Mid-market brands cut 30% in logistics costs by moving fulfillment 6 miles from the U.S. border — without losing 1–3 day U.S. delivery. We run a bonded, Class-A facility built for brands shipping 5,000+ orders/month.
California's labor, lease, and overhead structure is the most expensive in the U.S. fulfillment market. Our Tijuana operation runs on the same SLA targets — at a structurally lower cost base.
| Cost Driver | California 3PL LA / Inland Empire |
Lateral Fulfillment Tijuana, MX |
Your Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fully-loaded labor (per hr) | $22 – $28 | $5 – $7 | ~70% |
| Warehouse lease (sqft / mo) | $1.20 – $1.85 | $0.45 – $0.65 | ~60% |
| Pick & pack (per order, avg) | $3.50 – $5.20 | $1.80 – $2.90 | ~40% |
| Storage (per pallet / mo) | $22 – $35 | $12 – $18 | ~45% |
| Onboarding time | 6+ months | 30 – 45 days | Faster ramp |
| Account manager | Shared / ticket-based | Dedicated, named | High-touch |
| Contract flexibility | 12 – 24 mo lock-in | Month-to-month available | No lock-in |
Ranges based on Q1 2026 market benchmarks (CBRE, JLL Industrial Reports) and Lateral's published rate cards. Actual savings vary by SKU profile and order volume — quantified in your free audit.
Move the sliders. The model uses Q1 2026 industry benchmarks. The output is conservative.
ESTIMATE BASED ON Q1 2026 BENCHMARKS · ACTUAL SAVINGS QUANTIFIED IN AUDIT
And how we've engineered the migration so the four biggest risks never materialize.
Parallel-run model. Your current 3PL stays live during the 30-45 day migration. We cut over only when SLAs are validated.
Month-to-month available for qualified accounts. 60-day exit clause. No multi-year lock-in. We earn the renewal each quarter.
Class-A facility. On-site security guardhouse, perimeter fence, 24/7 CCTV. CTPAT-aligned procedures. Zero security incidents to date.
In-house customs brokerage. Customs cleared in-transit, not at the dock. Average dwell time at Otay Mesa: under 90 minutes.
A real benchmark report your CFO can take to the board. Delivered within 48 hours of your intake call. Four sections. Zero filler.
Your current 3PL's pricing analyzed against Q1 2026 market data. Every line flagged where you're paying above market — with the specific dollar amount.
Real numbers, not estimates. Side-by-side P&L impact across 12 months, with break-even point quantified to the month.
30-45 day plan from contract sign to first shipment. Risk mitigation, parallel-run protocol, and cutover schedule — operationally specific.
An executive brief your VP of Ops can forward internally. Built for procurement and CFO review — anticipates the questions before they're asked.
48-HOUR TURNAROUND · NO COST · NO OBLIGATION
Your buyer in San Diego, Los Angeles, Phoenix, or Dallas gets the same 1-3 day delivery. The cost structure of Mexico. The delivery experience of California.
Bonded receiving. IMMEX-certified. Customs cleared in-transit, not at the dock. Your inventory hits our shelves the same day it crosses.
SLA-driven ops in our Class-A facility. Real-time WMS visibility. Native integrations with Shopify, Amazon, NetSuite, SPS Commerce.
Daily linehaul into San Diego injection points. UPS, FedEx, USPS, and regional carriers handle final mile. Your customer sees a U.S. tracking label.
Tier-1 capability across high-complexity verticals. We are not a one-size-fits-all DTC operator.
Brand-new construction. Tilt-up concrete walls. Built to scale alongside the brands operating inside it.
Trafilea, a global DTC group with multiple brands, was scaling fast but bleeding margin to fragmented logistics. We migrated their fulfillment to a cross-border model integrated with Shopify and major marketplaces, layered IMMEX bonded warehousing to defer duties, and added kitting and returns management as managed value-added services.
The result: 30% in logistics savings, 1-3 day U.S. SLAs, deferred-duty cash flow improvement, and a measurable drop in order errors. They didn't just save money — they built a more controllable supply chain.
We benchmark your current 3PL invoice against our rate card line-by-line, identify your real savings, and deliver a written report within 48 hours.
Lateral operates under IMMEX and bonded warehouse programs that defer duties until export. We do no promise Section 321 — that's a different model. Our value comes from operational cost (labor, warehousing, overhead), not tax arbitrage. Tariff policy changes don't change our core economics.
Our customs brokerage is in-house and CTPAT-aligned. Average dwell time at Otay Mesa for our outbound shipments: under 90 minutes. Zero customer-impacting customs delays in the past 18 months.
No. Final mile is handled by U.S. carriers (UPS, FedEx, USPS, regional) from our San Diego injection point. The tracking label is U.S. domestic. Your customer experience is identical to a California-based 3PL.
Class-A facility, on-site security guardhouse, perimeter fence, 24/7 CCTV with cloud backup, badge-access zones. CTPAT-aligned. Standard inventory insurance coverage included. Zero security incidents in our operating history. Site visits available for due diligence.
Standard onboarding for mid-market brands: 30–45 days (vs. 6+ months DIY). Includes WMS integration, SOP design, labor onboarding, and a parallel-run period during which your current 3PL stays live.
Month-to-month available for qualified accounts. No multi-year lock-ins. 60-day exit clause. We earn the renewal every quarter — that's the model.
Brands that move first capture the cost advantage. The ones that wait, lose it. Get your audit today.
Claim My Free Cost Audit