School Supplies for Lotus House

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WTDC Newsletter

August 3, 2023

Lotus House – School Supplies

The children of Lotus House Women’s Shelter will be ready for the school year! WTDC dropped off 2 carloads full of school supplies yesterday. Thank you to all who donated including our employees and our corporate partners from ASCI, Amerijet International, DFASS Group, First Choice CHB, LAS Worldwide, MVC Transportation, and Uniworld Trucking. Elizabeth Blake, Lotus House Community Outreach Coordinator, pictured with WTDC. Great work WTDC Transportation Manager Castell Chavez on organizing this drive!

Lotus House – Get Involved

Lotus House and WTDC display school supplies donations.

Elizabeth Blake, Lotus House Community Outreach Coordinator, pictured with WTDC President & CEO Sean Gazitua, Transportation Manager Castell Chavez, Office Manager Daniel Fajardo, and Sales & Marketing Manager Sean Powers.

President’s Corner

I had a fun morning today shooting the new promo video for FIU’s Roar Lounge with my friend, colleague, and FIU Alumni Board President JC Alexander. I currently serve as the Vice President and will assume the President duties after JC’s term ends. Together we are energizing our students and alumni through events like Block Party to support the ongoing mission of FIU. Go Panthers!
Best Regards,
Sean Gazitua, WTDC President & CEO

 

Annual Panther Block Party

Join your FIU Alumni waterside at the 2023 Panther Block Party! Meet us at Monty’s in Coconut Grove on August 12th for an afternoon of music, food, drinks, giveaways, special appearances and so much more. Bring your friends and family! (children ages 12 and under are free). The Panther Block Party is open to the public, and proceeds support FIU Alumni.

MDPD assisted Fire Drill

Thank you to Miami-Dade Police Department’s Neighborhood Resource Unit for supervising our Fire Drill today. WTDC conducts two fire drills on a yearly basis to ensure the safety of our tenants and employees.

Safety:19 years and counting

This week we celebrated a safety milestone: 19 years without an injury accident! Each morning our staff are reminded of forklift safety best practices to protect themselves and their fellow employees.

WTDC provides air, ocean, and over the road transportation services worldwide.

MIA – Modernization in Action

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MIA – Modernization in Action

WTDC Newsletter – June 6, 2023

 

President’s Corner

With Memorial Weekend in the rearview and schools out for summer, finally we are now in the full swing of rainy season in South Florida. Furthermore, WTDC is built above dock height and not in a flood plain. Lastly, WTDC is not located near bodies of water that may swell with the storms.

Preparing our homes and businesses for tropical storms is a way of life here. Consequently over the years we have learned how we can better communicate with our customers and employees to ensure business continuity. As a result we look forward to any questions you may have.

Thank you to our colleagues and customers who reached out to wish me a Happy Birthday on Sunday!

Best Regards,
Sean Gazitua, President & CEO
Send a message to WTDC President and CEO Sean Gazitua

 

Hurricane Season

June 1st marked the official start to the 2023 hurricane season. Soon thereafter Tropical Storm Arlene popped up in the Gulf last weekend but fizzled soon thereafter.

WTDC follows the guidelines of Miami-Dade County Hurricane Preparedness as to when it will stay open or closed in the event of a storm emergency. Therefore, please find our updated 2023 WTDC Hurricane Preparation Guide here.

In the event of an impending storm, keep an eye out for WTDC emails and check out our Twitter @WTDC for the latest news.
WTDC Hurricane Preparedness

 

FCBF GMM - May 25, 2023

Executive Committee sworn in at Florida Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association General Membership Meeting FCBF GMM on May 25, 2023 at Miami International Airport MIA.

MIA – Modernization In Action

On Thursday, May 25th, WTDC attended the General Membership Meeting of the Florida Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association (FCBF) at Miami International Airport (MIA). For the first time, an all female executive board was sworn into office. Congratulations to the new team led by President Jenette Prince!

Before this, the keynote presentation from Emir Pineda, Director Marketing & Air Service Development, Miami-Dade Aviation Department, was very insightful. Mr. Pineda highlighted new airlines at MIA, marketing of the Modernization In Action campaign underway to fully rebuild and/or replace most of the 616 conveyances at MIA – 312 elevators, 206 escalators, and 98 moving walkways, construction of a new hotel and new concourses, and the VICC for air cargo.

Logistics Manager Ginger Diez and Sales and Marketing Manager Sean Powers attended from WTDC.

MIA: Modernization in Action

World Environment Day

June 5th was World Environment Day. United Nations organizers urge everyone to be more conscious of how they use and dispose of plastics. The theme this year is #BeatPlasticPollution.

Furthermore, PortMiami is making an environmental impact through shore power and electric rubber-tired gantry cranes (ERTGs). The shore power plan will enable cruise ships to turn off their engines when docked. This will greatly reduce their carbon footprint. Six new ERTGs have recently been added to South Florida Container Terminals for a total of twelve.

Finally, WTDC is taking steps to reduce its own carbon footprint. We recently upgraded our electric forklift fleet, replaced all lighting to LED, replaced old A/C units for newer efficient models, grew our recycling program, reduced paper printing for US Customs documentation, and work with our supply chain partners to minimize environmental impact while still providing timely and cost-effective service.
World Environment Day

 

Transloading or Crossdocking in Miami then door to door delivery in USA, Mexico, Canada.

Contact WTDC to transload cargo arriving at PortMiami or Port Everglades then truck to your final destination anywhere in the USA, Canada, or Mexico.

Immediate capacity available at

Port Miami (Miami,Florida)

Port Everglades (Fort Lauderdale, Florida)

  • Palm Beach (Riviera Beach, Florida)
  • JAXPort (Jacksonville, Florida)
  • Canaveral (Cape Canaveral, Florida)
  • Tampa Bay, SeaPort Manatee, Port St. Pete (Greater Tampa, Florida)
  • NY/NJ ( Maher/PNCT/ Red Hook (Brooklyn/NJ), NYCT)
  • LA/LB
  • Oakland
  • Savannah
  • Charleston (Wando Welch)
  • SeaTac (Seattle/Tacoma, Terminal 18)
  • HOUSTON

WTDC can haul overweight containers, reefers, and standard containers.
(Drop & pick / Live loading/unloading / Transloading)

WTDC’s 10th Anniversary as a Foreign Trade Zone

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WTDC Newsletter – December 16, 2022

  • President’s Corner
  • ProChile visits WTDC
  • The last 747
  • WTDC’s 10th Anniversary as a Foreign Trade Zone
  • Sound Meditation
  • Fire Drill with MDPD
  • Azamara Onward makes first call to PortMiami

 

President’s Corner

As I look back on 2022, I am so grateful for our customers. Through service to our customers, employees, and community we’ve had opportunities to progress as a company.

In 2023 we look forward to implementing our EDI bridge developed over the past year. We upgraded our forklift fleet, trailer spotter, and made a number of improvements to our facility. Next year we will continue to reinvest in ourselves, building our team and upgrading security for our technology and facility.

This year we expanded our Health and Wellness initiatives with more mindfulness sessions and workouts, full health insurance coverage, healthy lunches for all employees, and improved our on-site workout room. We countered the rise in gas prices with a fuel allowance and put incentive programs in place for all employees.

WTDC celebrated our 45th anniversary in March and that enthusiasm has held strong in all aspects of the business. I am most proud of the way our employees have taken ownership of our community initiatives over the past year. We look forward to working with our customers to better their WTDC experience in 2023.

Wishing you a Happy Holidays!

Stay healthy,

Sean Gazitua, President & CEO

 

ProChile visits WTDC

On December 7, WTDC welcomed ProChile Trade Commissioner Claudia Ferrer and Trade Manager Jaime Silva to our offices. In cooperation with Empresas Perrot, our Chilean logistics partner, WTDC is committed to providing logistics solutions to support the mission of ProChile: growing exports from Chile.

 

The last 747

After 54 years of production, the Boeing 747 has been discontinued. The jet modernized air travel and allowed comfort on long trips. While new 747’s are not being made, existing jets will still be used for both cargo and passenger flights.

 

WTDC’s 10th Anniversary as a Foreign Trade Zone

On December 12th, WTDC celebrated its 10th anniversary as a Foreign Trade Zone. WTDC was the first operating FTZ in PortMiami’s FTZ 281. Thank you to our grantee PortMiami, our customers, and our employees for helping our vision become a reality.

 

Sound Meditation

On Friday, December 9th, Andrea De La Madriz led a sound meditation session at WTDC. As part of our Health and Wellness Initiative, WTDC encourages our employees to adopt a healthy lifestyle.

 

Fire Drill with MDPD

On Monday, December 12, WTDC held a fire drill with the help of the Neighborhood Resource Unit of Miami-Dade Police Department. Thank you to our staff and tenants for your cooperation!

 

Azamara Onward makes first call to PortMiami

Azamara’s newest ship the Azamara Onward arrived to PortMiami to a welcoming party of Miami-Dade County officials this week. The cruise will have a short run from Miami before moving to Europe in the Spring.

WTDC News – July 2, 2020: USMCA, Caribbean reopens

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New WTDC website launch  
This week WTDC relaunched our website wtdc.com. We welcome you to visit! This faster platform will allow WTDC to publish informative content for new and future customers.   Visit the new WTDC.com  

  President Trump, Canadian President Trudeau, and Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto sign the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement during a ceremony in Buenos Aires, on the margins of the G-20 Leaders' Summit on November 30, 2018. [State Department photo by Ron Przysucha / Public Domain]

USMCA trade deal now in effect  
On July 1, 2020, the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) went into effect. The deal was signed during the G-20 Leaders Summit in 2018 and replaces the North American Free Trade Agreement established in 1994. According to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, “The new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) will support mutually beneficial trade leading to freer markets, fairer trade, and robust economic growth in North America.” Key elements include: Intellectual Property Digital Trade De minimis Financial Services Environment Click the stories below for additional information.
USTR: USMCA Fact Sheet    

WTDC Internship Program  
Last week Andre Malha, a student at Palmer Trinity School, completed his summer internship at WTDC. The majority of Mr. Malha’s internship was completed remotely to comply with social distancing guidelines. We wish Mr. Malha continued success in his studies and on the soccer pitch!  
WTDC Internship Program  

 


Combating COVID-19  
Stay tuned to our social media next week as Sergio’s Restaurants announces their private-public partnership to distribute masks for Miami-Dade County hotels and restaurants. WTDC is donating warehousing and fulfillment services at no-cost for this initiative. Pictured above: Carlos Gazitua, CEO of Sergio’s Restaurants, and Sean P. Gazitua, President & CEO of WTDC.  
WTDC – Logistics for Medical Equipment & Supplies
Sergio’s Restaurants – Now delivering Cuban food nationwide      



Caribbean reopens for tourist travel – with restrictions  
Economies in the Caribbean are opening to tourist travel again and many destinations require COVID-19 testing prior to entry. Increased travel to the Caribbean will bring more passengers through South Florida airports leading to more traffic in the duty free stores, welcomed traffic for many of WTDC’s customers. As South Florida is a major hub for cargo and supplies to the Caribbean, more travelers should also have a positive impact on the cargo levels at South Florida ports. In the Bahamas, a negative COVID-19 test taken within 10 days of entry is required of all tourists or they can take one upon arrival. Aruba also requires testing and opened to Canadian, European, and Caribbean tourists on July 1 – but Americans will have to wait until July 10.
Below is a look at some of some of the tourism reopening dates:
o   USVI June 1
o   Antigua June 1
o   St. Lucia June 1
o   Jamaica June 15
o   Mexico Cancun area on June 15 o   Bahamas July 1
o   Aruba July 1
o   Dominican Republic July 1
o   Puerto Rico July 15    
NYT: 5 Caribbean Vacation Destinations Reopening this Summer