Bio-Safe Truck Wash Now Open in Pharr

Cleans and Sanitizes the Inside of Truck Containers

By Roberto Hugo Gonzalez

- Advertisement -

As originally published by Texas Border Business newsprint edition June 2019

Bio-Safe Truck Wash in Pharr celebrated its official ribbon-cutting ceremony on May 25, 2019. Pharr city officials gathered in the company of Joaquin Spamer, owner and operator of the one-of-a-kind service that promises to avoid dangerous cross-contamination inside the truck containers. 

Rebecca Arizmendi, president of the Pharr Chamber of Commerce, said, “Mr. Spamer, thank you for choosing the City of Pharr and continuing to do business in the city… I know our Mayor supports you 100% and we appreciate all the work that you do here.”

- Advertisement -

She invited Pharr Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez, M.D. to the podium. He said, “I feel like this is a revolving door with you, Mr. Spamer and your new projects that will be coming.” He continued, “The City of Pharr is genuinely happy with you, and here we are like always, as a family. We work with the private sector, not to compete against it. We support you because the more work you do, the more business…. the more business, the more sale taxes for the city, clearly.”

Mayor Hernandez noted that the Bio-Safe Truck Wash location is strategic; it is just a few steps from the bridge. He said, “That’s one reason they are number one. You can’t be number one without people like you, Mr. Spamer. People with the capacity and the endurance to get something done, the true definition of a leader, you as well as your family. Pharr will always be here to help in your endeavors. We are proud of your success.”

Joaquin Spamer said, “I do want to tell you that many times we lose perspective about what we are doing or about what we have. When someone in Ohio buys a kilo of tomato or a kilo of avocado, that person does not know the amount of effort, time, money, and dedication it took from the people in this gathering, for that product to arrive at his or her hands.” He emphasized the three conditions that must always abide in the transportation of perishables, and that is food safety, cold chain, and safety. 

“In this celebration, we have produce companies, and Mexican and American customs brokers. We also have bankers, without whom we wouldn’t survive. We have my dearest friend, Elio Botello from the Warehouse Kingdom. All of them contribute to making it possible for that tomato to be where it is supposed to be.” 

- Advertisement -

Spamer added, “We wouldn’t be able to do it if we didn’t have a city government that has a clear vision of becoming the most important port of entry of Mexican produce in the United States.” He also pointed out that the City of Pharr decided to invest money, time, and effort to fix problems of time required by the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)“If it weren’t for the City of Pharr, every single one of us would struggle to cross the trucks everyday.”

Spamer spoke about a state law that passed, where it is mentioned the state is responsible for the payment of a portion of the Bridge officers’ wages. He said, “Well, this law was about to be dismissed. Fortunately, Luis Bazan, director of the Pharr Bridge, saved it because he got there on time and spoke eloquently. That is a vision. That is support. Support from a city that is ready to work alongside us and shows it, not only says it.” He said, “What we do here is a tiny part of the process.”

The new business that Spamer just opened to the public is Bio-Safe Truck Wash, offers a sanitizing process for the inside of the containers. The importance of maintaining food safe from contaminating elements is paramount.

He said that the Pharr bridge is the point from where Mexico gets most of its imported meat. “That meat usually has liquids that spill within the containers. Later those refrigerated containers come back to the U.S. loaded with perishables, with a high risk of contaminating the load, or simply by mishandling the meat boxes.”

He pointed out that the Bio-Safe is a five-minute process called “Baño-Safe. It cleans and sanitizes the truck containers on the inside. According to Spamer, this is now demanded by the law of the Food Service Modernization Act (FSMA). Every single person or company who wants to send cargo to the north of the United States has to use this Baño-Safe at least 24 hours prior to departure. 

In this case, the shipper has to maintain its record of clean boxes. He said, “That is why we acquire the services of an independent qualifier. He certifies that the process is done correctly and according to the FSMA law,” Spamer finalized. 

- Advertisement -