Importing laser from China did you get a customs broker.

[Clark Pace]

So for those of you who purchased factory direct did you have it shipped to a sea port. then did you use a customer broker? How did you get it to your location.

[Kev Williams]

YES on the broker- Whoever sold you the machine should be hooking you up with one-
There's a bunch of forms- ISF forms, bill of lading, commercial invoices- that have to be taken care of, the broker does all that- plus, they take care of the arrangements once it gets here to get it to you.

I suppose you could do it all yourself if you're familiar with how to deal with customs and all that, I sure wasn't! I was late getting forms to the broker and was getting told I could face a $5000 fine if the ship left without the paperwork getting taken care of!

That all aside, it was a pretty smooth process. The brokers let me know when it hit stateside, and when it was on the truck to my place, and where they delivered it (my machine was too big for a liftgate, so it went to a storage place where I had to pick it up). The broker's fees were just south of a grand, but it's just part of the process...

Again, whoever sold you the machine should be arranging a broker for you, as they should send you the paperwork that you have to send to the broker.

[Gary Hair]

I had a broker as well. I really didn't want to deal with the paperwork and it was worth whatever they charged to ensure it was all done right.

[David Somers]

Clark.

You can definitely do it yourself but you really need to have a clue as to what is needed.

When I bought my laser and CNC from Liaocheng Ray Fine I used a broker here in Seattle. If I had asked them to Liaocheng would have found me a broker or used one of theirs who has contacts here in Seattle.

I used Airportbrokers.com here in Seattle. They were great to work with. Everything went without a hitch and except for some Dept of agriculture codes needed for the laser (dont ask me why DOA was involved in a laser. I guess it is considered a crop? <grin>) Anyway....once they worked out the codes with DOA all went smoothly and that included the hassles of a dock workers strike that delayed delivery for months. They also arranged for delivery to my house. In this case that was easy since I am only 5 miles or so from the Port of Seattle where the vessel docked. They hired a local trucker with a 20 foot box truck with a lift gate that could handle delivery to where I needed it.

I could have done this myself, but I am sure I would have paid more than I needed to given inexperience, and I probably would have had far more hassles with Customs and Agriculture. I also would have spent a ton of time that I didnt have at the time. A broker made life easier.

If you want copies of any of my documents to help you I am happy to share. I would also suggest that if there is anything unusual with your delivery site that you provide photos and make sure they understand the weights involved. A lift gate of some sort is a necessity unless you are buds with some local brawny teens who dont understand back injuries yet.

Dave

[Roy Sanders]

HI I on the other hand did not have a broker. All was packaged well, and the only thing I needed as send the FDA document. Nice-Cut emailed it to me, and I sent it to the Customs office and DHL delivered the Laser 3 days later.

roy

[Keith Winter]

Yes. Clark if you need one I'd recommend ER Hawthrone global out of Houston. Gozzie recommended them to me and they were excellent.

[Ron Gosnell]

Yes. Clark if you need one I'd recommend ER Hawthrone global out of Houston. Gozzie recommended them to me and they were excellent.

ER Hawthorne can import through any port. They handle it all including trucking to your location. They handle all the paperwork and pay all the fees and taxes for you up front.
You pay them before they send the truck. It's very easy and broker fees are minimal considering all that they do.

If you buy a smaller machine and can get DHL shipping, they will handle everything including getting it to your door. Just make sure you can get a FDA document for the machine.
Don't buy one that is not FDA compliant or you probably will never see it.

P.S go Broncos :)

Gozzie

[pete hagan]

I used a broker through the seller in China. I purchased a HX6090 (~$5000.00) direct from JINAN KING RABBIT TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CO.,LTD and the broker in LA was XTNRU ZHU CHB / 9111 S. LA CIENEGA BL VD., SUITE 206 / INGLEWOOD, CA 90301 / Phone: 310-338-0388 (Benny). The fees (7 years ago) were $ 157.44 for actual import taxes, $ 374.31 ocean transport into Long Beach, transport to Chicago by rail around $50.00 and another $50 at the bond warehouse (however that was graff).
The key is to have all your ducks in a row before you commit funds otherwise you'll scramble and pay more. You can arrange to pickup at a bonded warehouse near any major city served by rail or a port. However most will come into west coast ports.
We import containers of AV cases from china every year and have gotten different prices from various brokers every time we price it out. If you want to skip all this and are close to Ohio then Rabbitlaserusa is a great dealer of various machines. Also BOSS laser out of Florida would be a reliable vendor for US support

[Clark Pace]

Thanks,

I used a broker last time, but was wonder if there was really a better way. Sounds like a broker is still the way to go.

[Rich Harman]

First time, no broker. Second time, I used Jessica Day at ASA Brokers.

Second time was cheaper and far easier. I think it was about $800 for everything, door to door. That's picking it up from Shenhui in China, boat ride, customs, port fees, X-ray, trucking across the border, warehouse fees and lift gate delivery. She brought it in through Canada instead of Los Angeles. All I had to do was forward her the documents - and have Shenhui send a new concession number for the FDA, the one they originally sent had expired. When the truck delivered it, I handed him a check. It was sooooo much easier than the first time.

Her level of service and the time she spent finding the best solution was far and above the experience I had gotten from other brokers.

[Keith Winter]

Rich did going through Canada lower your duties or why did she bring it in that way?

[Rich Harman]

Rich did going through Canada lower your duties or why did she bring it in that way?

I don't remember. It was either faster or cheaper, I think both. If it did cost more it would not have been much more, else I would not have chosen that route.

[Mayo Pardo]

When I bought my Trotec it was located in Canada and I used a licensed US Customs Broker -
my wife! She's been a broker since 1997 and knows her stuff, and is well known in the industry.

If anyone has any questions about importing ANYTHING feel free to email or message me and I can get you in contact with her.

Merit Trade Services (dot com)

[Gary Hair]

Do you have to use a customs broker proximate to you or the port you are bringing in something to? I ask because it would be nice if we could have a resource (like your wife) that we could trust to treat us all right and understands our needs vs some broker that we don't know or who doesn't care about us.


When I bought my Trotec it was located in Canada and I used a licensed US Customs Broker -
my wife! She's been a broker since 1997 and knows her stuff, and is well known in the industry.

If anyone has any questions about importing ANYTHING feel free to email or message me and I can get you in contact with her.

Merit Trade Services (dot com)

[David Somers]

Gary,

Nope. No need to do that, other than the broker near the port will know who to deal with and be familiar with local procedures. If you have a broker you know and trust and are comfortable with they will figure all that out quickly enough.

In my case, I chose a local broker who knew both the port we were picking things up at in China (Shanghai) and who knows the Port of Seattle well and also knew the local dreyage companies well to get the goods to my house. They even knew the house I lived in. So that worked great. But that was me. Working with someone you know and trust already is a nice spot to be in.

Dave

[Kev Williams]

My broker was CTL-Lax, which was based where the boat dropped off my machine. Triumph arranged for them to help. I was (still am) totally clueless about this stuff, but CTL was great, they even answered the phone and called me back on Thanksgiving day. Actually SHE did, I only dealt with one lady, forget her name but she took care of everything. Which was great if you're clueless! ;)

[Mayo Pardo]

I showed this thread to my wife and she responded:

Mayo with the modernization of U S Customs a Customs Broker can clear cargo anywhere in the USA from anywhere. ACE (Automated Commercial Environment) is the new computer system for The Department of Homeland Security.
All Government agencies(including U S Customs and Food and Drug) are working to move under this one program in the USA whether Import or Export.

Feel free to have anyone contact me directly and I can offer advice(or get them in contact with a reputable company) to whoever needs it. From any country to any country.

Hope this helps.

Thanks & regards,

Merit Tremper, LCB, C.C.S.
Merit Trade Consulting Services LLC
E Mail: merit@merittradeservices.com
Tele: 847-899-4131
www.merittradeservices.com (http://www.merittradeservices.com)

[John Lifer]

Old thread, but if you are importing ONE laser, just get the seller to arrange for a broker. Cost me $90 for their fees to take care of filing the preshipping paperwork and the import paperwork with no hassles with the US Government. Now their handling of the shipping was another thing :) but not entirely their fault.

[Erik Goetheer]

Why let the seller pick a broker for you? Then you sure will pay too much.

I bought a laser, one, a few weeks ago, delivered FOB Qingdao. To organize further shipping to my hometown, a little town in The Netherlands, I contacted one of the many shipping companies in The Netherlands (a broker?) asked them for a quotation for the shipping from Qingdao to my doorstep, including custom clearance etc, was satisfied with the price and that's it. They booked cargospace on a vessel for me through their contact in China and they take care of everything else. The only thing that I have to do is delivering copies (yes, copies) of the commercial invoice and the packing list. It will be a telex release, so no paper B/L is necessary. And I pay the custom duties of course. All this saves me about 50% of the qouted shpping costs door-to-door by the seller.

[John Lifer]

Like I said, it cost me $90 for the broker to handle things. And if I had picked a broker it would have cost the same or more. Shipping costs were actually lower this time due to an error. But I checked costs and was satisfied the manufacturer and broker were being fair. You do have to realize too that I am about 1500 miles from the port.... Not a hundred kilometers or less:-)

[Joseph Shawa]

I have a friend who imports from China. The laser manufacturer shipped it to a factory nearby where it joined a container and was shipped....for free. No customs : )

[Tal Siegmann]

At your recommendation I contacted Merit. She was AWESOME! guided me throughout the process. Importing from China requires specific documents. Merit knows them all.
I highly recommend using her services!