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WTDC and Empresas Perrot launch Chile-US service

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WTDC News – November 4, 2020

  • President’s Corner – Gazitua family legacy
  • No Sail Order lifted by CDC
  • WTDC and Empresas Perrot offer Chile-US service
  • Mark your calendars – WTDC President & CEO Sean Gazitua joins logistics panel
President’s Corner
My brother Luis Andre and I joined my cousins Carlos and Luis Gazitua on the October 23rd edition of Cafecito Chat with Saif Ishoof, FIU Vice President of Engagement. Special thanks to all our professional colleagues who tuned in to watch us survive a comical round of rapid-fire questions before we settled into our discussion on the Gazitua family’s commitment to service and leadership in our community. Part of the discussion focused on family legacy and it was such a pleasure to hear the stories of my grandparents Mercedes and LR Gazitua who built a logistics enterprise from humble beginnings. We all shared how we take great pride in that legacy and the way they treated their family, friends, and employees. Each of us in the discussion described how the pandemic has affected our businesses and our employees. We’ve all taken steps to protect and serve our employees during these unprecedented times and the good name of our grandparents inspires us to continue treating others like family. Our thoughts and prayers go out to our neighbors in Central America’s Caribbean coast affected by Hurricane Eta this week. Stay safe, Sean Gazitua WTDC President & CEO  Image caption, clockwise from top-left: Sean Gazitua, WTDC President & CEO, Saif Ishoof, FIU Vice President of Engagement, Luis Andre Gazitua, Esq., Gazitua Letelier, PA, Principal, Luis Gazitua, JAG Insurance Principal, and Carlos Gazitua, President & CEO of Sergio’s Family Restaurants.
Send an email to WTDC President & CEO Sean Gazitua
 
WTDC and Empresas Perrot launch Chile-US services
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, went “live” this week with their offering of door to door logistics services between the U.S. and Chile including customs documentation, transport via road, air, and ocean, and customs documentation. The two companies will improve the customer experience with a focus on technology and concierge customer service. Do you have U.S. to Chile or Chile to U.S. logistics business that you would like WTDC to review for efficiency and cost-savings? Email us here.
WTDC Holiday Hours
Thanksgiving – Closed November 26 & 27 Christmas – Closed December 25 New Year’s – Closed January 1
 
CDC ends No Sail Order
On October 30th, Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issued a Framework for Conditional Sailing Order and did not extend the No Sail Order that has sidelined cruise ships since March 2020. While this order does translate to an instant return to cruising, it does set up the phased parameters for sailings that are safe for passengers and crew with significant emphasis on public health and safety.
CDC: Cruise Ship Guidance
 
WTDC in the Halloween Spirit
On Friday, October 30, WTDC employees and tenants participated in our annual Halloween festivities by dressing up as “Pandemic Heroes” and decorating office doors.
 
Mark your calendars – WTDC President & CEO Sean Gazitua joins logistics panel
We welcome you to join WTDC President & CEO Sean Gazitua on Thursday, November 12, at 11 a.m. for a logistics town hall meeting. See below from the organizers: As part of CAMACOL’s International Trade outreach efforts, CAMACOL Doral and the City of Doral will host a Virtual Town Hall Meeting on Thursday, November 12, 11 a.m.-12 noon. Our topic will be “International Trade & Logistics After COVID”. Doral is the heart of Miami Dade County’s International Trade Sector and home to about approximately 4000 International Trade related companies. We believe it’s important to provide insights the state of this sector including new and innovative business models that have been created as a result of the pandemic.” WTDC will share the login link on its social media channels when available. You can email us here for a reminder.
Meet CAMACOL Doral

WTDC & Empresas Perrot announce strategic partnership

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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

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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

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