Door-to-Door Integration Is Key in a Volatile Market

Q: What organizational, technological, and strategic strengths have enabled the company to adapt and continue expanding in the uncertain logistics landscape?

A: Grupo Transmontes is celebrating its 25th anniversary after evolving from a small regional carrier in La Laguna into a key logistics player across Mexico and the United States. This growth has been driven by our ability to differentiate ourselves early on. We realized that doing the same as every other carrier would limit our potential, so we decided to build a truly integrated, door-to-door service model. That decision pushed us to compete directly in the US market at a time when few Mexican companies dared to do so. We moved to Laredo, Texas, and opened TM Transportation Services to ensure we could operate effectively under US regulations and deliver the same level of service on both sides of the border. This step positioned us strongly in industries such as automotive and set the foundation for long-term growth.

Another key factor has been our ability to scale organizationally while operating in two very different environments. Managing a cross-border logistics company requires navigating distinct cultures, regulatory frameworks, and operational standards. Over more than 15 years, we built the internal capabilities needed to run operations in Mexico and the United States simultaneously. The creation of TM Transfer strengthened our presence in the border region and allowed us to close the service loop by taking full control of nearly every part of the logistics chain, aside from local urban delivery.

Our technological and operational expansion has also been fundamental. What began with a single 3.5 ton truck is now a fleet of more than 450 tractors and over 1,500 trailers. We operate major corridors such as Queretaro-Laredo and have established offices in Monterrey, Torreon, Nuevo Laredo, Laredo, and El Paso. In recent years, we expanded into the Pacific through Manzanillo, where we are developing a more robust business unit to diversify our routes and capture new opportunities tied to port logistics. This mix of strategic vision, cross-border expertise, operational discipline, and calculated diversification has allowed Grupo Transmontes to remain resilient and continue growing in one of the most competitive sectors of the economy.

Q: Which of your services have experienced the strongest demand this year, and how do your strategic priorities align with emerging client needs and market trends? 

A: Demand continues to be driven by dry van operations, especially along the Queretaro–Laredo corridor, where the company serves key industries such as automotive, manufacturing, appliances, electronics, agribusiness, e-commerce, and aerospace. About 80% of the business remains centered on the door-to-door model, moving freight that originates in Mexico and crosses into the United States and Canada, and vice versa. This cross-border flow, reinforced by nearshoring, has kept dry van and door-to-door services as the company’s core growth drivers. The remaining 20% of activity reflects the company’s diversification efforts. This includes the movement of maritime containers from Manzanillo, where Grupo Transmontes is building a more robust business unit to position itself as a relevant port player, as well as a smaller operation in Altamira. The company also handles certain dedicated services and hazmat shipments for industries that require this mode. 

A decisive element in aligning with shifting logistics demands has been the expansion of TM Logistics, the company’s global freight forwarding arm established 15 years ago. This unit enables Grupo Transmontes to offer air, ocean, rail, project cargo, and charter solutions, complementing its asset-based trucking operations and extending its reach throughout Mexico, the United States, and virtually anywhere in the world. TM Logistics maintains direct agreements with ocean carriers and airlines, is IATA-certified in both Mexico and the United States, and operates through a broad network of international forwarders that represent the company in Asia, the European Union, India, and Australia.

By combining strong asset-based capacity, specialized cross-border operations and a global forwarding platform, Grupo Transmontes can cover lanes its own trucks do not reach through strategic partnerships with other carriers and forwarders. Roughly 85% of our activity remains concentrated in Mexico, which serves as the operational epicenter and gateway to the United States and the rest of the world. 

Q: As Grupo Transmontes expands its service portfolio and global reach, how do you preserve a personalized, human-centered service model for clients?

A: Grupo Transmontes has grown into a much more complex organization, but despite the expansion of services and global reach, the company’s ability to personalize its solutions continues to rely on something simple: maintaining a direct, human relationship with each client. While the company now manages sophisticated logistics operations, from international charters to multimodal projects, the foundation of its service remains the same. Technology, digitalization and AI tools support visibility and efficiency, but they do not replace the need for someone who knows the customer, understands the shipment, and can respond immediately when an issue arises.

As the group diversified and began handling more complex, global freight movements, it became clear that the personalized approach could not be sacrificed. Customers still want to call someone who knows their name, their account, and their urgency, not an anonymous call center or a rotating agent. Grupo Transmontes has invested in specialization and expanded capabilities, but it continues to prioritize empathy, responsiveness and consistency. This “back to basics” philosophy, ensuring that every client has a direct point of contact with real accountability, has become one of the company’s strongest differentiators as it scales.

Q: What role does technology play in improving efficiency, strengthening fleet management, and enhancing working conditions for both drivers and office staff?

A: Technology plays a central role in Grupo Transmontes’s evolution, and the company has aligned its strategic initiatives with the broader digital transformation of the logistics industry. A major focus has been telematics, where partnerships such as the one with Samsara allow the company to improve traceability, optimize routes, predict theft risks, reduce diesel consumption by up to 10%, and cut downtime by around 5%. These tools have strengthened operational efficiency across the fleet and made data-driven decision-making a core element of our model.

Another priority is building a system of operator self-management. We are developing an application connected to our TMS that allows drivers to select trips, confirm payroll details, and handle administrative processes without needing to rely on dispatchers. This shift increases efficiency while giving operators more autonomy and transparency in their daily work.

The company sees digitalization not as a threat to jobs but as a way to improve working conditions and modernize a sector traditionally perceived as outdated and rigid. With cloud-based systems and remote connectivity, Grupo Transmontes has introduced more flexible work models, including hybrid arrangements and pilot programs for a 40-hour workweek, especially benefiting single mothers and employees with caregiving responsibilities. Technology allows us to maintain productivity while giving employees greater balance between work and personal life. For Grupo Transmontes, digital transformation is not just about doing more with less, but about building a healthier and more adaptable workplace that aligns personal well-being with business performance.

Q: How is market uncertainty affecting the operations of your clients, and how is Grupo Transmontes helping them during this period?

A: Economic uncertainty, geopolitical volatility, and shifting trade policies are leading companies to prioritize efficiency. Across industries, clients seek to reduce costs, streamline operations, and simplify supply chain structures. As a result, many companies that once managed multiple providers separately are now turning to Grupo Transmontes for fully integrated, end-to-end solutions. Working with a single partner who manages the entire journey from point A to point B allows clients to reduce internal headcount, eliminate fragmentation and improve overall response times.

In response to this trend, Grupo Transmontes is accelerating its strategy to position itself as a comprehensive logistics partner. One of the biggest shifts has been the company’s entry into distribution center services, including warehousing and inventory management. By integrating storage, consolidation, deconsolidation, and value-added services into its existing model, the company can offer 3PL and even 4PL-level solutions that allow clients to run functions previously handled by four or five different vendors with just one centralized provider. This expansion is already creating new opportunities with longstanding clients. A clear example is our picking-and-packing operation in Laredo, Texas, where we handle everything from receiving and breaking down shipments to repackaging, redesigning, redistributing, and delivering goods to final customers in the United States. This service allows a customer to load freight in Silao and rely on a single partner through the entire process.

Despite ongoing uncertainty in the market, Grupo Transmontes has benefited from long-standing, trust-based relationships. One of our core strengths is building long-term partnerships, which have given clients the confidence to expand their collaborations even in unpredictable times. 

Q: How would you evaluate Grupo Transmontes’ overall performance in 2025, and what are your strategic goals for 2026? 

A: 2025 was a challenging but highly instructive year. Like the rest of the industry, the company has faced uncertainty, cautious demand in key sectors, and persistent macroeconomic pressures. Leadership has used this period to reflect internally, strengthen empathy toward clients navigating the same pressures, and reinforce a culture of efficiency and going the extra mile. Despite the headwinds, the year revealed that Grupo Transmontes is a solid, adaptable project capable of performing well even in complex environments marked by regulatory changes, security challenges, and fluctuating market conditions. The company sees 2025 not only as a year of difficulty but also as one of significant learning, reaffirming the values and operational discipline that have sustained it over 25 years.

The company expects 2026 to be another demanding year, shaped by macroeconomic and political shifts in North America. Because 80% of its business is tied to USMCA trade flows, the outlook for the US economy will play a decisive role. Forecasts for late 2026 are cautiously optimistic, and a favorable US environment would directly benefit Grupo Transmontes. The company intends to continue betting on its core strengths: its door-to-door model, the growth of its US and Canadian operations, and deeper integration with Asian trade through its expansion in Manzanillo.

Overall, the expectation for 2026 is not a reduction in challenges but an increase in experience and preparedness. Grupo Transmontes aims to continue strengthening its people, maintaining long-term partnerships, and navigating pricing pressures and market volatility with the maturity gained from a year defined by resilience and learning.

Grupo Transmontes is a Mexican logistics and freight transportation company established in 2000 and headquartered in Ciudad Lerdo. It specializes in international D2D services across Mexico, the United States, and Canada, and serves various industries, including the automotive sector.