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Courtesy Xochitl Mora,

First ever Central American Business Round Table Conference to help develop trade to Laredo

 The City of Laredo is on a mission to help boost its position as the nation’s number one inland port by welcoming members of the Central American business community to the Gateway City for an historic Central American Business Round Table Conference, so that they may discover the Port of Laredo’s efficiencies and lower costs of handling trade from around the globe.

Starting on Wednesday, February 24 and concluding on Friday, February 26, the City of Laredo, in partnership with Texas A&M International University, along with the Federation of Central American, Caribbean and Panamanian Chambers and Exporters Association, will host over 300 representatives from businesses, exporters, importers, and governments of 11 countries at the TAMIU Western Hemispheric Trade Center, presentations, panel discussions, exhibits and business-to-business meetings.

 “Laredo is the premier location for trade from throughout the Western Hemisphere to enter,” said City of Laredo Mayor Raul G. Salinas.  “Our expertise and position in the global trade industry will be highlighted throughout the conference, to help these businesses save time and money on shipping their products through Laredo, all while positively impacting Laredo’s trade industry,” he added.

 Attendees to the conference will have a busy schedule of events, with experts in various aspects of the trade industry giving presentations and panel discussions on the processes, protocols, opportunities and differences of trading through Laredo.  Topics covered throughout the three-day conference will address  the future expectations and changes to the trade industry, developing  infrastructure strategies for land, sea and air trade, or the logistics of commerce connection from one country to the next. 

 Organizers of the conference also worked to include high-level government officials from both sides of the border who are involved in the trade industry.  A panel presentation featuring representatives from U.S. Customs & Border Protection; U.S.D.A. and other federal agencies will be featured in one discussion.  Additionally, keynote luncheon speakers include Senator Yeidckol Polevensky Gurwitz, a senator from the Mexico City, Mexico and Governor of Michoacán, Mexico, Lic. Leonel Godoy Rangel.  The Mexican senator will discuss his country’s competiveness and how Mexico is changing and investing to maintain its status in the age of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), while Godoy will deliver the conference’s closing remarks.  

 Part of the conference activities will provide attendees with an opportunity to view the trade and commerce infrastructure of Port Laredo’s overland capabilities. Tours of the City of Laredo World Trade Bridge, Kansas City Southern Rail Bridge and the Union Pacific Railroad interchange yards will round out Day 1 of the conference activities.  Attendees will also get an opportunity to network with each other at the exhibit display booths; however, organizers have set-up private business-to-business meetings with exporters and companies on-site, to help expedite the trade connections. 

 While many major corporations will be present, such as Costco, HEB and Wal-Mart, who will be looking to expand their trade network, many local companies will also be attending the conference, who hope to offer new and exciting products to Laredoans.  Many of Laredo’s local freight forwarding and warehousing businesses plan to offer their expertise and services to these future Central American partners. 

 In early December, 2009, Mayor Salinas, City Manager Carlos Villarreal, Laredo International Airport Manager Jose L. Flores, TAMIU professor Herbert Molina and Timothy Franciscus-Timm of the Laredo Development Foundation, among others, went to Central America, pitching Laredo as an alternative route for exporting goods to the United States.  The mission of that trip was to invite the business and government leaders to Laredo to see the logistics of the city’s international trade hub capabilities.

 According to Villarreal, the exporters are looking for ways to cut costs and time from shipping goods from other busier U.S. ports of entry.  By offering the exporter the opportunity to ship through Laredo, the product arrives to destination points in the mid-west and western part of the country faster and cheaper.

 “We are not trying to take business from other ports,” said Villarreal.  “Our goal is to help these Central American exporters use smarter, faster, less expensive trade ports, by utilizing Laredo as part of their total distribution network.”

 Thanks to NAFTA, the Port of Laredo has increased exponentially in its role in the trade industry.  Laredo is the nation’s number one inland port, owning four international bridges, two specifically reserved for commercial vehicles.   Currently, approximately 13,000 trucks – about 40% of all U.S./Mexico trade – crosses through Laredo.    Additionally, Laredo is the sixth largest commercial/customs district in the United States, generating more than $173 billion in international trade annually.  As the eighth largest air cargo hub in the Americas, the Laredo International Airport has seen $150 million of infrastructure improvements in the past few years. Over 1,200 rail cars pass through Laredo per day, making Laredo the number one railroad interchange point on the U.S./Mexico border, as well.

 With the recent passage of the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), Laredo hopes to entice the Central American countries to trade through Laredo, as well.