America Corporation inaugurated LACC MOVA, a logistics center of almost 10,000 square meters (m2) in the old passenger terminal of the Carrasco Airport. The project required an investment of US$ 14 million and seeks to expand the capacity of Latin America Cargo City (LACC) to process e-commerce shipments arriving in Uruguay. It also aims to capture a regional business in which foreign companies store merchandise in Carrasco and distribute from there the orders they receive from buyers in other Latin American markets.
LACC’s commercial manager, Mariela Prospittiexplained that the initial focus of the center will be on courier shipments and local e-commerce. The building will have 11 loading and unloading points for trucks and vans, and will be prepared to receive merchandise by air, sea or land. Currently, LACC manages some 30,000 tons of cargo per year and, according to the executive, the new infrastructure will allow a greater volume of cargo to be processed.
The inauguration was attended by the President of the Republic, Yamandú Orsiand the CEO of Aeropuertos Uruguay, Diego Rosaamong other public and private sector authorities.
For regional business, the scheme provides that an operator can import merchandise from China by ship, store it in Carrasco and prepare the orders received through the internet there to send them to markets such as Argentina y Brazil. Prospitti noted that LACC has already begun developing this model with business partners.
The new center will make it possible to receive merchandise by different means of transport and concentrate logistics operations on the same property, a few meters from the airport runway. Additionally, it will operate under the free airport regimewhich, as the executive explained, offers tax benefits for the purchase and sale of merchandise that passes through the platform. For Prospitti, bringing these operations together in one place can reduce costs. logistics costs of the companies that distribute from Uruguay.
The building was also designed to house other businesses. On the first floor there will be 15 commercial offices and, according to Prospitti, the center has about 1.700 m2 intended for that use. The manager linked this offer with the demand for business spaces in the airport environment.
Asked about the possibilities of Uruguay consolidating as regional distribution centerProspitti highlighted the confidence offered by the country’s legal and regulatory framework, as well as the agility of the processes. “When a multinational company wants to set up its operations, it looks for that, it looks for security,” he stated.
The executive recognized that Uruguay tends to be at a disadvantage compared to other countries when comparing operating costs. However, he maintained that this difference must be evaluated together with other factors, such as the time the procedures take, the ease of doing business and capital management. “That in other countries, once you start operating, sometimes ends up being the highest cost in the equation,” he said.
For his part, the general manager of LACC, Bruno Guellapointed out that 100% of the country’s international air cargo passes through the platform. When the company began operating in 2004, the cargo terminal had 6,700 m2 built. With the incorporation of MOVA, the total area reaches 35,000 m2. In addition, he said there are another eight hectares available for development within the airport.
Guella highlighted that MOVA aims to integrate infrastructure, technology and solutions for the new dynamics of the global tradewith a focus on electronic commerce operations both between companies and between companies and end consumers. “With this proposal, we reaffirm our commitment to the development of an increasingly competitive logistics platform and to continue positioning Uruguay as a regional hub,” he expressed.
The executive estimated that, if the merchandise is already stored in Carrasco, an order placed by a buyer of Buenos Aires, San Pablo or Santiago de Chile It could be shipped by plane the same day and reach its destination within 24 to 48 hours. As he explained, preparing orders from Uruguay can reduce both costs and delivery times to the final consumer. Among the companies that have already chosen the platform, he mentioned firms from the sectors pharmacist, electronic and of spare parts.
Bruno Guella. Photo: LACC.
Guella also pointed out that MOVA will have new spaces for control organizations and technology aimed at streamlining the inspections. “More volume cannot mean more delay or less control. It requires more intelligent control,” he said. In addition, he indicated that MOVA will be the first Corporación América building in Uruguay to obtain the LEED certificationwhich recognizes sustainable construction standards.
For his part, the mayor of Canelones, Francisco Legnanipointed out that the construction took 15 months and framed the investment in the innovation corridor promoted by the departmental government. He explained that the territorial planning of that area contemplates the development of logistics activitiescommercial and industrial, a profile that, in his opinion, will be reinforced with the installation of the center.
Francisco Legnani. Photo: LACC.
According to Legnani, the departmental investment promotion agency has 133 projects under study. The mayor maintained that to accompany the expansion of business activity, public investments are needed, both from the Municipality and the national government. “Public and private, we are what we make the department be in terms of employment, in terms of the economy,” he said.
For her part, the Minister of Transportation and Public Works, Lucia Etcheverryhighlighted the connection between the port, the road network and the airport as one of the advantages of the platform. This infrastructure allows merchandise and supplies to enter by sea, move by road to Carrasco and receive services there that add value before being sent to other markets.
Lucía Etcheverry. Foto: LACC.
Etcheverry maintained that the private investment It relies on capabilities that Uruguay had already developed and mentioned the provisions on foreign trade and logistics included in the law of competitiveness. “The State has to be agile, it has to have concrete, measurable, transparent indicators,” he stated.
The minister pointed out that the simplification of procedures It should reach both companies seeking to make an investment and those that already operate with merchandise in the country. He also referred to the coordination with the National Customs Directorate and the importance of safety and health controls in international shipments.
Source: www.elpais.com.uy
