CROSS-BORDER TRADE IN NORTH AMERICA
As manufacturers in Mexico convert their facilities for production, Sunset is able to offer its warehouses in Laredo for ef cient distribution, Minarro says. While it’s hard to say how potential tariffs and the current political climate may impact different companies, many of Sunset’s customers are focused on growth and expansion, whether by entering new markets or boosting capacity, he says. Sunset stands ready to help them achieve their goals. LEADING THE WAY Tri-National, Inc. (TNi), a premier USMCA transportation and logistics provider, offers door-to-door delivery services extending from Mexico to Detroit, Michigan, and into Ontario, Canada, says Colvin, director of business development and logistics. TNi also offers “milk-run capabilities” that cover about 400 miles of the border between Texas and Mexico. As a North American cross-border and nearshoring freight specialist, TNi offers an asset eet as well as industry expertise gained from more than 30 years in the business. TNi’s primary strength is seamless cross-border transportation via service points in Mexico, through the Texas border, and across the U.S. Southeast and Midwest. TNi’s customer service team can provide bilingual support. “We offer multiple Texas border crossing options, providing door-to-door service to and from Mexico without transloading,” Colvin says. This allows freight to remain on the same GPS- enabled trailer from origin to destination. Because TNi is EDI-capable, shippers know where their products are at all times. TNi’s large Mexican carrier base partnership also helps to support its operations. Cross-border shippers can turn to TNi for numerous services, including truckload shipping, warehousing, cross docking, transloading, transportation brokerage, and inventory management. TNi also provides short- and long-term storage solutions through its consolidation and warehousing facility in Laredo.
TNi, a leading North American cross-border freight specialist, oers door-to-door delivery services extending from Mexico to Detroit, Michigan, and into Ontario, Canada.
For import or export shipments, TNi has both the warehouse space and manpower needed for continuous cross dock and transload. Customers can access satellite tracking on all shipments. TNi’s Laredo operation offers close access to both the World Trade International Bridge and the Laredo- Colombia Solidarity International Bridge. Warehousing and consolidation options are available at Tri-National’s Pharr/McAllen facility. STREAMLINING OPERATIONS “We work with companies of all sizes, from small businesses with only a handful of shipments per year, up to large, Fortune 500 corporations that ship thousands of loads annually,” Colvin says. TNi is able to handle the varying range of volume, and has the assets, expertise, and business infrastructure to accommodate the ebb and ow of production and shipping cycles. Among the types of freight in which TNi specializes are transportation parts, electronics, retail, food and beverage, and various industrial components. TNi is currently streamlining the transportation lane used by a large, multi-national manufacturing company that is working to accommodate a customer’s short lead times and rapid uctuations in demand. “That translates to short lead times for us,” Colvin says.
Through meetings and continued open communication, Colvin and his team learned what the customer expected from TNi. This allowed TNi to work internally and propose a solution offering more consistent timing for pickups. Then, by leveraging its extensive network, TNi was able to identify the most effective ways to react to last-minute changes, while still ensuring on-time delivery for border clearance. These changes will enable the company to ship across the border and meet the time frames required by its customer, while also reducing costs and improving shipment visibility, Colvin says. To build on its current capabilities, TNi has been making signi cant investments in its infrastructure. In 2023, the company moved to a new and expanded corporate of ce. In 2024, it renovated its Texarkana area terminal. “We are now located on 8 acres and working from a 13,000-square-foot combined of ce/shop facility in Hooks, Texas,” Colvin says. The work isn’t done. By 2026, the current TNi terminal in San Antonio, Texas, will be replaced with a larger of ce and shop facility that spans 15,000 square feet, located on a 15-acre site. “Tri-National operates 24/7/365,” Colvin says. TNi also is expanding its staff to ensure services remain interruption-free, he adds. n
40 Inbound Logistics • April 2025
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