While cargo theft in Canada hasn’t experienced dramatic trends like thefts in the U.S. and Mexico, 93% of Canada’s cargo thefts occurred in the province of Ontario. Cargo thefts were especially heavy in the greater Toronto area, which remains the riskiest area for cargo movements in Canada.
Different provinces, like Alberta and Saskatchewan, also registered cargo thefts in the first half of 2024, after reporting no cases in 2023.
In the U.S., California accounted for 45% of all reported cargo thefts, followed by Texas at 14%. An area including Los Angeles and California’s Inland Empire accounted for 36% of all cargo thefts in the U.S. in the first half of 2024, averaging 58.6 per month, nearly two each day.
Ramon said Southern California will always be a hot spot for cargo theft.
“A big part of it is the volume: California has a lot of intermodal density, where a lot of stuff is coming off of ships, going on the rail, or rail on the road,” Ramon said.
In the U.S., the most sought-after goods for thieves were electronics (23%), followed by home
and garden products (14%), clothing and shoes (11%), and food and drinks (10%).
Food and beverage products were the most sought cargo by thieves in Mexico, accounting for 31% of cases, followed by building and industrial (17%). Other commodities targeted by thieves included auto parts (9%), clothes and shoes (5%), fuels (5%), and pharmaceuticals (3%).
Chinese manufacturer to build $100M factory near Houston, create 100 jobs
Oriental Yuhong Waterproof Technology Co. plans to build a major manufacturing plant and research and development center in Prairie View, Texas, according to a news release.
The Beijing-based company will produce waterproof roofing, thermal insulation, mortar powder and pipelines for the construction industry. The plant and research and development facility could cost from $100 million to $500 million, according to news reports.
Oriental Yuhong Waterproof Technology Co. did not respond to a request for comment.
The first phase of construction is scheduled to be completed in 2025 and will create about 100 jobs.
The factory and research center will be Oriental Yuhong’s first facilities outside China. Prairie View is about 47 miles northwest of Houston.
“We believe we can compete in the United States and North America,” Lei Liu, CEO of Oriental Yuhong Waterproof Technology Co., told Fox 26 Houston. “To do that, we basically want to come here and manufacture here.”
Oriental Yuhong, founded in 1995, is one of the largest waterproofing materials producers in China, according to its website. The company has 52 production and logistics bases and more than 100 subsidiaries. Oriental Yuhong’s products are exported to more than 100 countries.
236,000-square-foot transload facility planned for Laredo, Texas
Investment firm Realterm has partnered with developer Alliance Industrial to acquire a 19.76-acre parcel in Laredo, Texas, according to a news release.
The joint venture plans to construct a 236,693-square-foot transload facility focused on cross-border operations on the site. The facility will feature a 32-foot clearance height, 50 dock doors and 190 trailer parking spaces.
“The strategic location of Laredo continues to drive significant economic growth, largely due to the nearshoring of manufacturing operations to northern Mexico and Monterrey, Mexico,” Ed Brickley, Realterm’s managing director and fund manager, said in a statement.
Realterm and Alliance Industrial did not disclose how much they are investing in the project.
Realterm is an independent global investment manager focused on the transportation industry. Houston-based Alliance Industrial is a privately owned industrial real estate investment, development and construction company.
Continental begins construction of $90M plant in Mexico
German tire and industrial parts manufacturing giant Continental AG has begun construction of a factory in Aguascalientes, Mexico, that will produce hydraulic hoses.
The 914,932-square-foot factory will be the company’s largest plant in Mexico once completed, according to a news release. Continental announced the factory in January. Aguascalientes is about 300 miles northwest of Mexico City.
The $90 million facility will generate up to 500 jobs in two phases. Continental officials also said the factory will help the company expand its hydraulics business into industries such as agriculture, mining, construction, manufacturing and energy.
Construction of the facility is scheduled to be finished by the end of 2025.
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Source Agencies
