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Importing and the role of MDEC
The role of the Michigan
District Export Council (MDEC)
is the promotion of the export
of Michigan products and
services. We are unable
to assist firms or individuals
interested in importing.
Likewise, there are no Federal
Government organizations which
assist in importing although
US Customs regulates and
processes the flow of imports.
We do, however, realize that
firms or individuals
occasionally are transformed
from importers to exporters.
Thus, we've tried to develop
this page as a source for
firms or individuals
interested in importing.
What
is Importing?
Key
Components of the Import
Process
Sources
of Import Assistance
Sourcing
Your Import Needs
WWW
Resources
Importing for our purposes
is the shipping of products or
services into the United
States (or any other country).
On the other hand, Exporting
is the shipping of goods or
services from the United
States to another country.
Common examples of importing
are: purchase for resale as a
retailer or wholesaler or
sourcing raw materials or
product components for
integration into a finished
product.
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Banks are integral in the
payment process but can be an
important tool in accessing
supplier relationships.
MDEC has designed a guide for
choosing an international
banker can be found at: Questions
for Your Banker.
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Freight Forwarders (may
also be Freight Forwarders) in
the Import process are foreign
firms responsible in many, but
not all situations, for
packaging, documenting,
consigning for carriage,
insuring and assuring that the
product that you ordered is
received in good condition at
a US port for clearance by US
Customs. MDEC has
designed a guide for choosing
a freight forwarder can be
found at: Questions
for Your Forwarder.
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Carriers
Carriers may operate in any
mode depending on where you
source your product and how
it's transported. No
matter how it's shipped, the
carrier is interested in your
repeat business and the
success of your venture.
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Customs House Brokers (may
also Freight Forwarders) are
US firms specializing in
clearing import shipments
through US Customs. They
are licensed and regulated and
bonded by the Federal Maritime
Administration. Listings
of Michigan based Customs
House Brokers can be found at:
ExportMichigan's Customs
House Brokers and US
Customs Detroit Region.
MDEC has designed a guide for
choosing a freight forwarder
(which can be modified for
Customs House Brokers) found
at: Questions
for Your Forwarder.
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Now known as U.S. Bureau of
Customs and Border Protection
(http://www.customs.ustreas.gov/),
a part of the newly formed
Department of Homeland
Security, US Customs is the
lead agency in enforcing a
myriad of regulations
regarding the importation of
your potential shipment and
charging the appropriate
duties and taxes.
Customs House Brokers
derive their existence from
clearing import shipments into
the US. They are
excellent sources of
information about the import
process just as long as you
don't attempt to X them out of
the import process by being
your own broker.
Listings of Michigan based
Customs House Brokers can be
found at: ExportMichigan's Customs
House Brokers and US
Customs Detroit Region.
MDEC has designed a guide for
choosing a freight forwarder
(which can be modified for
Customs House Brokers) found
at: Questions
for Your Forwarder.
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The commercial section of
Foreign Embassies and
Consulates can be found in
Washington DC as well as many
US major cities. An
excellent source is "The
Electronic Embassy."
Most also have websites, many
of which can be found in
ExportMichigan's popular
"WebGuides"
series of publications
covering more than 30
countries. Their
function is the promotion of
their country's products and
services.
SCORE (http://www.score.org/)
is the Service Corp of Retired
Executives, a part of the US
Small Business Administration.
Experience varies by chapter
but select counselors may have
past experience in importing.
Please keep in mind that
industry skills vary by SCORE
Chapter.
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Sourcing your import needs
has never been easier.
In addition to the Foreign
Embassies and Consulates
previously mention, virtually
ever major trading partner has
an on-line directory promoting
their countries exports.
Click on the country hyperlink
to access the appropriate
directory:
| COUNTRY |
2003
IMPORTS |
GOVERNMENT
TRADE PROMOTION SITES |
COMMERCIAL
WEB SITES |
| Canada |
100,263,751 |
http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/ |
http://www.kompass.com |
| Germany |
2,622,578 |
http://www.bfai.com/ |
http://www.kompass.com |
| Japan |
1,929,303 |
http://www5.jetro.go.jp/ |
http://www.kompass.com |
| China |
1,207,226 |
http://www.ccpit.org/ |
http://www.kompass.com |
| U.
K. |
807,057 |
http://www.tradepartners.gov.uk/ |
http://www.kompass.com |
| France |
750,817 |
http://www.ubifrance.fr/ |
http://www.kompass.com |
| Italy |
638,370 |
http://www.telexport.tm.fr/ |
http://www.kompass.com |
| Korea |
359,786 |
http://www.kotra.or.kr/ |
http://www.kompass.com |
| Sweden |
299,482 |
http://www.swedishtrade.com/ |
http://www.kompass.com |
| Netherlands |
297,906 |
http://www.hollandtrade.com/ |
http://www.kompass.com |
| Taiwan |
284,449 |
http://www.taiwantrade.com.tw/ |
http://www.kompass.com |
| Spain |
207,875 |
http://www.icex.es/ |
http://www.kompass.com |
| Mexico |
185,404 |
http://www.mexico-trade.com/ |
http://www.kompass.com |
| Austria |
170,727 |
http://www.austria-export.at/ |
http://www.kompass.com |
| Ireland |
151,734 |
http://www.itw.ie/ |
http://www.kompass.com |
| Brazil |
149,047 |
http://www.braziltradenet.gov.br/ |
|
| Australia |
153,994 |
http://www.austrade.gov.au/ |
http://www.kompass.com |
Statistics reflect imports
processed by US Customs
District 38, Detroit.
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| Description |
URL |
| Alibaba.com
is the world's largest
marketplace for global
trade and is the
leading provider of
online marketing
services for importers
and exporters.
Alibaba.com is the
number one destination
for buyers and sellers
to find trade
opportunities and
promote their
businesses online.
Alibaba's web
properties have over
4,830,000 registered
members from more than
240 countries, growing
at a rate of over
18,740 members each
day. Alibaba.com was
named "Best of
the Web: B2B" 4
years in a row by
Forbes magazine and
selected as the most
popular B2B website by
readers of the Far
Eastern Economic
Review.
|
http://www.alibaba.com/ |
| Ask
the Expert: Importing
Paints and Coatings
into the US |
http://www.paintcenter.org/ |
| Autopedia™:
Importing and
Exporting Regulations
for vehicles and all
of the in's and out's
of exporting or
importing a car. |
http://autopedia.com/ |
| CustomsClearance.net
-- Cutting Through The
Red Tape Of Importing
and Exporting |
http://www.customsclearance.net/ |
| How
To Import - The Basics
from TradePort |
http://www.tradeport.org/ |
| IMPORTING
INTO THE U.S. |
http://internet.ggu.edu/ |
| The
US - eh? - An
informative guide from
Strategis and Canada,
our largest trading
partner. |
http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/l |
| U.S.
Bureau of Customs and
Border Protection |
http://www.customs.ustreas.gov/
|
| U.S.
Import Requirements
(64 KB. - doc) -
Explains import
requirements for a
person interested in
establishing an
importing business or
a person who may be
importing something
for personal use only
- not for resale |
http://www.cbp.gov/
|
| Import
Resources |
http://www.itds.treas.gov/ |
| Vehicle
Importation
Regulations |
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/ |
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Date
Updated: March 27, 2007
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to ExportMichigan
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