As one of the world's largest customs brokers, we file several million customs entries every year.

We combine our expertise of worldwide customs regulations with local knowledge to ensure the smooth flow of all international shipments. We offer a complete menu of traditional brokerage services including:

• import/export clearance
• customs brokerage management
• cargo security
• pre-shipment authorisation
• document preparation
• electronic connection to Customs
• customs warehousing
• duty management
• advice on tariff quotas and classification.

Our consolidation services are recognised as a global leader in providing fully integrated logistics, consolidation, warehousing, transportation and global distribution network solutions.

Our leading-edge purchase order management system provides complete product visibility by event (from container to the sub-item level), including the ability to manage the entire supply chain by exception.

Our consolidation services' information technology systems provide integrated tracking of all phases of the supply chain. The system seamlessly integrates information for orders, shipments, containers, commercial documents, customs status, landed costs and many others, for all modes of transport. The systems are fully electronic data interchange (EDI) capable, accepting and integrating shipment information transmissions from ocean carriers, brokers, intermodal carriers and truckers into a single information source.

Consolidation services acts as a neutral third party logistics provider, and are not managed, controlled or construed by any ocean carrier. We work in a three-way partnership with our customers and their preferred ocean carriers to execute the global logistics and transportation plan.

Consolidation services include:

• purchase order management to the stock keeping unit (SKU) or style level detail
• receipt of staging inbound shipments
• bonded import/export Container Freight Station (CFS)
• global in-transit product visibility from factory to door
• management of both direct ex-factory loads (CY-CY) and consolidated loads (CFS-CY)
• cargo inspection/sorting
• bulk collection and single carton allocation to destination de-consolidation centre/store
• deconsolidation by-pass/direct-to-store programmes
• transload services and visibility
• origin customs declaration and submission to local government agencies
• container utilisation improvement programmes and monitoring
• factory load supervision programme with teams that visit vendors to assist in optimising container utilisation as needed
• documentation management and reporting of vendor compliance
• carrier management
• adherence to customers' carrier allocation needs or selection by other agreed criteria (e.g. speed and cost)
• vendor management, including vendor workshops
• reporting on performance of vendors, carriers, brokers, truckers, intermodal carriers and distribution centre operations
• exception-based reporting
• event management, including customer defined milestones
• Consolidation procedures for each customer.

Further value-added services include:

• storage and technology offering for 'just-in-time' product flow
• intra-China cross-border trucking team (factory pick-up/shuttle)
• CY-CY container load optimisation/control of the container load plan
• warehousing and inventory management
• drop-ship co-ordination
• case pack distribution
• palletising, slip sheeting, stretch wrap
• UCC128 bar coding/scanning
• RFID (radio frequency identification) tagging of product at origin
• document imaging
• freight audit
• pick-and-pack operation, including: mixed stock keeping units (SKU) master carton packing, weight verification, contents verification, repackaging, hang tag labelling, clamshell/polybag application/removal, security tag insertion/removal, alkaline battery insertion/removal, warranty card insertion/country-specific requirements.

DHL has played a pioneer role in the freight forwarding industry as it was the first freight forwarder to establish a worldwide in-house security department; it has also implemented an integrated security program focused on pro-activity and prevention and maintaining adequate security measures to protect customer assets.

DHL was one of the first global freight forwarders to receive a C-TPAT certification in February 2003. The certification was followed by a successful validation carried out by US Customs & Border Protection (CBP) officials in April 2004. As a result of the validation process, several of our operational procedures were named "C-TPAT best practice" by the CBP.

On the Ocean Freight side, DHL participated successfully in a trial as part of the Container Security Initiative (CSI), where security devices were tested to enhance the sea container security. Our proven security guidelines to seal LCL containers were adopted by several customers as best practice.

With more than 100 highly-secured locations, DHL has the most extensive network of Logistics facilities, fulfilling and mostly exceeding the highest security standards in physical and operational security set by customers and their organisations as well as by regulatory bodies.

DHL's Logistics Security Department is acknowledged within the industry for its expertise in supply chain security and for providing professional advice and consultancy in all security-related matters. We ensure transparency with our internal security audit and risk assessment programmes for lanes and locations. Moreover, we guarantee quick response times to security-related incidents thanks to our global incident reporting system and our contacts with local and international law enforcement authorities.

It is our goal to become the benchmark for supply chain security in the industry.

As a leader in transportation and logistics, DHL understands and appreciates the risks involved with bringing your goods to the market every day. The DHL cargo insurance program provides cover to limit the financial impacts of any potential loss or damage during transportation.

Having cargo insurance protects your investment and gives you the peace of mind that your working capital will keep on working, even in a loss or damage situation.

For more information, please contact DHL Global Forwarding