Foreign Trade Zones Continue to Drive Local Economies

A Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) can provide a wealth of import and export benefits.  The impact on a business leveraging an FTZ can be significant with results across many areas.  Vision Consumer Products Fulfillment has extensive experience and expertise with setting up and managing a FTZ.

In this article the statistics for Foreign Trade Zone 43, located at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Port of Battle Creek, pointed to significant growth in volume in 2015.  It presents clear and objective success pointing to the impact on commerce through the utilization of a Foreign Trade Zone.

The benefits of an FTZ are clear.  The article mentions these specific points:

• Reduce or eliminate tariffs: It is not uncommon for parts or raw materials to have a higher duty rate than the final product. Within an FTZ, companies may select the lower duty rate when the product leaves the zone. Sometimes, duty is altogether eliminated.
• Delay duty: Distribution firms may warehouse imported goods for extended periods. No duty is owed to U.S. Customs until the merchandise leaves the zone. If goods are exported, no duty costs apply. There is no time limit for merchandise remaining in a zone.
• Reduce paperwork and Customs processing fees: FTZs allow a company to notify Customs about shipments on a weekly basis. With Customs approval, frequent importers using Weekly Entry procedures can accrue a substantial savings.
• Improve logistics: FTZs are considered a best practice by the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism, permitting direct delivery of containers to zones.

Many other benefits can also be explored on the Vision CPF website here.  Check them out!

Vision Consumer Products Fulfillment is a certified General Purpose Foreign Trade Zone - #276. We are members of the National Association of Foreign Trade Zones, and we’re one of the few certified General Purpose Foreign Trade Zones in the Southern California area.

If you’re looking to take advantage of the benefit of doing business in a Foreign Trade Zone, Vision Consumer Products Fulfillment can help.  Let us share with you how implementing and managing a Foreign Trade Zone warehouse, with Vision as your partner, can significantly impact your bottom line.

Vision Consumer Products Fulfillment has decades of experience and industry expertise in consumer products fulfillment services.  No matter who your customer is, we treat your customer as our own.  We know what makes a raving fan out of an individual customer, as well as what makes a business partner trust you with their business.  Call or email us to learn how.  We’re certain we’ll be the best fulfillment warehouse partner you have ever had!

www.visioncpf.com

CPFSales@VisionMediamgmt.com

Fulfillment Best Practices - The Foundation of Your Supply Chain

Technology is changing the world by the day, if not by the hour.  It’s easy to get caught up in the hype, and focus on automation, or the latest, greatest software.  But all of these are only as good as the underlying basics – best practices aren’t called that by chance.  Fulfillment best practices form the underlying foundation that allow you to take advantage of that latest technology, or utilize that cool new software package.  “A best practice is a method or technique that has consistently shown results superior to those achieved with other means, and that is used as a benchmark.”¹ Or in other words, get the basics right, and you have a strong foundation to grow on.

What, you may ask yourself, are the basics for supply chain that you should be focused on?  As Bob Trebilcock, Editor at Large for Logistics Management, discussed on 19 May 2015, inventory management rests on three main points: warehousing, transportation, and labor – Trebilcock’s “three-point stance”.² But what are the best practices for these areas?  And how do you implement them?  This is where a 3PL partner can lead the way.  A great 3PL will be operating on best practices – they improve their efficiency and profitability, and that translates to better operations for their clients.  Talk to Vision today, to learn how you can leverage our best practices and fulfillment excellence.

Vision Consumer Products Fulfillment has decades of experience and industry expertise in consumer products fulfillment services.  No matter who your customer is, we treat your customer as our own.  We know what makes a raving fan out of an individual customer, as well as what makes a business partner trust you with their business.  Call or email us to learn how.  We’re certain we’ll be the best fulfillment warehouse partner you have ever had!

http://visioncpf.com

CPFSales@VisionMediamgmt.com

¹ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Best_practice

²http://www.logisticsmgmt.com/article/supply_chain_management_remember_the_three_point_stance/blogs

Why Use a 3PL Provider?

A common question for businesses who handle their own warehouse and shipping is, “why should I use a 3PL provider?”  One very strong reason is the advancements in technology.  “…many respected 3PLs use software developed by other firms to help run their businesses, and run them well. But some 3PLs have brought the technology expertise in-house, creating their own systems for transportation management, business analytics, and other key functions.”¹  For shippers large and small, utilizing the logistics technology of a 3PL partner can deliver value. For smaller companies, this means being able to access cutting-edge tech they might not be able to afford otherwise. For larger companies, this allows you to focus your resources on your core mission. 

So what logistics technology can you leverage through your 3PL partner?  Start with electronic data interchange (EDI) and data dashboards tracking product quantity, shipping cost, and scheduling. Systems that optimize every aspect of a shipment can directly contribute to your bottom line.  Varying degrees of control are available, allowing complete outsourcing, direct management of transactions or a blend that focuses on your key concerns.  A great 3PL partner can combine that cutting-edge logistics technology with the expertise to maximize the return on its use.  Talk to Vision, and let us help you leverage our logistics technologies and expertise.

Vision Consumer Products Fulfillment has decades of experience and industry expertise in consumer products fulfillment services.  No matter who your customer is, we treat your customer as our own.  We know what makes a raving fan out of an individual customer, as well as what makes a business partner trust you with their business.  Call or email us to learn how.  We’re certain we’ll be the best fulfillment warehouse partner you have ever had!

http://visioncpf.com

CPFSales@VisionMediamgmt.com

¹ http://www.inboundlogistics.com/cms/article/3pls-put-technology-front-and-center/