CFI, 30+ years of cross-border service, expands in new Chicago facility, rebranding as CFI Mexico
CFI, a truckload unit of Montreal-based TFI International, is expanding its capabilities and resources supporting shipments between the United States and Mexico into a single entity called CFI Mexico. The announcement accompanies CFI’s 35th anniversary of intra-Mexico and cross-border truckload freight services.
Established in 1951 as Contract Freighters Inc., Joplin, Mo.-based CFI employs 2,350 professional drivers, and uses 375 owner-operators. In 2019, CFI amassed more than 62,000 cross-border shipments with Mexico with an additional 27,000 LTL shipments within Mexico, making it one of the largest north-south TL carriers in North America.
In expanding its north-south operations, CFI is making moves to offer shippers even more capacity in the growing market in and out of Mexico, the company said.
“Chicago is the first of several planned North American consolidation and distribution (C&D) facilities the company will establish this year,” said Greg Orr, CFI President.
At Chicago, U.S. shippers can consolidate LTL shipments originating in the Midwest into truckload moves destined for Nogales, Ariz., and the Nogales-Sonoran Mexican Gateway. Similarly, shippers can consolidate LTL shipments originating in Mexico, move them via truckload under CFI line-haul services into the U.S., and then deconsolidate in Chicago and crossdock them for LTL delivery across the Midwest.
Shippers get end-to-end service from the U.S. to Mexico with better service, visibility and reliability, thanks to CFI’s long experience south of the border, according to Orr.
“CFI is a proven, trusted and committed player in the cross-border market, providing first and last-mile less-than-truckload (LTL) and truckload services within Mexico,” Orr said in a statement. “At a time when other truck lines are exiting Mexico, we are stepping up investment by building on our 35 years of experience to expand the quality and scope of services we can provide shippers on both sides of the border.”
Orr was referring to last year’s sudden closing of Indianapolis-based Celadon Inc. after 34 years of operations which was marred by financial irregularities and other factors. Celadon was a major north-south cross-border TL operator when it was in business.
CFI also has rebranded its Mexico operations under the single banner of CFI Mexico. That consolidates services of two existing divisions, CFI Logistica and CFI Mexico Truckload, for “a more unified customer experience,” the company said.
Nogales represents CFI’s seventh C&D crossdock operation with Mexico, joining Guadalajara, Monterrey, Mexico City, San Luis Potosi, Queretaro and Nuevo Laredo. At these sites, LTL shipments within Mexico are consolidated and routed into the U.S. for delivery.
Truckload consolidations from the U.S. arrive at Mexico cross-docks and are broken out for local LTL delivery within the country. CFI, through its own facilities and long-term established partnerships with premier Mexican truck lines, has an owned terminal network in Mexico.
CFI said it is also in the final planning stages to launch similar C&D services through Laredo, Texas—its largest gateway to and from Mexico.
Orr added that a key advantage of the CFI-backed service is that it is managed through one operating company. That provides shippers with exceptional transparency, reliability, and visibility into their shipments in-transit, he said.
“We are maximizing CFI Mexico’s capabilities by providing all these services and more by marketing as one entity, continuing a legacy of proven success, trusted service and commitment to our customers,” Orr said.
“Our enterprise footprint uniquely equips us for this endeavor,” commented Michael Hinz, CFI’s senior vice president of sales and operations. “CFI’s 35 years of experience in Mexico positions us as the preeminent expert in that market.”
Hinz added this operation would not be the typical “highly intermediated” consolidation and deconsolidation offering. Rather, CFI will be providing the line-haul capacity for the project. That guarantees shippers adequate capacity even when the market is tight, he added.
Supply chain experts have analyzed that LTL services can be three times more expensive per mile than the truckload mode and are generally more susceptible to damage. The more miles you can move into the truckload mode, experts say, the better off you are.
