Foreign Trade Zone Delivers Competitive Edge and Added Value for Pilot Customers

Pilot El Paso is now operating as a Foreign Trade Zone, a factor that will appeal to many Pilot clients in the automotive, healthcare, electronics and aerospace industries. An FTZ is an area authorized by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection that allows U.S.-based companies to defer, reduce or even eliminate customs duties on its products admitted to the zone. “We envision customers that import raw materials from the Far East and Europe to their manufacturing plants in Mexico, will use the station’s FTZ capabilities to hold product here until they are ready to send it south,” says Hector Martinez, Pilot El Paso’s in-house customs broker. “That way they have their inventory nearby as opposed to overseas, and thus avoid paying U.S. duties.” When ready, the ELP team will prepare the goods for export and the team will assist with the necessary document preparation.

Last summer, ELP doubled its warehouse space to 40,000 square feet in preparation for the FTZ activation. In order to do so, the facility has established a new inventory and security system. “Since the merchandise is considered an in-bond shipment and not technically entered into the U.S., there are several special accommodations we’ve established at the station in order to meet FTZ requirements,” says Hector. “This value-added service will also allow Pilot to remain competitive as there are a dozen or more FTZs in the city currently.” In addition, the station is situated close to the Zaragoza Bridge, which allows for shorter transit times to the Mexican border, a factor that is appealing to many customers.

Pilot's Double-Digit E-commerce Growth Fueled by Strong Commitment to Sector

Today, Pilot Freight Services is a featured exhibitor at the fifth annual Home Delivery World Show in Atlanta, GA, an event that draws attendees and exhibitors to discuss the latest delivery operations challenges and trends, specifically in home delivery. For the first quarter, Pilot has reported growth in the e-commerce sector of nearly 21 percent and significant growth across all service areas. As more countries embrace online ordering and home delivery of heavy weight products, Pilot has developed expedited shipping solutions for its e-commerce business, both locally and internationally, with faster delivery times and more transparency through the shipping process. Read more about it here. 

Buffalo Remembers Opening of Pilot Field as Baseball Season Starts

Thirty years ago, Buffalo's downtown ballpark opened as Pilot Field and remained the stadium's name during its iconic opening years. Many Pilot employees sat along the first baseline on that opening day, including Charlene Matie, district manager, who now runs Pilot's Buffalo station. "I have many customers tell me that they will always think of and refer to that field as Pilot Field," she says. "It was really something special to be there at the beginning and witness a part of the city's history." This week marks the opening of the baseball season in Buffalo, so take a minute to enjoy a little bit of nostalgia for the sport that America loves!

http://buffalonews.com/2018/04/12/sean-kirst-buffalos-pilot-field-an-urban-ballpark-vision-that-swept-nation/

Introducing Pilot Milwaukee’s New Global Home Base

The Pilot Milwaukee team is enjoying its 49,000-square-foot facility and the significant process improvements the new building brings. The warehouse includes nine dock-high doors—one for drive-in—and parking for 25 trailers. A digital security system provides coverage inside and outside, and the building infrastructure employs state-of-the-art, energy-efficient technology. “The growth of several Fortune 500 accounts, as well as imports and exports, dictated the need to expand,” says Jim Best, franchise owner. “Our home delivery business also continues to grow, which requires additional warehouse space.” In the near future, the facility will be bonded so that the station can hold imports on its docks, a value-added service for Pilot customers. "Our expansion came at the right time, as the Wisconsin economy continues to grow and demand is increasing for expedited domestic and international services," says Jim.

Pilot GDL Marks Two Years of Growth in Mexico

Pilot GDL’s new warehouse spans 10,000 square feet and 

has 1,100 pallet positions. The station's value-added services 

include picking, packing, quality inspections, light 

assembly and cross-dock for local and domestic distributions.

Pilot Guadalajara is celebrating two years of operating in Mexico by unveiling its new, full-service warehouse. Part of the facility is used by GDL’s first success story: a leading international automotive supplier that uses Pilot as a national spare parts hub. For this client, GDL provides a complete supply chain solution that includes both accurate inventory and visibility to it. “Since our station began handling this business, we have been able to reduce our client’s inventory for low and non-rotation product by about 30 percent,” says Humberto Bastida, district manager. GDL can also handle inbound container business into Western Mexico, support intra-Mexico deliveries and provide factory support for U.S. companies operating in Mexico. Contact Humberto via humbertobastida@pilotdelivers.com to find out how you can benefit from Pilot’s expertise and services in, out and around Mexico.