Every day, Willson International operates with one goal in mind — to ensure things move back and forth across the Canada-U.S. border as smoothly as possible.
The customs brokerage company has been doing that for 100 years. That’s significant in itself, but Willson International operates in an economic sector which was far different a century ago.
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Peter Willson, the company’s chair and CEO, said technology has played the biggest role in the evolution of Willson International.
“We used to have [to] maintain offices at each border point that manage the flow of goods across that border point. A lot of that is handled electronically,” he said, adding the volume of goods being transported across the border has dramatically increased over time.
Willson also said he hopes the Gordie Howe bridge will have a significant impact on what his company does, adding it is “ludicrous for such a vital trade corridor as the Ambassador Bridge to be in private hands.”
“I think having a binational commission that’s in control of that important point is a necessity,” said Willson.