Finding where Los Dos Laredos will land in the midst of a recovering economy and global marketplace remains questionable.

Answers, though, proved plentiful at last week's Manufacturing and Logistics Symposium.

United States, Mexican and Canadian business and government leaders offered insights, thoughts and ideas on how to gear up for better days at the event, titled "South Texas and Northern Mexico's Global Positioning in Today's Economy,"

Armando Gonzalez, manager of customer service for Union Pacific Railroad, said businesses will find good opportunities here on the border.

"We have been hurt by the economic downturn," Gonzalez said.

"Auto suppliers have been hit, too. Our numbers, though, are slowly increasing.

"In working with Mexico, we're focusing on Lazaro Cardenas and other areas of opportunity for business."

Barry Lawrence, Industrial Distribution Program director at Texas A&M University in College Station and an active leader in the Texas-Mexico Trade Corridor Consortium (or T-MEX), presented three concepts toward improving operations.

"One, we have to decrease lead time in moving product; two, increase efficiency; and three, decrease costs," Lawrence said.

"When it comes to decreasing lead time, it includes transportation, customs and border activities and different types of transportation modes and efficiencies," he said.

"What often gets overlooked is bringing in the right kind of human resources into plants, effective usage of manufacturing processes ... anything that makes things more complicated means more time and more time means more costs."

Lawrence said efficiency issues boil down to a simple premise.

"Where are processes already in place that could be done more efficiently some other way?" he asked.

"Look at warehousing, traffic situations, forms and other documents needed to fill out.
If they are not needed, then they need to be reduced or eliminated.

Wiping the slate clean isn't that easy.

There are too many business models running out there to clean everything out and start anew."

Finally, decreasing costs is an important factor, too.

"Every business that operates in this region are all working and they all know what's inefficient," he said.

"They all know what's costing the business more money.

They know what causes inefficient processes.

We as a region have to focus our attention on improving those areas."

The Port of Corpus Christi is actually in good shape, according to John Valls, manager of general cargo.

"Our breakbulk (cargo which includes wind turbine cylinders) has been going pretty well with seven of the top 10 manufacturers coming through the port," Valls said.

"Grain is up. The Coastal Bend area is in decent shape. I haven't seen many highs and lows."

Liquid bulk (oil and petro materials) is down 95 percent right now, he said.

Valls said the port is trying to develop a terminal by redeveloping Naval Station Ingleside, which is set for closure soon.

"Thankfully, we have a strong partnership with Texas A&M University and Ingleside as some major work is needed so we can open it up by 2010," he said.

Michael Perez, director of business development at the Port of Corpus Christi, said it's a great advantage to them for Laredo to be the No. 1 land port.

"Having a container port will help us," Perez said.

"Any products looking to be moved will look at us.

We want to be the seaport for Laredo and Northern Mexico. It will benefit freight forwarders, customs brokers and railroads."

Valls said Laredo is where trade takes place.
"This is where commerce and trade meet, not a bunch of people hanging around," he said.

"A world commerce will supercede other plans."

The symposium finished up by hearing about trade and logistics opportunities in the Canadian province of Alberta, which is the northern part of the Port-to-Plains Alliance Region.

With the inclusion of a Canadian perspective, there truly was an international flavor this year.

(Joe Rutland can be reached at 728-2529 or jrutland@lmtonline.com)