving processes and streamlining costs day by day, with the aim of avoiding errors, reducing times, and ensuring that the units arrive in the best conditions.
“The more physical handling the unit undergoes, the higher the risk of suffering some type of damage. That is why our task is to improve the flow of documentation and work hand in hand with the transporters,” she confirmed.
Under Bertha García’s supervision, the customs operation of the new units is carried out, both for import and export, which are manufactured at the Mexicali plant and have North American and Latin American markets as their final destination.
“For units moving to the United States and Canada, my patent is used as a customs agent for Kenworth Mexicana, and in the case of exports to Latin America, these are carried out through Veracruz, Manzanillo, and Mazatlán. We also export units through Chiapas destined for Central America, mainly to Costa Rica,” García detailed.
In the case of imports and exports, the customs area under García’s supervision coordinates operations to ensure they reach their destination. For example, for the DAF units recently introduced to the Mexican market, they must ensure there are no delays due to any customs documentation.
Likewise, Bertha is in charge of international treaties regarding spare parts, raw materials, and units. “We verify that the materials comply with all provisions so that the units do not pay import duties in the destination country. We work to ensure that they are all at a zero rate, applying some benefit. Also, for raw materials, we verify that the certificates of origin are national or, in the case of importation, are originating to avoid paying taxes,” García explained.
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