Logistics platform Flexport has expanded its presence in Canada with the opening of a new office in Toronto.

The Toronto office — in which 15 team members will be based — will serve as Felxport's hub in eastern Canada, as well as complementing the company's existing presence in Vancouver.

Flexport said the opening of its Toronto office “comes at a crucial juncture where backlogs and shipping delays have led to a spike in costs for shippers, and small- and medium-sized businesses are struggling to keep inventory stable”.

In light of this, the Toronto office will support small- and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) that have been “disproportionately impacted” by these supply chain challenges and disruptions.

John Tory, mayor of Toronto, commented: “A lasting impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on foreign and domestic firms has been the re-evaluation of supply chains. Flexport creates an opportunity to optimize our regional supply chain capacity, playing a role in both the recovery and future-proofing of the Toronto Region’s economy.

“We are pleased to welcome Flexport to Toronto and are thankful for their support of our mission to help Canadian businesses reinvent and restructure their trade operations to respond to an ever-changing global market.”

Verity Sylvester, co-founder and chief operating officer of office furniture retailer Branch, and user of Flexport's platform, added: “From working with ocean freight to handling customs and insurance, Flexport's platform has created transparency that we, and more importantly, our customers appreciate.

“In this incredibly challenging time for shipping, knowing where my product is at all times is extremely valuable.”

Also this week, across the Atlantic, Flexport appointed Jaap de Mots into the role of general manager, Scandinavia.

With eight years of experience in the sector, de Mots joins Flexport from container operator and shipping giant Maersk.

De Mots' previous roles at Maersk include managing trade and product within Latin America and developing the carrier's digital offering for ocean logistics.

In his new role at Flexport, de Mots will be responsible for growing the company's s client base in Scandinavia. He will also report to Jan van Casteren, Head of Europe, Flexport.

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