Flexport slashes delivery times with first overseas warehouses
The San Francisco-based provider opens facilities in Mississauga and Manchester to cut cross-border delays for 13,000.
Flexport has taken its fulfilment network international, opening its first non-US operations in Mississauga, Canada, and Manchester, UK, as tariffs and customs enforcement tighten across North American supply chains.
Announced on Tuesday, the expansion allows customers to store inventory closer to end consumers in two markets where they already sell. The Canadian facility, near Toronto Pearson International Airport, holds Health Canada certifications for medical products, supplements and consumer goods. Inbound receiving began in July, with the first outbound customer orders set to ship September.
The UK operations run through two partner-managed sites in Manchester, both equipped with AutoStore automated storage and retrieval systems. These systems use robots travelling across grids of stacked bins to deliver inventory to workers, reducing the required floor space to roughly one-quarter of traditional warehouse configurations.
Flexport founder and CEO Ryan Petersen said the move addresses long-standing demand from customers who had built sales in Canada and the UK but lacked efficient fulfilment options. “Our customers built demand in Canada and the UK long before they had a good way to serve it,” he stated. “Flexport customers using freight through fulfilment in the US have seen tangible efficiencies and cost savings with end-to-end logistics.”
Flexport’s expansion comes as importers face heightened scrutiny from US Customs and US Customs and Border Protection. In an August 19 webinar on “Tariff Trends 2026,” Customs Director Marcus Eeman Eeman and Trade Advisory Director Jenn Park Park highlighted shifting enforcement priorities. “Maybe the chaos of the last few years is mostly focused around tariffs,” he said.
What this means for shippers and retailers: Flexport
By holding inventory domestically, companies can reduce cross-border shipping times and avoid delays at customs. This is particularly valuable for time-sensitive sectors like e-commerce, pharmaceuticals and perishable goods. The Mississauga facility’s Health Canada certifications, for example, enable seamless storage and distribution of regulated products such as medical devices and dietary supplements.
The AutoStore systems in Manchester provide another layer of efficiency. By automating storage and retrieval, Flexport can process orders faster and with fewer errors than traditional warehouses. The reduced floor space requirement also lowers operational costs, a benefit that could be passed on to customers in the form of lower fulfilment fees. Flexport estimates that the technology allows the same volume of goods to be stored in just 25% of the space needed by conventional warehousing methods.
Flexport’s logistics network, which serves over 13,000 companies, integrates air, ocean, truck and rail transportation with customs brokerage and fulfilment services. This end-to-end approach simplifies supply chain management for businesses, allowing them to manage freight, customs and order fulfilment through a single platform. Customers can continue using their existing Flexport account teams and freight relationships while benefiting from local inventory storage and faster order processing.
The expansion also positions Flexport to capitalise on growing demand for nearshoring and regional supply chains. As companies seek to reduce reliance on distant manufacturing hubs, local fulfilment centres become increasingly valuable. Flexport’s move into Canada and the UK reflects this trend, offering businesses a way to serve North American and European markets more efficiently.
Looking ahead, Flexport plans to extend its fulfilment network to continental Europe in 2027. The company already maintains freight and customs operations across the region, providing a foundation for future expansion. As tariffs and trade policies continue to evolve, Flexport’s integrated logistics model could offer a competitive edge to businesses navigating an increasingly complex global trade environment.
For now, the focus remains on optimising operations in Canada and the UK. The Mississauga facility is already processing inbound shipments, with outbound orders set to begin September. In Manchester, the two partner-run sites are fully operational, leveraging AutoStore technology to maximise efficiency. As these operations ramp up, Flexport aims to deliver on its promise of faster, more cost-effective fulfilment for businesses on both sides of the Atlantic.
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