AIT Customs Brokerage Helps Fiberglass Manufacturer Cut Duties in Half

Published on: Apr 24, 2019

The Challenge

A Texas-based manufacturer of pultruded and molded fiberglass had been regularly importing fiberglass panels from China as part of their core business activities. However, the company’s customs broker was insisting that the panels had to be classified as articles of plastic. This costlier classification meant a 29.8% duty rather than a 14.3% duty for imports classified as articles of fiberglass. Despite the broker’s objections, the company representatives were certain the materials could be classified differently.
 

The Solution

During an unrelated meeting with an AIT station manager, the owner of the fiberglass company expressed frustration with their customs clearance process. Knowing AIT could help, the station manager arranged a meeting between the company rep and AIT’s director of customs brokerage. 

The customs brokerage team approached the situation with the assumption that the customer would have the best knowledge about their own materials and products. The team asked relevant questions to hone in on the customer’s requirements. During the conversation, the team discovered that the company also imported the same goods from Mexico using the preferred fiberglass classification code. After listening and gaining an understanding, the team knew they could help.

AIT’s experienced customs brokerage specialists began handling the clearance responsibilities for the new customer’s ocean imports almost immediately. The team now helps to ensure that all required documentation is completed in an accurate and timely manner while providing rapid clearance, even if the shipment happens to arrive on a Saturday or Sunday. The customer enjoys visibility of their inbound goods by using the proprietary MyAIT portal where important shipment milestones and customs documents are accessible in an instant.
 

The Result

With assistance from AIT’s customs clearance team, the fiberglass manufacturer’s ocean imports are now arriving with the proper classification. By acting as a consultant to provide solutions and options that fulfill the customer’s needs, AIT is helping the customer save money with every shipment since the duties for the correct classification are 50% less.