At the base of Cerro El Epazote, in the semi-arid and mountainous terrain of Hidalgo, lies one of Costco’s largest distribution centers in Mexico. Spanning more than 43,000 square meters, this logistics giant comes alive daily as hundreds of trucks load and unload tons of goods through its 500-plus docks. These docks open and close with precision, orchestrating a constant flow of products from warehouse shelves to over 40 stores serving nearly six million members nationwide.

Warehouses with multiple docks or loading bays are indispensable for logistics efficiency. These connection points enable a steady flow of goods, reducing loading and unloading times. The more docks a facility has, the greater its capacity to handle large volumes, thus optimizing the supply chain.

In Mexico, two-thirds of industrial warehouses have loading bays, according to SiiLA Market Analytics. Most have 12 docks, but nearly a third exceed this number, and only 1%—primarily logistics and distribution centers—feature over 100 docks.

Which companies belong to this elite 1%? Alongside Costco and its facility in Parque Industrial Tepeji del Río, Hidalgo, giants such as Walmart, Estafeta, and Chedraui also make the list. Walmart operates two distribution centers: one in El Salto, Jalisco, and another in San Martín Obispo Industrial Zone, State of Mexico, each covering over 40,000 square meters and equipped with more than 300 docks. Estafeta’s hub in O’Donnell La Laguna, State of Mexico, spans over 24,000 square meters and nearly 300 docks, while Chedraui’s facility in the State of Mexico measures almost 59,000 square meters with about 200 docks.

These examples highlight how large-scale operations require specialized logistics infrastructure to meet their needs. Many of these companies in Mexico opt for build-to-suit warehouses to meet their operational demands, including the number of docks, location, and size. This explains why build-to-suit warehouses often come fully equipped from the start, unlike speculative warehouses, which often feature more than 70% of their docks as knock-out doors (pre-perforated openings) that can be adapted based on tenant needs.

This specificity also clarifies why single tenants occupy 80% of warehouses with docks.