eMacomb - Upcoming Events, Spring 2016

Foreign-Trade Zone in Warren offers substantial savings on import/export activity

Does your company regularly import or export materials or goods? Did you know that utilizing a Foreign-Trade Zone (FTZ) can help to minimize costs and staff resources?

FTZs were created by the U.S. Congress to facilitate international trade and enhance the global competitiveness of U.S. companies. With restricted access, an FTZ is treated by U.S. Customs as if it is located outside the United States. This may mean that U.S. import duties do not have to be paid on imported components coming into your plant for assembly. If you are importing a finished product, it may be possible to choose to pay the often less expensive or duty-free finished product duty rate as opposed to the component duty rate.

In addition, if a company re-exports the finished product, it is not charged duty fees on the component materials. Other potential savings include avoiding duties on imported materials that become scrap as well as a host of administrative savings and efficiencies. If your company is paying an average of $485 or more per week in merchandise processing fees, you might want to consider utilizing a FTZ.

TVI Logistics is a Warren company that operates Macomb County’s only public FTZ. Its services include:

Deferral, reduction, and elimination of customs duties and taxes
Optimized customs transaction/consolidated, expedited clearances
Manufacturing of goods onsite for duties and tax benefits including inspection, assembly, sorting, sequencing and re-packaging
Inventory management and analysis
Full warehousing, fulfillment and global distribution services

The company recently formed a partnership with RUSH Trucking to provide OEM, Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers with additional transportation and supply chain management services.

TVI Logistics is a woman/minority/service disabled veteran-owned enterprise that was founded in 1992 by Constance Blair. Blair is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and served during the Vietnam War. After her service, Blair worked as a consultant in management, marketing and designs and served as liaison at the Pentagon between U.S. Army and Air Force staff as well as Department of Defense officials. She supported the Army Mobilization and Readiness Division and has a solid history in the area of logistics, transportation and inventory control.

The company has been widely recognized as a top business by INC Magazine and Diversity Business and was recently named the 2016 “Best Warehouse & Distribution Management Company in Michigan” by Acquisition International’s Global Mobility, Immigration & Logistics Awards.

“Tell me about your needs, and we will build a customized logistics solution that will save you money and time,” said Blair.

The department is pleased to offer an opportunity for area companies to learn more about TVI and its services at an upcoming workshop. The event will feature business leaders who are already using FTZ services as well as trade experts from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Baker Tilly and KPMG.

The workshop will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. on Wednesday, May 18 at TVI Logistics in Warren. Click here to register for the workshop.