Customs expert reviews duty rates

Senior staff ensure speedy transit times REAL SAVINGS start when you think for the client and make decisions as if you were in his business, according to Roland Raath, MD of Cargocare Freight. “We believe that, besides the obvious method of competitive transport costs like freight, handling, delivery, and clearing costs, we will take the value-added approach,” he said, “with a professional attitude to managing the client’s business.” To do this, the company uses its customs tariff expert, Dave Streak, to review duty rates being applied to clients’ shipments - whilst senior sales executives review clients’ packing methods, transit times and transport routes to reduce the previously attained transit times. “These factors,” said Raath, “impact positively on a client’s inventory costs - always a money-draining function when companies are guilty of holding excessive stock.” This is where the modern-day just-in-time (JIT) inventory management theory has been put to advantageous practical use, Raath added. “Clients in manufacturing have been pleasantly surprised with the results we have achieved,” he said. “We have assisted them by being part of their supply chain and reducing inventory costs - and, in doing so, they enjoyed the benefit of improved cashflow due to more efficient transport methods, routes and transit times.” Added to these operational checks and balances, Cargocare is equally aware of the vital need for suitable data to be available to support a client’s forward planning. “You can’t do anything without statistical backing to support your actions,” said Raath. “During this period of handling the cargo consignments, we flood the client with status reports, so as to keep him fully informed at all times.” This, he added, has an on-going impact in the logistics chain. “It enables the client to plan pro actively - and, at the same time, to keep his commitments to his own clients.”