Q: Following the acquisition of DB Schenker, how has the integration of their road freight network in Mexico enhanced DSV’s footprint?
A: The acquisition of Schenker was a highly strategic move designed to merge two distinct areas of excellence within the road transport sector. Historically, DSV has been a global market leader in Full Truckload (FTL) and Part Load services across Europe. We have always maintained a dominant position in those specific segments. Conversely, Schenker spent many years establishing itself as the premier expert in groupage. They built a sophisticated, consolidated network consisting of approximately 400 hubs across Europe alongside their partners.
By combining these two companies, we have brought together the masters of FTL and the masters of groupage. While DSV and Schenker previously contributed to the market as separate entities, this union allows us to excel in both fields simultaneously under a single banner. This integration is essential because the business case for DSV relies on consolidating these two massive networks to drive unmatched synergies and operational efficiency. Although Europe may not be the fastest-growing market globally, it is the cornerstone of our success story. We are now leveraging our combined expertise to optimize the network and solidify our position as the undisputed market leader in European road transportation.
Q: Merging two logistics cultures is often the greatest challenge. How is DSV ensuring a One DSV approach?
A: Cultural integration is an ongoing and complex process because deeply rooted behaviors are difficult to change. The DSV culture is built on an extremely strong DNA defined by pragmatism, an entrepreneurial mindset, and a commitment to taking full ownership and accountability for everything within one’s scope. We value transparency and a get-things-done attitude that prioritizes execution power above all else.
DB Schenker joined us with a more traditional and heavy organizational structure, which can be more bureaucratic than the lean model of DSV. It will take time to streamline those processes and optimize that legacy structure to fit our faster-paced environment. However, Schenker also brought a sophisticated matrix organization and a deep expertise in vertical setups. This means they are exceptionally focused on the specific needs of different customer segments rather than focusing solely on the bottom line.
While the legacy Schenker teams are now adopting the DSV DNA of pragmatic execution, DSV is simultaneously learning from its customer-centric vertical approach. By blending our high-speed execution with their specialized focus, we are creating a more balanced and powerful organization. The goal is to ensure that while our entrepreneurial DNA prevails, we also retain the strategic customer focus that makes the combined company a more comprehensive partner for our global clients.
Q: How are Mexican exporters benefiting from the increased bargaining power and consolidated network of the new DSV-Schenker entity?
A: The scale of this integration fundamentally changes our position in the market.. By combining our operations, we have become the primary player in our field, which gives us significantly more leverage when negotiating with providers. This increased volume allows us to drive down costs while improving service levels, a benefit that we pass directly to our customers.
We are also undergoing a deep technological transformation by selecting the best systems from both organizations to create a single, superior enterprise model. For example, in our Road division, we have decided to adopt the Transportation Management System (TMS) from the legacy Schenker business. We are now rolling this out as our global standard. While this transition will take time, the decision ensures that our digital infrastructure is built on the most effective tools available.
Ultimately, our customers benefit from the collective expertise of two of the largest logistics companies in the world, now operating as one. We have successfully retained our client base throughout this process because we have been transparent about the advantages of this union. Larger customers, for instance, will now receive more dedicated support through our new vertical setups and subject matter expertise. This allows us to move away from a generalized service model toward a more specialized approach that addresses the unique requirements of each industry we serve.
Q: Considering the diverse business environments across North America, how does the unified DSV-Schenker model simplify regional logistics for large global corporations?
A: The primary value we offer global customers is the ability to navigate cultural and operational diversity through a single point of entry. While the Canadian and US markets operate very differently, the Mexican market presents its own unique complexities. Large global organizations, typically headquartered in Europe or Asia, do not want the burden of managing separate relationships with different transporters across three countries.
Our regional strategy centers on a unified control tower model. Instead of coordinating with multiple local vendors, a client has one dedicated contact for the entire North American region. We streamline the entire process by providing a comprehensive portfolio of services from A to Z, including in-house capabilities for customs brokerage and specialized logistics requirements. By managing the regional intricacies on behalf of the customer, we ensure they receive a consistent level of service across the continent. This allows our clients to focus on their core business while DSV handles the complexity of the cross-border and domestic landscape.
Q: Logistics in Mexico often requires unconventional thinking. What creative solutions has DSV implemented to mitigate these risks to ensure that cargo remains both secure and on schedule?
A: In logistics, it is difficult to reinvent the wheel, so we imported a proven European success: the standardized Groupage or Less-than-Truckload (LTL) network. When I arrived in Mexico, I found a market where a true, predictable LTL system simply did not exist. Most providers would wait until a trailer was full to send it, offering vague delivery windows of five to eight days. This forced many customers to contract expensive, dedicated small trucks just to ensure their cargo actually moved.
To break this cycle, we built a network from the ground up based on a postal code model. We divided the country into zones with guaranteed transit times, supported by dedicated hubs from Laredo to Puebla and extending into Central America. I was very stubborn about this project; we were willing to heavily invest initially because I refused to let a truck sit idle. I insisted that our line-haul trucks run every single day, regardless of how much cargo was inside, to prove to the market that our schedule was non-negotiable. Now, we can guarantee two-to-three-day transits, allowing customers to pay only for the floor space they use rather than the cost of an entire vehicle.
Q: How does this European-style model overcome the traditional trust gap and security risks prevalent in Mexican logistics?
A: This is where we face the most significant cultural challenge. Many local, family-owned companies are used to a fragmented and informal style of logistics, hiring different people to hunt for the lowest possible price on any given day. They find it hard to believe that a global firm like DSV can offer a cheaper, faster, and more reliable service just by showing us their cards so we can plan their volumes. We were essentially trying to change the perception of what LCL can be through our LCL Express product, moving the market away from informal arrangements toward a professionalized, digital-first environment where they can book and track shipments online.
The network also solves critical security and quality issues that others ignore. Most Mexican consolidators unload and reload pallets multiple times at different waypoints, which leads to inevitable damage. We minimize touchpoints; a pallet loaded in Puebla remains on that line-haul truck until it reaches the border. Crucially, we never cross a consolidated truck into the United States. If one pallet out of fifty has a customs issue, the entire truck is impounded for months. To protect our clients, we offload the cargo at the border and cross each shipment individually. This prevents one client’s (if it happens) red flag from jeopardizing another’s supply chain.
Q: Where is the LCL Express service today? How has it progressed over this time?
A: We are currently two years into this project, and while it is already sustainable, we are only beginning to tap into its true potential. The challenge in Mexico is that the market remains highly manual and lacks the stable forecasting seen in more modern logistics hubs. However, the financial upside of professionalizing this space is massive. By moving away from a one-to-one manual negotiation for every shipment and instead utilizing a structured network, we can implement high-efficiency solutions like double-flooring or dolly systems.
These configurations allow us to move up to four times the cargo with a single tractor. While the tractor requires a slightly larger engine and better-trained staff, the marginal increase in fuel cost is negligible compared to the fact that we can double our earnings and significantly slash carbon emissions per pallet. The volume exists in Mexico, but capturing it requires shifting customer’s focus away from chasing the cheapest daily spot rate and toward a long-term commitment to a high-capacity network.
Q: What is your primary message to Mexican firms regarding their relationship with their providers?
A: There is a common misconception among many Mexican firms that they need a twenty-person logistics department dedicated to daily price-hugging and negotiations to save money. In reality, this fragmented approach is precisely why their service is inconsistent and why they end up screaming when a truck is late. My message to these companies is simple: stop trying to be logistics experts and start trusting the specialized experts.
Just as DSV does not build its own software from scratch because we recognize that specialized software firms are better at it, Mexican companies should not try to reinvent logistics. When a customer tries to manage every individual driver via phone calls, they inherit all the risk. When they make an agreement with us, the complexity becomes DSV’s problem, not theirs. We have streamlined our internal structure so that our sales teams focus on specific, high-performance products like the LCL Express, rather than just chasing low-margin FTL where there is no capacity or profitability. The opportunity in Mexico is there for those willing to embrace professional, commitment-based partnerships over ad-hoc transactions.
Q: How is DSV helping its automotive clients audit their supply chains to ensure they remain competitive?
A: Automotive is our largest vertical, and we manage thousands of tons of components annually for global leaders like Ford, GM, and Volvo. Because we operate in every major market, from China to Europe and across the Americas, we offer a level of agility that is critical in today’s power play between global trade powers. When a manufacturer decides to close an operation in one region and open it in another, we can reroute their entire trade lane from one week to the next.
However, our most significant value lies in our ability to perform deep, data-driven analysis. Often, a customer will consider a new plant in Monterrey simply because of its proximity to the United States. We challenge that logic by looking at the total cost of the operation. Through our contract logistics division, we have data on labor costs, talent availability, and driver behavior across Mexico. We can prove to a client that while Monterrey might save a few hundred dollars in transport, they will pay 30% more for labor and face a constant battle for talent.
We often propose alternative hubs, such as Queretaro or Zacatecas, where labor is more affordable and transport capacity is higher. Drivers actually prefer these longer routes over the short, congested Monterrey-to-Laredo runs, which often involve days of waiting at the border. By analyzing the sweet spot between transport costs and operational expenses, we help clients map out production strategies that prioritize long-term profitability over short-term proximity.
Q: In this era of nearshoring, why do you advocate for diversification within the Mexican domestic market rather than just focusing on cross-border trade?
A: While everyone is focused on the cross-border boom, we have found that the key to our success, and our ability to over-deliver on our budget during tumultuous years, is diversification. You cannot control or forecast how international trade policies will shift next week, but you can rely on the strength of the Mexican domestic market.
We have invested heavily in our domestic LCL setup to ensure that the same European quality we provide for international shipments is available for domestic moves. We put our money on different horses, so to speak, so that we are protected regardless of external geopolitical shifts. Mexico is in an amazing period of growth, but businesses must stop thinking they can manage this complexity with an internal logistics department.
When a client shares their full freight spend and challenges with us, we can often show them how to save millions of dollars by letting DSV act as their external logistics department. Between our digital systems, AI-driven reporting, and the collective data we have from across the industry, we can provide a level of oversight that an internal team simply cannot match. The potential in Mexico is massive, but it requires a shift in mindset: trust the experts to manage the logistics so you can focus on your core production.
Q: Given the unpredictable nature of global trade and the noise surrounding international politics, what is your primary advice for leaders trying to future-proof their operations in 2026?
A: The reality of modern trade is that political landscapes can shift in a matter of weeks. Whether it is a sudden change in tax policy or unexpected geopolitical maneuvers, it is impossible to predict every outcome. My primary advice is to avoid putting all your eggs in one basket. You must diversify your product portfolio and map out multiple potential scenarios rather than searching for a crystal ball that does not exist.
Preparation also means looking beyond politics at systemic risks like IT security.. Therefore, maintaining a balance between a streamlined, no-nonsense DNA and the necessary bureaucracy required for robust cybersecurity is non-negotiable.
Q: As you look toward the July 2026 USMCA review and beyond, what remains the core mission for DSV in the region?
A: Our mission is to remain an agile, multi-market leader that thrives regardless of the geopolitical noise. We are essentially professionalizing the Mexican market by proving that European-style structure, such as our guaranteed LCL Express networks and consolidated line-haul systems. can solve local challenges like security and carbon emissions. By helping our customers move away from manual, ad-hoc negotiations toward trust-based, data-driven partnerships, we are building a more resilient supply chain. Mexico is entering an amazing period of growth, and we are strategically positioned to ensure our clients have the expertise and the infrastructure to capitalize on it.
DSV is a Denmark-based transport and logistics provider that employs approximately 160,000 people in more than 90 countries. DSV operates through three divisions: Air & Sea, Road, and Contract Logistics, utilizing an asset-light business model to manage supply chain services for industries including automotive, technology, and healthcare.