Page 62 - IAADFS 2022 hi-res

INSIDER

WTDC President & CEO
Sean Gazitua displays
Proclamation from Miami-
Dade County naming
Tuesday, March 8, 2022, as
‘WTDC 45th Anniversary
Day’.

WTDC – a “company with a conscience” --for 45 years

Miami-based, family-owned logistics business operations are far from normal the trend moves back to a more fluid just-
business WTDC, which celebrated its as we navigate issues that began in the in-time supply chain at a global scale but it
45th anniversary last month, has seen its pandemic,” says Gazitua. will be at least another year before there is
business evolve throughout the pandemic “Port congestion leads the logistical much movement in that direction.”
as the world begins to return to normal. issue headlines but the scarcity of available Sean is now the third generation to run
WTDC is well-known for specializing bookings, a significant leap in Trans-Pacific WTDC after becoming President and CEO
in inventory management for Duty Free container rates, and drayage obstacles present in 2017 succeeding his father Ralph L.
and Global Travel Retail. As a full service daily challenges. The change in shipping rates Gazitua, and he appreciates the legacy that
logistics company, it offers door to door has even eliminated some supplier business his grandfather started 45 years ago.
transportation services and Foreign Trade that operated on thin margins.” “My grandfather Luis Rafael Gazitua
Zone warehousing for Spirits, Cosmetics, The pandemic had a significant started WTDC with my father Ralph and
Tobacco, and Electronics. impact on WTDC’s day-to-day business as uncle John. The company started as a General
President and CEO Sean Gazitua says inventory that would have been processed Order (G.O.) Warehouse, a service to U.S.
the company’s success over the past 45 for cruise ships and duty free stores sat Customs and responsible for processing cargo
years is a testament to the dedication of idle,” says Gazitua. that was denied entry into the U.S. With
its employees and the willingness of the “WTDC added verticals like medical technological advances in documentation
company to reinvent itself. The company supply, electronics, and renewable energy and changes to incoterms, the General Order
was founded in 1977 as the first General to its service mix during the pandemic. business decreased over the years. WTDC
Order (G.O.) warehouse in Miami, Florida. As things progress, we’ve implemented for many years provided infrastructure to
Today, WTDC is an internationally technology to work with the increased 3PLs as a Bonded Warehouse, processing
respected full-service logistics company number of stay-at-home professionals and consolidations and freight of all kinds for
and Foreign Trade Zone. process more orders through electronic data freight forwarders. We are a company of
“Serving the logistics needs of our interchange (EDI) connectivity.” firsts – first G.O. Warehouse in Miami,
customers is not without its challenges WTDC was able to do what it has among the first Bonded Warehouses, and
in these times,” says Gazitua. “But by for the past 45 years when the pandemic the first operating Foreign Trade Zone in
building better relationships, planning brought the travel industries to a standstill: PortMiami’s FTZ 281 in 2012. WTDC’s
logistics well ahead, and putting it moved quickly and evolved, says added additional services over the years such
technology at the forefront, we can Gazitua. as domestic transport, Customs Brokerage,
still help our customers exceed their “Our company has evolved thanks freight forwarding, and Foreign Trade Zone
performance benchmarks.” to our ability to recognize trends and status,” he says.
Gazitua tells TMI that the pandemic make changes within our organization. “Legacy is important when discussing
has caused global logistical issues, which As a family business, we can cut through the family business. My grandparents were
WTDC deals with now on a daily basis. the corporate red tape to make sweeping pioneers in the logistics industry in South
“We are seeing our warehousing changes much quicker than some of our Florida. It is an honor and a responsibility
customers increase the size and frequency corporate counterparts. The supply chain to continue in this line of work and grow
of their orders as the cruise industry is still reeling from the pandemic with a company with a conscience. We value
and duty free stores rebuild their tourist some suppliers loading up on inventory faith, education, community, health, and
traffic. While transportation volumes to mitigate any shortages from shipping hope those values translate back into the
have resumed, our freight forwarding congestion. In the next few years, we hope organization.”

Summit of the Americas April 2022 62