Руководитель DHL оценил влияние торгового соглашения USMCA на логистику в Северной Америке

LM Group News Editor Jeff Berman recently spoke with Andrew Williams, DHL Express Americas CEO, about different aspects of the United States Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA). Topics covered included: the main customer benefits of the deal, how it could look in the future, and the impact of USMCA on industry stakeholders. (Editor's note: This interview was conducted before the Office of the United States Trade Representative's announcement last Friday, in which it stated that in a joint review of the USMCA that it did not agree to renew the USMCA in its current form.) LM: Do you think USMCA has been beneficial for DHL and its customers? Williams: The USMCA, as one of the world's most important trade agreements, has strengthened North American trade lanes, supported economic growth, and played a critical role in supply chain resilience and business success. For DHL Express, the importance of the agreement is reflected in our own network flows. Mexico is the leading destination for U.S. outbound Express shipments, with Canada close behind. Likewise, the U.S. remains the primary export destination from both Mexico and Canada. These highly integrated trade lanes support thousands of businesses that rely on predictable cross-border commerce, and this is especially important for small and medium-sized enterprises, who benefit from a stable framework that helps them plan, invest, and operate with greater confidence. LM: What aspects of USMCA are you the most focused on, with the Joint Review coming up soon? Williams: For DHL, our focus is on helping customers build resilient supply chains and maintain efficient cross-border flows. We pay close attention to areas that affect customs processes, regulatory predictability, and overall supply chain continuity. Any measures that reduce friction and complexity help sustain the highly integrated regional supply chains that businesses rely on every day. Our role is to help customers prepare for change rather than react to it. From an operational standpoint, our priority is helping customers stress-test their supply chains with scenario mapping, evaluate potential impacts of policy changes, and identify the best responses. LM: What types of things would you like to see in USMCA that are needed, or missing, in your opinion? Williams: At DHL our focus is not on prescribing cross-border trade policy. Our priority is having a clear understanding of trade policies so that we can help customers navigate customs coordination, design their networks, develop sourcing and inventory strategies, and identify opportunities for growth and efficiency. Trade policies that help goods to move efficiently across borders, while reducing friction and complexity, enable companies to plan, invest, and expand with confidence. From a logistics perspective, predictability is often just as important as policy outcomes. Businesses can adapt to change when the rules are clear. Frameworks that promote efficient customs coordination, transparent processes, and smooth cross-border movement help companies of all sizes participate more effectively in regional trade and keep North America's supply chains competitive. This is especially important in a region where trade flows are deeply interconnected across all three countries. LM: Were the USMCA not to be renewed—and the U.S. entered into separate trade deals with Mexico and Canada—how much of a difference/impact would that be, in terms of operations, and why? Williams: At DHL, we often say that “trade is like water, it always finds a way.” Companies will continue to do business across North America, but moving from a trilateral framework to separate bilateral agreements could add complexity for cross-border operations, particularly around customs, compliance, sourcing, and transportation planning. No matter the outcome of the joint review, DHL’s role remains the same: to help customers understand policy changes, adjust their networks as needed, and keep goods moving as efficiently as possible.