A balance between costs and certainties. By Juan Pablo Hadwa, Commercial Director of Logisfashion Chile – G5Noticias

In recent years, the logistics sector in Chile has faced important economic challenges that have directly impacted the structure of operational costs. One of the most relevant aspects has been the sustained increase in common expenses, especially in terms of security, a phenomenon that deserves a detailed analysis to understand its future causes and projections.

According to industry figures, common expenses have registered an increase close to 30% from 2019 to date. This upward trend has caused these costs to represent between 10% and 16% of the lease fee, without considering basic services such as electricity and water, which have also experienced significant increases in their rates.

By carefully analyzing this situation, it is evident that the most decisive element in this increase has undoubtedly been the cost associated with security. If before the pandemic security represented between 25% and 30% of the total common expenses, today this proportion has climbed to 35% and 40%. This change reflects a necessary prioritization of protection aspects in logistics operations against a scenario of growing insecurity in the country.

It is worth asking then: what has caused this increase in security costs? Mainly, the increase in organized robberies to logistics and merchandise centers in transit, as well as the greatest sophistication of criminal gangs, which now focus on high value products such as electronics and pharmaceuticals. This complex reality has forced the industry to strengthen its protection systems through greater endowments of more specialized guards, implementation of advanced surveillance technologies, and the hiring of insurance with higher premiums.

However, it would be a mistake to attribute the rise in common expenses only to the security factor. Beyond this aspect, other elements have contributed significantly to the increase in the sector. The accumulated inflation in this period has been a transverse component, affecting the maintenance costs to the salary of the personnel. Likewise, the implementation of new technologies and health protocols after the pandemic has required additional investments that have inevitably moved to these expenses.

Particularly notable has been the increase in energy costs, which has played a determining role in this equation, directly affecting an intensive sector in electrical consumption such as logistics. The need to maintain continuous operations in increasingly automated distribution centers implies considerable energy consumption, which has been pressed by the sustained rise in rates, thus creating a multiplier effect on the general cost structure.

Given this complex panorama, it is worth asking about future perspectives. Looking towards the medium term, we project that these costs will continue to increase, although at a more moderate rate, estimated between 5% and 8% per year during the next 2-3 years. This trend will be mainly driven by the continuous professionalization of security services and the need for constant technological update required by the sector to stay competitive in an increasingly challenging environment.

However, not all the horizon is gloomy. There is a base that the greatest efficiency of the new systems ends up stabilizing costs towards 2027-2028, especially if the general safety conditions in the country improve, which is something that the entire industry yearns and for what actively works in collaboration with authorities and other relevant actors of the national logistics ecosystem.

In this context of constant transformation, the real challenge for the logistics industry does not simply lies in absorbing or transferring these additional costs, but in completely reconfiguring the value equation for customers. The reality is overwhelming: in an environment of growing uncertainty, what companies demand from their logistics partners is not only competitive price, but mainly operational certainty.

We must be closer to customers with an offer that combines effective security without necessarily meaning higher prices. Instead, we can deliver greater certainty in the midst of a panorama marked by volatility and risk. This implies developing personalized solutions, taking advantage of operational synergies and, above all, building relationships of trust based on transparency and mutual commitment.

The value proposition must go beyond the simple product custody. Those of us who operate in this sector must position ourselves as strategic partners that guarantee not only the physical security of the products, but also the operational tranquility that allows our customers to focus on their central business. This comprehensive service approach, combined with technological innovation and operational efficiency, will allow us to navigate together for these challenging times without compromising competitiveness or service quality.