The last mile represents the most complex and costly segment of the logistics chain. Delivering a package directly to the consumer involves facing challenges ranging from traffic congestion and insecurity to weather events and seasonal peaks in demand.

According to Jonathan Esses, CEO of Segmail , two factors currently stand out as the main obstacles for delivery operations in Mexico: infrastructure and security .

“There are many places that are very difficult to reach. During the rainy season, even if you know the delivery point, there are areas where it is simply impossible to access. And to that you have to add the insecurity that the country is experiencing,” he explained.

The sustained growth of e-commerce has increased the pressure on logistics networks. Events such as Hot Sale, El Buen Fin, retail promotional campaigns , and even massive events like the World Cup generate significant increases in delivery volumes.

However, responding to those spikes presents a significant operational challenge.

“It’s difficult to hire staff, increase capacity, and invest in infrastructure for two weeks of high demand. Then comes the question: what do you do with all that capacity when the peak ends?” he commented.

According to the executive, the key is to find a balance that allows the company to absorb temporary growth without compromising the profitability of the business.

Given this scenario, technology has become an indispensable ally for logistics operators.

Esses highlighted that data analysis tools, routing algorithms, and artificial intelligence (AI) allow for optimizing routes, anticipating demand behaviors, and improving resource utilization.

“Today, technology is key to normalizing peak demand, optimizing routes, and maximizing the number of packages delivered,” he stated.

In the case of Segmail, the company implemented eShip, a technological platform that connects online stores, marketplaces and carriers to facilitate the comprehensive management of operations.

Currently, the company operates various business units ranging from fulfillment services and national transportation to last-mile solutions.

The future: fewer home deliveries and more collection points

Looking ahead to the coming years, Esses considered that increasing urban complexity will force a transformation of traditional distribution models.

One of the alternatives with the greatest potential will be the strengthening of collection points, where consumers can pick up their orders at convenient times.

“You deliver hundreds of packages to one place and customers pick them up when it suits them. That reduces costs and simplifies operations,” he explained.

The expansion of branch networks and collection centers by courier and parcel companies responds precisely to this need to optimize the last mile .

As e-commerce continues to grow and cities become more complex, the logistics industry will have to rely more and more on technology, planning, and new operating models to maintain competitive service levels.

Comment and follow us on LinkedIn:  @Jennifer Galindo  /  @GrupoT21

El cargo Insecurity and infrastructure: challenges facing the last mile in Mexico apareció primero en T21.

SAN ANTONIO, TX – With the goal of offering more strategic and efficient solutions to its customers, Averitt increased its capacity at its distribution & fulfillment center in San Antonio, Texas , and from this key point it is less than three hours from the main borders with Mexico , and within a radius of less than 150 miles it serves various cities in the southeastern United States .

This Averitt center has 85,000 square feet (7,896 m2) and 80 loading docks for distribution and fulfillment activities , with the goal of reducing operating costs for its customers through better logistics models, based on the use of the service portfolio, which includes full truckload , less -than-truckload (LTL ), dedicated services, distribution and fulfillment, as well as integrated services.

During the opening ceremony of this operations center, Calvin Rackley, regional vice president of Operations, described the addition of 40 loading docks and 85,000 square feet as a development opportunity for South Texas. “It represents the opportunities you are taking advantage of, and there is much more to come with close logistics and the opportunities happening in Mexico. This represents innovation,” Rackley emphasized to his clients in attendance.

The executive asserted that there is no other LTL company in the region with its own warehouse capable of performing the tasks that customers need, and this is a result of the innovative vision of the founder: Gary Sasser, the company’s current CEO, a perspective that the company has maintained for 50 years .

With this new facility, Averitt’s customers in Mexico have the ability to carry out their distribution and fulfillment activities from San Antonio, reducing the saturation and complexity represented by the Laredo border .

Averitt has approximately 8,500 employees, including operators and associates , and its facilities total approximately four million square feet, with the capacity to serve the central and southeastern United States and its connection to the markets of Canada and Mexico.

As for the operations center in San Antonio, its location is strategic and close to Interstate 35, which connects Laredo with Michigan and Canada; Loop 410, which allows for travel around San Antonio; and Interstate 10, which connects all of South Texas. In addition, it is near the San Antonio Airport (SAT) and the Union Pacific (UP) and BNSF railroad yards.

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El cargo San Antonio, a strategic center for Averitt’s growth in the USMCA region apareció primero en T21.

In an increasingly competitive and demanding ecosystem, Mercado Libre has invested in technology and the strategic expansion of its infrastructure to maintain its promise of ever-faster deliveries. In 26 cities in Mexico, the company delivers packages the same day a user makes a purchase.

With its own air network, predictive artificial intelligence, and specialized distribution centers , the company declared itself ready to face Hot Sale 2025, which will take place from May 26 to June 3.

In an interview with T21, Omar Ramírez , Senior Director of Logistics at Mercado Libre México, detailed how the company has transformed its logistics network to meet growing demand and deliver products on the same day , a milestone that combines cutting-edge technology, specialized infrastructure, and a hybrid logistics ecosystem.

“The 37% year-over-year growth would not be possible without technology that allows us to be more efficient from the moment we collect the product from the producer, through the delivery of the product to our centers, until it reaches the buyer,” Ramírez said.

One of the key developments is the use of artificial intelligence in its Receiving Center , which predicts demand and strategically allocates inventory across the country’s 12 distribution centers.

“This system has continuous learning, the famous Machine Learning, but not only that, it also predicts which products are sold or will be in greatest demand in different cities across the country. In such a way that in this product reception center, this system, which helps with artificial intelligence and optimization components, tells you which city in which fulfillment center, for example in León, Guadalajara, Monterrey or the Valley of Mexico, which is where we also distribute nationally, where to house that stock, where to put a certain number of SKUs and their depth in items to be able to meet future demand,” he explained.

This approach has allowed Mercado Libre to scale operations without losingdelivery speed, optimizing its ground network and reducing costs.

In February, the company opened a new 100,000 m2 distribution center in the State of Mexico , specifically designed for large-sized products. The facility stands out for its vertical utilization and automation, key elements for improving productivity.

The strategy is complemented by its own airline network, which already operates up to six flights daily during peak seasons.

“We’ve not only changed the aircraft model, we’ve also expanded airport coverage. Today, we’re reaching many more areas the next day,” Ramírez noted.

On the other hand, the last mile is served through more than 3,300 parcel delivery agencies distributed across thousands of neighborhoods, in addition to a flexible model called Mercado Envíos Extra , which allows individuals or family businesses to make deliveries and operate routes.

Omar Ramírez also highlighted the use of electric vehicles as part of a regional sustainability strategy.

“We have nearly a thousand vehicles circulating in Mexico, as well as in other Latin American countries, and all of them are part of our commitment to responsible operations,” he said.

What’s missing to go further?

Ramírez admitted that, although same-day deliveries are already available in 26 cities, there are still areas where the infrastructure to achieve this is lacking.

“We’re ready: we have the storage capacity, the systems, the drivers, and the vehicles. What’s needed are the conditions to bring that speed to more regions,” he concluded.

With this in mind, and with an eye toward Hot Sale 2025, Omar Ramírez assures that Mercado Libre is prepared to face peak demand without sacrificing its promise of fast, reliable, and sustainable delivery.

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El cargo Mercado Libre accelerates its logistics network ahead of Hot Sale apareció primero en T21.