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Cars waiting for customs clearance at the U.S. – Mexico border.

RED LIGHT, GREEN LIGHT Lynden masters the game in Mexico

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he child’s game Red Light, Green Light

Mexico – warehousing and distribution, transpor-

tion system used by Mexican customs.

is an extremely important and delicate part of our

isn’t a game in Mexico; it’s the inspec-

Customs clearance can either go smoothly (green light) or result in an inspection, fines, delays and possible confiscation of goods (red light). Finding a freight forwarder and logistics partner that knows

how to play the game well is essential for customers importing and exporting goods to Mexico.

With so much at risk, many companies trust

Lynden International to ‘green light’ their shipments and keep them moving whether they

arrive by rail, air, truck or sea. On average, one of

document auditing to give customers a competitive edge. “We have shipping documents sent to

us before the freight arrives at the airport, dock or border so we can make sure everything is in

order. This allows us to clear up any discrepan-

cies ahead of time to prevent delays and fines at point of entry. This is a specialized service not all forwarders provide.”

Trucks entering the U.S. from Mexico may be

lined up at the border for hours waiting to clear

“Customs inspectors check to make sure your

ceiving a red light, indicating a required inspection

Mexican customs officers.

uct, whether T-shirts or lawnmowers, corresponds

exactly to what has been declared,” explains Luis Varela, Lynden’s Regional Vice President of Latin

America and the Caribbean. “Quantities, descrip-

customs. The wait is even longer for drivers reof goods. In some cases, the driver is forced to park the truck and come back the next day. When

one of Lynden’s customers encountered this roadblock, the team went to work on the problem.

“We created customized routing options for

tions, marks and origins must match on the pedi-

this particular customer,” says Lynden’s Mexico

crepancies may result in a hefty fine – sometimes

pending on security requirements, congestion

mento (customs entry). Missing tags or other dis-

Summer 2014 Vol. 22, Issue 1

service offering,” Varela says. Lynden provides

out every 10 imported shipments is inspected by

declaration is precise and that every physical prod-

The resource magazine for cargo professionals

tation management, retail delivery, but brokerage

as high as 200 percent of the valued goods.”

Despite its close proximity to the U.S., doing

business in Mexico can be confusing and the complexities of crossing the U.S.-Mexico border continue to challenge shippers. “We do it all in

Operations Manager Francisco Rosales. “Deat the border and the customers’ time and transit needs, we can move shipments Less-than-

Truckload (LTL) or via dedicated routing. Creative

thinking and proactive coordination with customs Continued on page 3

www.laf.lynden.com

Executive Perspective

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s part of our ongoing commitment to

make Lynden the highest standard of

service, we combined Lynden Inter-

time, IT system glitches and other areas that may warrant a closer look.

Creating lasting change goes beyond set-

national’s business performance and domestic

ting goals and identifying priorities. Organiza-

allows us to better focus on core activities to drive

of people, processes and procedures. It must be

operations departments this spring. The change

long-term growth, but more important, reflects our efforts to create a more flexible, responsive organization.

These strategic changes mark a significant

shift in our operating model. We are always looking for ways to work smarter and more efficiently

while improving the service we provide to our customers. Changes in a company’s operations can

tional change must include a close examination

carefully planned and executed with the buy-in

of management and employees. Restructuring is often prompted by lagging sales or a change in

executive management. In our case, the changes were spurred by a desire to improve efficiencies

and customer service as part of a larger corporate goal and focus.

Our recent changes are

quickly and dramatically impact performance, cus-

already making the operational

Although operational improvements can re-

when we are all in concert, so to

tomer service and, of course, the bottom line.

duce costs and improve processes, it takes vision

and hard work to identify the necessary changes,

implement them and make them stick. An opera-

side of our business ‘sing.’ And

speak, we can offer the sweetest song possible to our customers.

tional audit is a good starting point. It will help re-

Randy Jackson

veal obstacles to success, such as down time, lost

Vice President

GIVING VOICE TO THE CUSTOMER their perspective.”

Over the past year, the marketing team talked

to 400 customers through Plus One calls, sur-

veyed another 300 online and invited 53  others to participate in panels in Seattle, Tacoma, Portland, Anchorage, Honolulu and Maui. “The results

Customers rank Lynden services at a panel in Hawaii.

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were enlightening and are helping us to expand, wenty years ago, Lynden introduced the

Plus One Program. It was designed as a

way to check in with top customers to

gauge their satisfaction with Lynden’s service.

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This program is still in place and was strengthened in 2011 with the addition of the Customer

Experience (CX) Initiative. “The CX Initiative was

created to improve upon the exceptional experi-

customers,” Rosenzweig says. “We asked them to comment and share experiences about billing,

freight tracking, equipment, rate quotes and relationships they have with our sales team and others throughout the Lynden companies.” Customer panels are planned for Houston, Southeast Alaska and Los Angeles this year.

One new tool developed as a result of cus-

ence Lynden customers already receive,” ex-

tomer feedback is a mobile app for Android, Win-

Rosenzweig. “Our goal is to meet with customers

to track shipments, request quotes and provides

plains Vice President of Marketing & Media David and start the conversation about how to improve

upon the things that are working well and to make

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improve and develop new service solutions for our

sure we  understand transportation needs from

dows and Apple smart phones. It allows customers a streamlined view of the claims process with a

simple way to contact Lynden. The app should be introduced later this year.

Continued from page 1

In the 10 years since the North American Free

and the shipper gets the freight cleared and to the

Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was enacted, Mexico

For almost 20 years, customers doing busi-

the U.S. and the second largest export market for

destination on time.”

ness in Mexico have turned to Lynden’s creative,

bi-lingual team to get their shipments in and out of Mexico. The services Lynden offers in Mexico are as varied as the clients it serves.

For customers importing or exporting high-

value products, Lynden’s Security Manager Sergio Barbosa designs transportation plans to en-

has become the third largest trading partner of

U.S. products and services. Automotive, electronics and aerospace manufacturing is already transitioning from Asia to Mexico. Currently, Mexico is

the No. 1 auto manufacturer in the world. Mexican

factories, or maquillas, are set up for product assembly and export to the U.S. and other countries.

The oil and gas industry is set for explosive

sure safe delivery via ground, sea or air. Lynden

growth as well. For the first time in 76 years, pri-

Memphis, TN to Mexico City for America’s second

fields as part of the sweeping energy changes

moves DVDs and video games via truck from largest media and entertainment company. Each

truck is followed by a security escort service from the border to the warehouse. Barbosa’s routes are known for minimum risk and maximum safety, and he monitors the route via GPS from the Lynden

office in Mexico City. “Even the gas stations and

rest stops are predetermined along the route,” Varela explains. “Not many companies have this security expertise in-house. Barbosa is a Certified

Protection Officer (CPO) and considered a loss

prevention guru in the industry. We are proud to offer this additional and very important service to our customers.”

vate companies are allowed to tap Mexico’s oil

introduced by Mexican President Enrique Pena

Nieto. State-owned PEMEX no longer has a monopoly. Twelve years ago, Lynden moved equipment and materials to Ciudad Del Carmen for engineering and construction firm KBR’s work on

the PEMEX oil fields. Today, Lynden continues to support the oil and gas industry with air, ground

and sea transportation from its Houston Service

Center to Cuidad Del Carmen for customers like

Zadok Technologies and OSM Maritime Group, as well as providing other transportation and logistics services.

“We take care of the international and domes-

Lynden also provides transportation from Los

tic shipping to, from and within Mexico so custom-

wear company, using the same special security

portunities now available,” Varela says. “We know

Angeles to Mexico City for a major U.S. sportsmeasures to protect the product from pick-up to

final delivery. Imported freight from Asia and Honduras gets the same escort service as it is moved to company facilities throughout Mexico.

“For almost 20 years, customers doing business in Mexico have turned to Lynden’s team…”

ers can take advantage of the many business opthe local culture and customs and our long-term

relationships create a worry-free experience. As we say in Mexico, choosing Lynden is  un buen negocio!”

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www.laf.lynden.com

ADISA BRENNAN

A Century of Experience

ports and became expert at handling cross-border freight. Michael Robles’ grandfather, Jesus

Robles, became involved with the company in the 1920s when the Mexican President began issuing brokerage licenses.

“We are proud to hold one of the first licenses

ever issued in Mexico,” Robles says. In the 1960s,

Michael’s father, Jose headed the company and,

today, Michael runs the firm, which includes an office in the Mexico City International Airport with an

operations office inside the Mexican customs office for expedited service. Other locations include the Port of Veracruz, Nuevo Laredo, Manzanillo, the Port of Lazaro Cardenas and Laredo, Texas.

Adisa Brennan offers same-day customs

clearance and after-hours clearance at airports and operates under three Mexican brokerage licenses.

“We have such a good track record that less

than 2 percent of the shipments we handle are

checked by customs,” Robles says. “The advantages we offer are unsurpassed by any other broker, such as dedicated racks for customer freight Adisa Brennan’s original office in Laredo, TX.

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he dream of every retailer is to go from

production to point of sale as quickly as

That special new service Robles is so excited

about is taking shape in Shanghai. “Companies

been doing this spring. Days before sitting down

inspection of goods before and after the prod-

to a phone interview from Mexico City where his

company is headquartered, he spent two weeks

in China finalizing a new service to make customs clearance quicker and easier for Adisa Brennan

manufacturing goods must submit to a shipment

ucts arrive in Mexico,” he explains. “It can be a

lengthy process and potentially very costly for the customer.”

Adisa Brennan’s new service starts the pro-

and Lynden International customers.

cess early – at the factory in Asia. “Customers

changer for customers and Robles is eager to

control check prior to shipment anyway,” Robles

It is a value-added service that will be a game-

share details. “We have basically added a customs clearance service to the quality control inspections

we do for customers with factories in China shipping products to Mexico,” he explains. “This pre-

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diate inspection.”

possible. Streamlining the process is just

what Adisa Brennan President Michael Robles has

emptive, preclearance service can save customers

money, time, headaches… it is the only way to go.” In the 100 years that Adisa Brennan has been

operating, it is these cutting edge ideas and ser-

have to perform a shipment inspection and quality explains. “We are adding on a Mexican customs

compliance inspection at point of origin so we ensure goods comply with Mexican customs regulations before being loaded onto the ship or plane

bound for Mexico. This avoids the routine inspection we would normally handle inside the customs facilities prior to clearance.” 

Robles predicts that the simplicity and speed

vice offerings that have kept the company at the

of the pre-inspection process will revolution-

was founded by Hal Brennan in Laredo, Texas,

Mexico. “Every day that freight sits at the port

top among customs brokers. Brennan & Company

in 1913 as a freight forwarder. Over the years it

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inside the customs warehouse allowing for imme-

opened offices in Mexico’s main customs entry

ize how newly manufactured goods come into

waiting to be cleared is money and time lost for our customers,” he explains. “This new service

“We consider ourselves an extension of the customer…”

Employees check shipments at Adisa Brennan’s Mexico City Airport facility.

completely bypasses all that. The merchandise

as a 10 percent discrepancy of counted freight can

declared exactly matches the documentation

broker has a lot of responsibility and risk and we

has been open-counted, inspected and what is filed. We also check that all product labeling requirements are met.” Once the product inspection process is finished the goods are loaded into a container for shipping into Mexico. Upon arrival at a Mexican port, the container seal is checked for compliance and the container is loaded directly

onto a truck, train or airplane for delivery to the

land a broker in jail for moving contraband. “The are taking on even more with this new service

of pre-clearing freight at origin,” Robles says. “Everyone we work with is a professional and can

be trusted to handle customer freight both in packaging and in customs clearance. We take away the worry for the customers.”

Adisa Brennan’s customer service even goes

retail location. At this point, only one other broker

as far as allowing customers to use the company’s

Pre-clearing at the factory or consolidation

Mexican market. “We offer a commercial license

is attempting this in Mexico.

center may be expanded from China to other locations such as India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. “The scope of service is customs-based, but we can also perform Quality Control services such as

monitoring production before customers send the

final check to a factory or check on a potential site to make sure it is reputable, well-established and

meets a customer’s standards. We can also go

own business license to try out their products in the so they can sell their products and services seasonally or to see if Mexico is a good fit. If it doesn’t

work out, no money is lost,” Robles explains. It can

take three months to register a business, so this

perk is especially useful for temporary imports,

to move machinery into Mexico for projects or repairs, or for special events or trade shows.

“When we were looking for a customs partner

further and monitor production, check serial num-

in Mexico, we were attracted to Brennan’s similari-

Part of the customs service Adisa Brennan

company with a history of integrity and customer

bers, or perform other services.”

provides is furnishing a complete report to the importer including photos of serial numbers, labels

– even the packing box itself – and full documentation of the product being loaded into the contain-

ties to Lynden. It’s a well-established, family owned service,” says Luis Varela, Lynden International’s

Regional Vice President of Latin America and the Caribbean.

As Michael Robles explains, “We consider

er and then loaded onto the ship or aircraft. The

ourselves an extension of the customer and that

This level of detail is necessary to comply

It comes as no surprise that, when surveyed, 94

detailed report is often 25 pages long.

with Mexican customs, a system that can be so

problematic, some call it the “Black Hole.” As little

Michael Robles

carries over into everything we do in our company.” percent of Adisa Brennan customers report a high level of satisfaction with the company.

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www.laf.lynden.com

“Lateral thinking generates more possibilities than sequential.”

BRAIN STORM draining experience. The result is

often they’re so close to the roots, they can’t see the tree,” Hall says.

Hall helps people see the

tree through a sort of creativity

boot camp at his Eureka! Mansion located outside of Cincinnati.

There he hosts executives from top companies including Nike,

Compaq, Coors and Walt Disney, who spend up to $120,000

to spend a weekend thinking

big. When guests arrive, they’re

I

greeted by the sound of blaring t was the late 1870s and Harley Proctor was

self is on the scene, perhaps barefoot and firing a

floating soap, but Proctor couldn’t think of a

of exercises designed to help them have a break-

stuck. His company had invented a white,

name good enough for this new product. He consulted Roget’s Thesaurus. No luck. He pored over

lists of soaps manufactured in foreign markets but still nothing came to him. Then one Sunday sitting

the idea for Lipton’s flavored iced teas was first thought up.

What Hall has found is that brainstorming is

“All their garments smell of myrrh and aloes,

ple, say you want to go on a vacation but don’t

thee glad.”

Proctor had his name: Ivory. One would ex-

pect inspiration to strike in a house of worship, though not quite in that manner.

The story of Ivory soap illustrates how when a

single, unexpected element is introduced into the

thinking process, suddenly everything clicks. Creativity Consultant Doug Hall calls this the “Eureka Stimulus Response.”

“When familiar people try to solve familiar

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through. It was from one of these weekends that

in church, Proctor listened as the minister read

out of the ivory palaces whereby they have made

introduced to help stimulate thinking. For examknow where. The normal brainstorming approach

would be to sit around a table with family or friends

to talk about the different places where you could

travel. Hall’s approach would be to bring in maps, globes, brochures and other items. These get the

mind thinking in what Hall terms, a “lateral” rather than “sequential” way. Lateral thinking generates

more possibilities than sequential, which is basically moving from idea number one to idea number two, and so on.

In the world of creativity, diversity is a huge

problems they tend to develop familiar solutions,”

benefit. When you have a dilemma, enlist the help

Often this happens during brainstorming, that

bring in anything that can spark a thought because

he says in his book, Jump Start Your Brain.

freewheeling activity where people bounce ideas off one another. But just as often, these exercises can lead nowhere.

“Typically, these sessions revolve around a

of people who think differently than you do. And when external stimuli enter your senses, they set off a chain reaction so that one thought provokes new thoughts.

In today’s economy where intellectual capi-

dozen or so humans seated around a table in a

tal has become the currency of choice, feeding

and otherwise siphon ideas from their heads. It’s a

dreams.

locked room, each of them trying to squeeze, suck,

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Nerf gun as he leads the groups through a series

easier and more effective when external stimuli is

the verse:

Nancy Michaels, of Impression Impact, works with companies that want to reach the small business community and with small business owners who want to sell more products and services.  Copyright© 2005, Nancy Michaels. All rights reserved. For information, contact Frog Pond at 800.704.FROG(3764) or email Susiefrogpond.com; http://www.frogpond.com

banjos and a carnival. Hall him-

your creative mind is the surest way to fuel your

Moves, upgrades and expansion of facilities

engineering industry and, this year, the gather-

the impetus behind a relocation of Lynden Inter-

gan Parmer, District Manager; Paulette Shatara,

facility, at Sabana Garden Industrial Park in Caro-

Gas; Eugene Ortiz, Account Executive; and

ing set an attendance record of 3,000 partici-

Meeting and anticipating customer needs was

pants. Pictured from left (below, right) are Me-

national’s Puerto Rico Service Center. The new

Business Development Director-Global Oil &

lina, is almost three miles closer to the airport with

Candis Klesel, Account Executive.

weather. It includes options for more warehouse

Keeping it cool in Ontario

is open outside of regular business hours to meet

maceuticals is a specialty at Lynden Internation-

a covered loading platform to protect cargo from space on either side to accommodate growth and any after-hours shipping or forwarding requests.

Inside Information

News briefs from around the Lynden International system

Packaging and shipping cold chain phar-

al Logistics Co. (LILCO) in Vaughan, Ontario.

LILCO is working with Ashfield

Healthcare, a provider of spe-

cialized medical products, to deliver packages directly to doctor’s offices. The sensitive cargo requires

complex

packaging

configurations to ensure safe delivery. LILCO’s Ki Boreland is pictured (bottom right photo) with a

shipment rolling off the line for dePuerto Rico Service Center

Lynden’s Nashville team also moved into a

new office and warehouse facility this spring. “We now have 6,600 square feet of dock space with

three dock doors and 1,500 square feet of office

space,” explains District Manager Todd Browner. In Dallas, Lynden International combined offices with Lynden Transport to allow the two companies

to more efficiently meet customers’ transportation, forwarding and logistics needs.

Renovations at Lynden’s Chicago Service

Center were completed this winter. According to

Charlie McCarthy, Northeast Regional Manager,

the Chicago Certified Cargo Screening Facility (CCSF) footprint was expanded by 30 percent and

livery. The LILCO team also built

and commissioned a high-security drug vault for customer Hospira. The temperature-controlled

device was designed to store and monitor a

pain control drug new to the Canadian market. It maintains the product at a steady 5 degrees Celsius and features security motion sensors and

temperature sensors. It also helps Hospira pass

inspection by the Canadian Office of Controlled Substances.

The Inside Scoop What customers are saying about Lynden International

now includes six dock doors. “The newly renovated space will provide for operations flexibility and

growth as Lynden continues to expand its presence in Midwest markets,” he says.

Lynden supports subsea industry in Texas

Lynden International’s Houston team joined

more than 200 exhibitors at the Subsea Tieback

Forum this spring in San Antonio, TX. The event is held each year for businesses in the subsea

“You get our product there on time. That helps us be successful.” Phillip Honora Shipping and Receiving Coordinator NDT Global Houston, TX

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PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

Worldwide Headquarters P.O. Box 84167

SEATTLE, WA Permit No. 6781

Seattle, WA 98124 USA RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Lynden in the Spotlight

TOP PERFORMERS RECOGNIZED AT SYSTEM MEETING on profitability, total international gross profit and

operations conformance. The Nashville and Anchorage Service Centers were each recognized

for Operational Excellence, and the Lynden international Logistics Co. (LILCO) Operational Excellence Award was presented to Calgary.

A new award for Customer Experience Excel-

lence went to Lynden Canada Co. in Toronto and

the Seattle Service Center. Lynden also recognizes its ‘Top Gun’ Service Centers for outstanding sales performance. This year’s Top Guns included

Website: www.laf.lynden.com

Telephone (206) 777-5300. Email: [email protected]

Lynden International, P.O. Box 84167, Seattle, WA 98124.

Correspondence should be directed to WINGS Editor,

All rights reserved. Produced by Tami Beaumont Consulting.

WINGS is published biannually by Lynden International.

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Lynden International Manager Sulaisa Rejo of Miami with the Hall of Fame Award (left) and District Operations Manager Kirk Schweikart with the Seattle Service Center’s Stanley Cup Award.

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hoenix was the location of our annual

System Meeting this spring, and some

say it was one of our best ever. We use

the meeting each year not only to recognize our top performing individuals and Service Centers but

to focus on achieving our objectives and goals for

the coming year,” says Lynden International President Dave Richardson.

For 2013, the Stanley Cup for most valuable

Service Center went to Seattle for the highest revenue growth, customer satisfaction and system operations requirements for 2013. Houston was named the top international Service Center based

Seattle, Houston, Phoenix, Chicago and Lynden Canada Co. in Toronto.

Seattle District Manager Sheri Coluccio took

home the Rainmaker Award for a manager or owner that meets growth goals, was profitable and delights customers. Sulaisa Rejo, International

Manager in Miami, was awarded the Hall of Fame

Award for a manager providing long-term success within Lynden or the industry. She started her career as an export clerk when there were only

two people in the Miami office. “After working for Lynden for 20 years, I was honored to receive this award,” Rejo says. “I love my job, as challenging

as it may be at times.  I’ve had the pleasure of seeing this office grow from a two-person operation

handling a few air exports to an international Service Center for Latin America.”