“The warehouse expansion is in the first phase,” said Cleo Gonzalez, an owner of Mexus Inc. and a licensed customs broker who runs the day-to-day operations at Mexus CHB division. “We’re planning to build a warehouse that is basically across the street from our current location, and we will use it for dry storage and distribution.”
Regarding the FSIS certification, Gonzalez commented that it will enable Mexus to handle meat certification by USDA to and from Mexico, which is an increasingly important part of the company’s business.
Gonzalez said Mexus Inc. was founded as a freight broker and then began offering freight forwarding services, carving out a niche in the Laredo area.
By 2006, it added a transportation division, Innovative Carriers, and the following year began offering distribution services.
Mexus CHB was founded in 2011, giving the company the ability to provide clients with personalized customs broker clearing by having its own custom broker in house with a national permit, enabling customs clearance remotely to all 328 ports including land, air and ocean.
Currently, the warehouse is located on 10 acres, and Mexus has 60,000 square feet of regular dry warehouse space, 35,000 square feet of refrigerated space and 30,000 square feet of freezer space. The expansion that has just begun will add 70,000 square feet of dry warehouse space.
In 2018, Mexus added Mexus Cold Storage, providing distribution services for refrigerated and frozen goods. Mexus Cold Storage has gained the attention of the produce industry and is attracting more business from that segment, though that was not the initial goal.
Mexus Cold Storage first began working with a customer the hair care industry, which required a “tempered” room for its products. When that company was sold, Mexus found itself with an abundance of unused warehouse space.
A decision was made to convert the tempered room to refrigerated space, and that attracted interest from clients in the perishables industry.
Working with Mexus, clients can expect a high level of customer service, said Gonzalez, adding that the company prides itself on that quality.
“Mexus is a family-owned-and-operated company, and we are hands-on, so when you call us you are dealing with an owner,” he said. “Also, we’re a one-stop shop for all your needs, from cold storage to distribution. We even offer e-commerce solutions and operate as an Amazon fulfillment center.”
