Ford’s division in Colombia has opened a new parts distribution centre at the port of Cartagena de Indias, operated for it by 3PL Almaviva.

Ford says the 3,000 sq.m facility – which is located at the Cartagena Container Terminal (Contecar) and complements another facility in the capital, Bogota – will speed up collection and distribution of vehicle components by around 40%.

The centre will store and distribute parts and components originating mainly from Brazil, India, Mexico, Thailand and the US, and can process around 40 inbound containers a month, the equivalent of 180,000 parts.

The new site and the Bogota facility will now stock around a million parts between them.

Juan Camilo Samacá, president of Almaviva, said: “In search of new challenges, innovation, market strengthening, improvements to the service experience and aggressive expansion plans ­– pillars that both companies share – today we are starting a new stage in advanced logistics. We expect to supply 3,000 outlets operated by and administered by Almaviva in both the local market and that of Latin America.”