EL SALVADOR - Transport
Country Manager, XPD Global
Bio
Enrique Olivares did his studies in Industrial Engineering at Universidad Dr. José MatÃas Delgado in El Salvador while working simultaneously in the logistics sector in various roles and companies, ranging from accounts payable to traffic coordinator, key accounts manager, and country manager in companies like Crowley Maritime, Codotrans, Kuehne + Nagel, and Tiba. Currently he is mastering his role as country manager for xpd global’s El Salvador branch since it’s openning 2019.
We started our operations here in El Salvador with Europartners Group, and we are approaching our fifth anniversary in October 2024. Despite beginning with just two people—one partner from Mexico and myself—and facing the challenges of the 2020 pandemic, we managed to keep the company afloat. We had no mobility or presence in the country beforehand, but we relied heavily on the strength of the group and the fact that El Salvador is primarily an importer country. In 2020, we secured a major deal to export cane sugar to the United States, which helped us sustain the company through that difficult year. We did not have a sales representative during 2019-2020, as restrictions limited our ability to engage with customers, but once those were lifted, we hired one and began to establish our presence. Since then, we have continued to grow. Currently, we have 14 employees, and we have expanded from a small co-working space to our current office setup. We have moved offices twice since 2021 due to our growth, and, today, we operate out of half of the entire 8th floor on this builiding. One of the main reasons to focus on La Union port is that it is a gateway to Honduras and even Nicaragua. It could relieve pressure on the port of Acajutla, which is functional but not sufficient. Large ships from tradelanes like Asia cannot dock directly in El Salvador because our port isn’t big or deep enough, so they go to Panama or Mexico and then continue on smaller feeder vessels. This creates delays due to congestion in those ports. We are hopeful, though, as a Turkish company is setting up a joint venture with El Salvador, and we expect their investment will improve the port’s efficiency and make La Union’s port functional.
Our customized logistics service is a key competitive advantage because we focus on providing critical solutions tailored to our clients’ needs. As part of our rebranding from Europartners to XPD, we aimed to present a unified identity globally while maintaining the agility of a boutique company. We can adapt our offerings rather than being rigid like typical global firms. One of our standout services is the Onboard Courier, which allows us to address urgent requests by sending a team member to pick up critical cargo directly from a client or provider. For example, if there is a risk of a production line stopping, we can fulfill orders within four to six hours, often picking up items like disk drives or spare parts that fit on a commercial airplane. We provide real-time updates every five to ten minutes through our control towers located in various countries, ensuring our clients are informed throughout the process. This personalized level of service is what sets us apart from the hundreds of companies that can transport containers from point A to B. In El Salvador, our primary focus is on the industrial sector, as we aim to become a trusted provider of logistics solutions across various industries, including technology and retail, both of which are currently experiencing significant growth. By delivering exceptional, tailored service, we build confidence with our clients, ultimately earning their trust and loyalty.
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