The type of warehousing you’ll need depends on what you, the importer, want to do with your goods once you receive them – either a bonded warehouse or free trade zone (FTZ) warehouse. The logistics ins and outs of setting up and maintaining an FTZ and customs bonded warehouse require significant planning and forward-thinking supply chain strategies (complicated paperwork, bonded trucker connections and much more) offered by a 3PL like Commercial warehousing.
Bringing materials or goods into our foreign or free trade zone (FTZ) facility provides flexibility not offered in other areas. You will not have to go through customs until your product leaves the FTZ bound for US distribution. In other words, you don’t have to pay taxes on what you bring in until you take it out of the warehouse for distribution in the US. If you export directly from the FTZ, you don’t have to pay taxes or duties at all.
Importers may store merchandise in a FTZ warehouse for as long as needed and may do a variety of things with it while it remains there. You may destroy product or materials, mix items, re-package, assemble goods or even manufacture within the FTZ. Another benefit is consolidation of your entries.
Consolidation of your entries, pooling them into one load for distribution rather than bringing multiple smaller shipments through customs, also results in fewer merchandise processing fees (MPFs) from customs brokers. MPFs are determined and paid when your product leaves the FTZ, bound for US distribution.
Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you find the best fitting warehouse solutions for your business.