Pilot Freight Services has expanded its El Paso (ELP), Texas station to 40,000 sq. ft. and has gained authorisation as a Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. As a designated FTZ, Pilot ELP will be able to offer U.S.-based companies the option to defer, reduce or even eliminate customs duties on its products admitted to the zone – aimed at clients in the automotive, healthcare, electronics and aerospace industries.
In order to meet client and regulatory demands, Pilot ELP has established new inventory and security systems to document and track products and materials held on site until ready to be shipped to Mexico. ELP gives its customers the ability to warehouse raw materials or products that originated from around the globe in a central location before being shipped to Mexico for manufacturing. The station’s close proximity to the Zaragoza Bridge allows for shorter transit times to the Mexican border.
Since the freight is considered an in-bond shipment, Pilot clients will experience the cost saving of having product in close proximity to its final manufacturing destination and will avoiding U.S. tariffs and duties. The local Pilot team prepares goods for export as-needed and ensures proper documentation to expedite border clearance.
“El Paso’s FTZ authorization not only gives Pilot a competitive edge in the marketplace, but more importantly, it allows us to give our customers an additional level of service to provide cost effective warehousing and transit options to support their supply chain,” explains John Hill, president and chief commercial officer.
Source: Pilot Freight Services
