WTDC’s 10th Anniversary as a Foreign Trade Zone

by

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 & Empresas Perrot announce strategic partnership

by

WTDC Newsletter – October 16, 2020

-President’s Corner: WTDC President & CEO Sean Gazitua speaks to FIU IBHS

-Save the Date: ProChile’s Chile Connected starts on Oct. 19

-WTDC and Empresas Perrot Announce Strategic Partnership to Create More Competitive Logistics Options for Customers in USA and Chile


WTDC and Empresas Perrot Announce Strategic Partnership to Create More Competitive Logistics Options for Customers in USA and Chile
 
WTDC, a Foreign Trade Zone and Freight Forwarder in Miami, Florida, USA, and Empresas Perrot Group Inc., a premier Trucking and Logistics Provider in Santiago, Chile, announced a strategic partnership that creates seamless connectivity for customers across their complementary domestic and international logistics networks in the USA and Chile. WTDC and Empresas Perrot will be exclusive agents within each other’s countries as part of the agreement.

“Pairing Empresas Perrot’s trucking and logistics network in Chile with WTDC’s expertise as a foreign trade zone, freight forwarder, and customs broker in the USA is a great benefit for customers of both our companies,” said Sean Gazitua, President and CEO, WTDC. “My grandfather was born in Santiago, Chile, so this partnership has special meaning to me. I would like to thank Empresas Perrot’s Owner Mauricio Perrot for his vision and his respect for our family. He represents the second generation of his family’s logistics business and I am a third-generation family owner and operator of WTDC. I look forward to working with Mauricio and the Empresas Perrot team to build a lasting relationship and a service.”

WTDC and Empresas Perrot provide door to door logistics services between the USA and Chile. We offer:
•   Complete supply chain management between Chile and USA
•   Freight Forwarding – Worldwide Air and Ocean transport
•  Warehousing, consolidations, and fulfillment in Chile and USA
•   Customs documentation and clearance in Chile and USA
•   Drayage and port services in Chile and USA
•   LTL and FTL trucking services in Chile and USA
•   Last mile delivery, flatbed, and stepdeck in Chile and USA

WTDC has been working with ProChile Southeast USA, Empresas Perrot, and City National Bank-BCI (a Chilean owned financial institution based in Miami) to develop a door to door logistics program with special benefits for small and medium Chilean exporters. ProChile, a division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Chile, promotes Chilean exports of products and services with special attention shown to small and medium sized enterprises.

Chile is currently ranked as the 26th top U.S. trade partner through August 2020 and ranked 29th in 2019 (WorldCity). South Florida now has two of the top three ports for Chilean trade through August of this year, with Miami International Airport ranking number 1 and Port Everglades ranking number 3 (WorldCity). The U.S. WTDC and Empresas Perrot introduce this logistics service to a trade lane with few barriers and room for growth thanks to the Chile-US Free Trade Agreement. The FTA was updated in 2015 to eliminate most tariffs on imports between either country.

“This strategic partnership with Empresas Perrot will assist WTDC’s growth in the wine and spirits, mining, renewable energy, and technology industries,” Mr. Gazitua added.
WTDC and Empresas Perrot are poised to deliver innovative and efficient logistics solutions for our clients and we look forward to sharing additional details on the success of this partnership.
 
WorldCity: Chile Trade Numbers
USTR: Chile FTA
ProChile

 
WTDC Chairman Ralph L. Gazitua visited with Consul General of Chile in Miami Hernán Núñez Montenegro on October 16, 2020, to update him on the progress of WTDC’s alliance with ProChile, Empresas Perrot, and City National Bank-BCI.    

 
Empresas Perrot visited WTDC the week of October 12, 2020. The companies formed a strategic partnership to deliver door to door logistics services between Chile and the USA. Pictured left to right: Efrain Rodriguez, Empresas Perrot General Manager, Gabriel Bedregal, Empresas Perrot Advisor & Commercial Manager, Maurizio Perrot Sepulveda, Empresas Perrot Ground Transport Manager, Carlos Mauricio Perrot, Empresas Perrot Owner, Ralph L. Gazitua, WTDC Chairman, and Sean Gazitua, WTDC President & CEO.



President’s Corner  
On Wednesday of this week, I was the guest speaker for FIU’s International Business Honor Society (IBHS). WTDC has a long running partnership with FIU IBHS in support of their trade mission to Bandhwari, India. Each year, WTDC offers a $1000 scholarship towards student travel for the Bandhwari Women’s Project. My presentation focused on trade and logistics as well as my professional growth from working in the WTDC warehouse to my current role as President & CEO. As an International Business graduate from FIU, I was able to relate real-world scenarios to their studies. I introduced an essay contest to qualify for the scholarship and offered Logistics Internships in Operations and Sales and Marketing. Kristina Khudiakova, WTDC Social Media Intern and President of FIU IBHS, participated in last year’s Bandhwari Women’s Project and oversaw the direction of the Zoom presentation. Lead by the FIU IBHS Executive Board and their Advisor Dr. David Wernick, the Bandhwari Women’s Project aims to build sustainable business models for the women of Bandhwari, India. It’s a pleasure to see the passion these students have for bettering our world!   Send an email to WTDC President & CEO Sean Gazitua

   
Save the Date: ProChile’s Chile Connected starts on Oct. 19  

Chile Connected is a virtual business meeting that seeks to consolidate the U.S. as a destination market for innovative and high value-added Chilean products and services, such as creative industries, technology, healthy food and women-led businesses. Along with the B2B matchmaking event, Chile Connected will include a series of sector-specific panels with high-level experts and keynote speakers from both markets.  
Chile Connected  

  

Cruise ship leaders urge CDC to end No Sail Order

by


WTDC Newsletter – September 16, 2020
– PortMiami and Cruise leaders urge CDC not to extend No Sail Order
– Live Like Bella and Childhood Cancer Awareness
– ProChile Trade Commissioner visits WTDC
– Welcome WTDC Intern Kristina Khudiadova
– MIA receives accreditation for COVID-19 measures


President’s Corner  

It was an honor to host Raymond Rodriguez-Torres, Chairman of the Board for Live Like Bella Childhood Cancer Foundation, at WTDC this week. He is pictured above (center) with my father Ralph L. Gazitua, WTDC Chairman (left), and I (right). September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and WTDC presented a silver sponsorship to Mr. Rodriguez-Torres for Live Like Bella’s Get Active for Kids with Cancer virtual event on September 26th, 2020. We welcome you to learn more about Live Like Bella’s role to keep childhood cancer in the spotlight through advocacy, legislation, research, assistance to families affected by childhood cancer.

In other news, WTDC continues to do its part to prevent the spread of COVID-19 by sanitizing our workplace, requiring social distancing and the wearing of masks, and encouraging our employees to live healthy lifestyles while minimizing their exposure. WTDC is a Florida Drug Free Workplace and I’m proud to share that our staff passed their random quarterly drug testing last week. WTDC’s C-TPAT Security Profile was approved last week in accordance with the new requirements and we welcome C-TPAT partners to link with us in the portal. If you have any questions about WTDC, or an idea for our newsletter, I welcome you to email me here. – Sean P. Gazitua, WTDC President & CEO      


ProChile visits WTDC  
Last week Sean P. Gazitua, WTDC President & CEO (center right), and Ralph L. Gazitua, WTDC Chairman, welcomed Germán Rocca, Trade Commissioner at ProChile USA South East Office (center left), and Jaime Silva Jr., Trade Manager at ProChile (right), to a meeting at WTDC. ProChile assists small and medium-size enterprises in their trade expansion efforts by leveraging trade agreements, fostering public-private partnerships, and helping position Chile in the international marketplace. Stay tuned for updates to this meeting! And we can’t mention Chile this week without wishing our Chilean customers and colleagues a Feliz Fiestas Patrias, as they celebrate Chilean Independence Day on Friday, September 18th!    

Cruise and PortMiami leaders urge CDC not to exetend No Sail Order
 The September 10th meeting of the Miami-Dade County Tourism and the Ports Committee evolved into a joint push by cruise officials and Miami-Dade officials to request that the CDC not extend the No Sail Order that is in place until September 30th.
Cruise leaders participating in the virtual meeting included Frank Del Rio, CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line, Arnold Donald, President and CEO of the Carnival Corporation, Michael Bayley, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, and Richard Sasso, Chairman of MSC Cruises in North America.
“We’ve got to get to work,” Frank Del Rio, CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line said. “Enough is enough. It’s been more than six months. We’ve learned a lot.”
 
Miami Herald: ‘Enough is enough’: Commissioners and cruise execs urge CDC to let cruising resume

Cruise Hive: Cruise Line CEO Says “The Cruise Industry is Close to Devastation” in Miami-Dade Meeting
 
 
 


Welcoming our new social media Intern from FIU
Welcome to the team Kristina! Kristina Khudiakova is a Florida International University (FIU) student and is an Intern for WTDC’s Sales and Marketing Department specializing in social media. Originally from Arkhangelsk, Russia, she is pursuing a major in International Business at FIU and is President of the International Business Honors Society (IBHS).
 
MIA receives Airport Health Accreditation for its measures to prevent COVID-19
Miami International Airport (MIA) celebrated its 92nd anniversary this week and is also celebrating news that it received Airport Health Accreditation from Airports Council International (ACI) for its best practices and key measures taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19. MIA is the first airport in Florida and only the 3rd airport in North America to receive the accreditation. Click the story from MIA below for more information.
 
MIA is first airport in Florida, second in U.S. to receive health accreditation from ACI World