Model the network before you rebuild it
Network design, landed-cost modeling and inventory placement for brands nearshoring to the corridor. See the numbers — zones, duties, transit — before committing capital.
What does supply chain optimization involve?
It is the analysis of where inventory sits, how it moves and what it costs to land at the customer. Lateral Fulfillment models a brand's order data against a nearshore network — shipping zones, carrier mix, duty treatment and inventory placement — to show the cost and service impact before any physical change is made.
How does nearshoring change landed cost?
Landed cost is the full cost to get a product to the customer: product, freight, duties, handling and last-mile. Nearshoring to Tijuana lowers labor and warehousing while removing shipping zones to the western United States. U.S. import duties still apply on entry; Mexican duties are deferred under IMMEX. The model quantifies the net effect.
Turning data into a decision
Zone analysis
Current shipping zones and the cost of each to your mix.
Landed-cost model
Product, freight, duty, handling and last-mile, end to end.
Inventory placement
Where stock should sit to balance cost and speed.
Carrier mix
Multi-carrier selection modeled against your destinations.
Duty strategy
IMMEX treatment applied to your goods flow.
Scenario compare
Current state versus nearshore, side by side.
Frequently asked questions
What data is needed to model a supply chain?
Order history with destinations, SKU dimensions and weights, current carrier costs and inventory levels are enough to build a first model. Lateral Fulfillment builds a first view from that data and refines it as more detail is shared.
Is optimization a paid consulting engagement?
An initial landed-cost model is part of the quoting process at no charge, because it is how a brand decides whether nearshoring makes sense. Deeper, ongoing network design is scoped separately when a program warrants it.
How accurate are the savings estimates?
Estimates use the brand's real order and cost data, so they reflect actual mix rather than averages. The up to 30% figure is a modeled range; the exact result depends on destinations, product profile and current carrier terms.
Does the model account for duties?
Yes. U.S. import duties are included as they apply on entry to the United States, and Mexican duty deferral under IMMEX is modeled on the Mexican side. The model shows landed cost with duties treated correctly rather than assumed away.
Can optimization work without moving to Lateral Fulfillment?
The model is most useful when paired with the corridor operation it assumes, but the zone and landed-cost analysis stands on its own and gives a brand a clearer picture of its current network regardless.
How long does a full network design take?
An initial model takes days; a full design with inventory placement and carrier strategy takes two to four weeks depending on data readiness and the number of scenarios compared.
Is there a minimum volume for an optimization engagement?
No. There is no volume floor. Every engagement starts with a free cost analysis built on the brand's real order data.
How long does an engagement take to start?
Most programs are live within six weeks of contract signature, with a named contact assigned at kickoff.
Ready to see your numbers?
No minimum order volume. No long-term lock-in. If we're not the right fit, we'll say so on the first call.
We reply within one business day.