Take the time to confirm your HTS codes before importing. U.S. Customs’ system of classification can be very complicated, and the HTS codes advised by suppliers are not always accurate or match the U.S. classification system 100%. A full cost for imported goods can only be known with the correct HTS codes.
Keep potential exams in mind when thinking about the transit time, for ocean shipments particularly. An exam can take a week or more, and could be caused by any importer on an LCL consolidation, or a container could be simply selected at random. If goods are time-sensitive, air shipping part or all of the order could save money in the long run.
Be sure your broker or import forwarder is made aware of all ocean imports well in advance of departure from overseas. An Importer Security Filing (ISF) must be filed timely! Liquidated damages for ISF start at $5,000 for failure to file an ISF, $5,000 for late ISF, $5,000 for inaccurate ISF, $5,000 for an incomplete ISF, and $5,000 for failure to withdraw an ISF. The maximum liquidated damages per ISF filing is $10,000.
Exporting Tips:
Know your Incoterms®.Incoterms can be a frustrating and confusing to understand; however many exporters do not fully understand the terms to which they are agreeing and, therefore, end up paying more or running into unexpected fees. As an exporter, you need to understand the costs, responsibilities, rights, and obligations that accompany the use of a specific Incoterm. Every quotation or sales order must include a term of sale. If you fail to clearly identify the specific Incoterm to your customer, it can lead to an overestimation or underestimation of the costs associated with the goods you are selling (and a lost sale).
Research the area to which you are selling. Selling to a new area requires you to keep an open mind. Knowing the market you will be putting your product into can alleviate a lot of the stress with exporting. What currency do they use? What is the local tax or VAT (value-added tax) system? What is the business culture, and/or local culture? When are their holidays or weekends observed?
Do your paperwork. Know that each country has its own set of importing regulations that require different licenses and customs paperwork. Some countries will require certain stamping, legalizations, or original documents, while others simply accept copies. These vary from country to country, region to region, and with specific commodities.
Most Important Tip:
Work with an experienced and reputable freight forwarder. An international freight forwarder acts as an agent on your behalf and assists in moving your shipment from its U.S. origin to its foreign destination. Capable freight forwarders are familiar with the import rules and regulations of foreign countries, U.S. import and export regulations, methods of shipping, and required documentation. They can assist you in preparing pricing quotations by providing freight costs, port charges, documentation fees, insurance costs, and handling fees. They can also recommend packaging methods and transportation modes that will best protect your products during transport and ensure they arrive when and where you need them.
Ready to take us up on tip #7? If yes, then click the button below to get started.
What’s your most pressing logistics challenge? How much time and money are you spending on logistics? Are you measuring the total cost of your freight management activities? Through a “prepaid-and-add” approach, are your vendors charging you more for shipping than you realize for your purchased (inbound) goods? In addition to outbound and inbound freight charges, are you considering order preparation time, time-to-quote, personnel costs, owned-assets versus outsourced assets, inventory carrying costs, loss and damage claims, and insurance costs?
While these questions are not always easily answered, asking them is fundamental to successful P&L management. Outsourcing some or all of your transportation to a logistics company – one like Logistics Plus, which provides the required expertise, people, capacity, warehousing and IT systems – may help convert some of those high fixed costs into reduced variable costs.
Logistics Plus Inc. is a leading worldwide provider of transportation and logistics solutions. We have 20 years of experience helping companies, both large and small, reduce transportation expenses and improve their supply chains. General Electric (GE), one of the largest and most successful companies in the world, was our very first customer. Today they top a list of diverse companies that span manufacturing, retail, solar, energy, aviation, food and beverage, and many other industries.
We’ve been named one of the fastest-growing transportation and logistics companies in the country by Inc. magazine; we’ve been recognized as a top employer based in northwestern Pennsylvania; Transport Topics magazine named us a top 50 freight brokerage firm; SupplyChainBrain magazine named us a 2015 Great Supply Chain Partner; and this year Supply & Demand Chain Executive magazine recognized us on their SDCE 100 list for completing a top supply chain project.
If our services are good for companies like GE, we think there’s a good chance they’ll be good for your company too; which is why we we invite you to learn more about our solutions. But what really sets us apart is our people. We’ve developed a reputation as being the “can-do” company. Our people put the “Plus” in logistics by doing the big things properly, and the countless little things, that together ensure your satisfaction and success.
As a possible first step, tell the experts here at Logistics Plus your most pressing logistics challenge, and we’ll use our passion for excellence to go to work and design a solution that’s customized for you and your business.
Since July 2014, Alex Wagner has been serving as the head personal fitness trainer for Logistics Plus employees (see video below). Having a fully-equipped fitness center at the Logistics Plus global headquarters at the historic Union Station in Erie, PA is a nice perk for the company’s 100+ employees that work at this location (one of more than 40 around the world). But having a fitness center is of little value if there is no one on-site with the expertise to coach and inspire employees to work out correctly and safely.
That’s where Alex comes in. Five-days a week, and just about every hour throughout the day, Alex works one-on-one with Logistics Plus employees to develop and execute personalized training plans using a variety exercises modeled after the CrossFit fitness regime. Prior to joining Logistic Plus, Alex was a member of the United States Air Force (USAF). Having completed his full-time tour-of-duty in February 2014, Alex has remained a member of the armed force reserves ever since.
A few weeks ago, Jim Berlin, founder and CEO of Logistics Plus, allowed Alex an excused leave-of-absence to pursue a new level of service to our country: Enrollment in the USAF “Phoenix RAVEN” Special Armed Forces Program, which Alex successfully completed this past week! The intensive two-week, 12-hour-a-day Phoenix RAVEN program qualifies selected Security Forces personnel to perform as members of a force protection team assigned to deploy with DoD aircraft to austere environments. Students are trained to perform as teams to detect, deter, and counter threats to personnel and aircraft at deployed locations by performing close-in aircraft security and advising aircrew on force protection measures. In addition, the program prepares students to perform anti-hijacking duties on select missions.
After program completion, unit program managers sustain a high level of preparedness for the Ravens through intense physical training, realistic use-of-force scenarios and written and practical evaluations. Additional courses in geographic/cultural orientation offered by the Air Force Special Operations Command are provided to increase members’ awareness of cultural areas they frequently transit on missions. Combat survival and additional aircrew-specific training have been recently added to meet theater aircrew requirements.
The first Ravens graduated in February 1997. Since then, more than 2,200 USAF security forces have graduated from the Phoenix Raven program. Graduates from the program also include members of the Army, Navy, Coast Guard and Federal Air Marshal Service. Upon graduation, Air Force Ravens are issued a lifetime numeric identifier for their accomplishment.
Congratulations Alex! We are very proud of your accomplishment and your ongoing service to our country!
Warehousing and fulfillment is an increasingly critical aspect of business. By managing the flow of goods through the supply chain, you can effectively control costs, limit exposure to over-stocked inventory, manage cash flows and also streamline transportation. For small startup companies looking to establish a presence in a strategic market or large companies looking to seize opportunity in new areas, or any others in between, third-party logistics (3PL) providers give options that allow businesses to scale efficiently.
Does it make sense for your business to outsource? Here are 5 key reasons to outsource warehousing and fulfillment to a 3PL provider.
Flexibility. Utilizing a 3PL warehousing and fulfillment provider allows you the flexibility to set up and scale your distribution model as business demands shift. You can more easily grow into new markets that allow you to service your new customers. By decentralizing distribution, you can offset transportation cost increases due to rising fuel prices or other economic factors. You also have more flexibility with on-hand inventory levels. By not having to justify the cost of filling an entire building, you are able to maintain more appropriate levels of stock and replenish on an as-needed basis. You can also better account for inventory fluctuations due to demand or seasonality.
Consolidation. A 3PL will provide inventory and transportation consolidation benefits. By housing your inventory under the roof of a 3PL warehouse provider, you allow for multiple shipments to be shipped in a more economical manner than might be possible otherwise. In addition, 3PL providers often have deep discounts with many transportation providers to further help reduce costs.
Expertise. Proven processes and industry knowledge are key strategic benefits to utilizing a 3PL provider. A process-driven warehousing provider can be a key strategic partner to a business. The difference between warehousing and distributing your products with correct versus incorrect processes can be the determining factor in whether or not you ultimately serve your customer. It can also determine whether or not you might be able to win the customer in the first place. An experienced 3PL partner is able to pass on value-adding benefits that help reduce your costs, drive up your efficiency and allow you to focus on your core business.
WMS and TMS Solutions. Leveraging a 3PL that has strong technology solutions means you can level the playing field without investing hundreds of thousands of dollars in systems and IT infrastructure. Powerful WMS (warehouse management system) and TMS (transportation management system) capabilities can add huge value to your company. These systems allow for real-time access to detailed inventory information and allow you to forecast upcoming trends. They provide you with instant rate shopping, rate analysis and shipping functionality through a web-based interface. You are even able to leverage these system capabilities across to your customer base directly, giving your company a huge competitive advantage in the market.
Reduced Fixed Costs. Upfront capital expenditures to acquire warehousing space and infrastructure are huge. A building, racking, staff, fork trucks and lifts, WMS/TMS, conveyors, etc., are just some of the initial investments that easily drive costs into the millions and can cripple cash flows. Spreading out to additional locations grows this exponentially. A 3PL can scale its operations to address your fluctuations in demand, and will allow you the ability to easily forecast the landed cost of each of your products. It also allows you to more effectively spread this cost to the actual sale of the product by significantly reducing the upfront capital costs.
A fully integrated 3PL warehousing and fulfillment strategy allows you to utilize an expert to manage this important aspect of your supply chain. A 3PL provider should be able to provide a road map to how you can most effectively build and maintain your inventory. The provider should be rooted in providing flexible solutions that fit your strategy, technology to allow you all levels of information, process development to drive efficiency and cost reduction, and have the fiscal sense to help you maximize your transportation dollar. Ultimately, having a 3PL provider as a strategic business partner can be the best decision a company can make. Logistics Plus is ready to be your partner.
New facilities in Kenya, Uganda, and South Sudan will now fly the Logistics Plus banner
ERIE, Pa. (November 1, 2016) – Logistics Plus Inc., a leading worldwide provider of transportation, logistics and supply chain solutions, is proud to announce it has an expanded presence in East Africa with four new locations in Nairobi and Mombasa, Kenya; Kampala, Uganda; and Juba, South Sudan. The expansion will allow the Company to provide additional logistics and warehousing solutions in Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan, and throughout the entire East Africa corridor, including Burundi, Tanzania, Somalia, and eastern DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo).
Highlighted capabilities include:
Largest fleet of 1,300 trucks in East Africa, all fitted with tracking devices for real-time positioning.
Customs Clearance licenses in all countries.
90,000 square feet of warehousing space in Nairobi.
79-acre Inland Container Depot (ICD) adjacent to the Mombasa port – the only ICD with direct road and gate access to the port.
70,000 cubic meters (2.4 million cubic feet) of bonded and general warehousing space in Mombasa.
8,000 twenty-foot equivalents (TEUs) of storage area at the Mombasa port at any point in time.
Licenses to operate its own airplanes.
15-acres of bonded and general warehousing space in Kampala.
ICD at Kampala can accommodate 4,000 TEUs at any point in time.
300-acre facility in Special Economic Zone in Juba with its own transportation yard and Container Freight Station (CFS).
“These expanded capabilities in East Africa provide a nice complement to our already extensive presence in northern Africa and the Middle East,” said Jim Berlin, founder and CEO of Logistics Plus. “The East Africa Community is an integral part of the African economy. Lim Siew Hua, our director of operations and business development for the Middle East and Africa, and her entire team, have been doing a great job representing and expanding the Logistics Plus banner and our trademark services to these important and developing areas of the world.”
About Logistics Plus Inc. Logistics Plus Inc. provides freight transportation, warehousing, global logistics, and supply chain management solutions through a worldwide network of talented and caring professionals. Founded in Erie, PA by local entrepreneur, Jim Berlin, 20 years ago, Logistics Plus is a fast-growing and award-winning transportation and logistics company. With a strong passion for excellence, its 400+ employees put the “Plus” in logistics by doing the big things properly, and the countless little things, that together ensure complete customer satisfaction and success.
The Logistics Plus® network includes offices located in Erie, PA; Alma, AR; Little Rock, AR; Los Angeles, CA; Riverside, CA; San Francisco, CA; Visalia, CA; Atlanta, GA; Chicago, IL; Detroit, MI; Kansas City, MO; Charlotte, NC; Lexington, NC; Buffalo, NY; Cleveland, OH; Charleston, SC; Greenville, SC; Nashville, TN; Dallas, TX; Fort Worth, TX; Houston, TX; Laredo, TX; Madison, WI; Bahrain; Belgium; Canada; Chile; China; Colombia; Egypt; France; Germany; India; Indonesia; Kazakhstan; Kenya; Libya; Mexico; Poland; Saudi Arabia; South Sudan; Turkey; UAE; and Uganda; with additional agents around the world. For more information, visit www.logisticsplus.com or follow @LogisticsPlus on Twitter.
Logistics Plus Helps Deliver Christkindlmarket to Chicagoland
Logistics Plus named as an official partner for the 2016 Christkindlmarket Chicago and Naperville
ERIE, Pa. (October 25, 2016) – Logistics Plus Inc., a leading worldwide provider of transportation, logistics and supply chain solutions, is proud to announce that – in addition to being a supporting sponsor – it has also been selected as an official freight forwarding partner for the 2016 Christkindlmarket held in Chicago and Naperville, Illinois. Christkindlmarket is a holiday market held annually at Daley Plaza in Chicago since 1996. The festival attracts more than one million visitors each year. For the first time, the Christkindlmarket event will also be held in Naperville, a booming suburban community just outside of Chicago.
Logistics Plus is working directly with German American Events, LLC, the organizer for the event, to provide comprehensive logistical support. Logistics Plus Germany personnel, led by Heiko Mueller, will oversee the preparation of export documentation, consolidation of goods, and the shipping of numerous containers from Germany to the United States. From there, the Logistics Plus Chicago office, managed by Christian Marz, will provide participating vendors with customs clearance, warehousing, and final delivery support.
“We are thrilled to play the role of Santa Claus for the hundreds of thousands of people that will be attending Christkindlmarket this year,” said Jim Berlin, founder and CEO of Logistics Plus. “Our passion for excellence has come through once again thanks to the coordination between Christian, Heiko and their respective teams in the U.S. and Germany. Even though it’s only October, Logistics Plus elves are busy working behind the scenes to coordinate the logistics for this great event.”
About Christkindlmarket Chicago and Naperville
The Christkindlmarket Chicago and Naperville are two annual German outdoor holiday markets featuring vendors from around the world who display hand‐crafted ornaments, toys and unique holiday gifts as well as traditional German foods, sweets and beverages. Recognized as one of the largest and most authentic holiday markets outside of Europe, The Chicago and Naperville markets are rich in cultural tradition and feature fun special events, performers and activities. German American Events LLC. (GAELLC), a subsidiary of the German American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest (GACC Midwest), is excited to continue to bring this beloved holiday tradition to the Chicagoland area. Focused on the continuing mission to further, promote, and assist in the expansion of bilateral trade and investment between Germany and the United States, especially in the Midwest, GACC Midwest and GAELLC have grown and developed the Christkindlmarket Chicago since its inception in 1996. For more information on the Christkindlmarket Chicago or Naperville, please visit www.christkindlmarket.com. For more information on the German American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest, please visit www.gaccmidwest.org.
About Logistics Plus Inc. Logistics Plus Inc. provides freight transportation, warehousing, global logistics, and supply chain management solutions through a worldwide network of talented and caring professionals. Founded in Erie, PA by local entrepreneur, Jim Berlin, 20 years ago, Logistics Plus is a fast-growing and award-winning transportation and logistics company. With a strong passion for excellence, its 400+ employees put the “Plus” in logistics by doing the big things properly, and the countless little things, that together ensure complete customer satisfaction and success.
The Logistics Plus® network includes offices located in Erie, PA; Alma, AR; Little Rock, AR; Los Angeles, CA; Riverside, CA; San Francisco, CA; Visalia, CA; Atlanta, GA; Chicago, IL; Detroit, MI; Kansas City, MO; Charlotte, NC; Lexington, NC; Buffalo, NY; Cleveland, OH; Charleston, SC; Greenville, SC; Nashville, TN; Dallas, TX; Fort Worth, TX; Houston, TX; Laredo, TX; Madison, WI; Bahrain; Belgium; Canada; Chile; China; Colombia; Egypt; France; Germany; India; Indonesia; Kazakhstan; Kenya; Libya; Mexico; Poland; Saudi Arabia; South Sudan; Turkey; UAE; and Uganda; with additional agents around the world. For more information, visit www.logisticsplus.com or follow @LogisticsPlus on Twitter.
