There are several scenarios in which hiring a third-party importer of record may be one of the best ways to ship to an overseas data centre. We’ll discuss them in this article.
#1 you need help with compliance.
Importers must follow strict rules when bringing goods into a country. They’re expected to provide comprehensive and verifiable information on the countries of origin, tariff classification, labelling, valuation, and tax rates. They must also comply with relevant government agencies, keep accurate records, and adhere to applicable free trade agreements.
You could provide all this information on your own but it will take time, and you may make mistakes, especially when importing to a foreign country. That means your goods will not get to their destination, as they will be held or delayed until you provide all the necessary details.
A third-party IOR (Importer of Record) will handle all these tasks for you in a shorter time and at a lower cost. Besides, there are many other services your importer of record will provide to ensure that you’re compliant, like;
- Reviewing the destination country’s import requirements
- Investigating government regulations regarding your specific equipment
- Documenting all the processes for valuation, classification, origin verification, and so on
- Matching purchase order instructions with invoice requirements and answering any questions the customs authorities may have about your shipment.
- Reviewing your documentation and invoices to make sure they’re compliant
establishing effective and comprehensive record-keeping systems, so they’ll know how the documents should be stored and for how long.
#2 you do not own a legal entity in the destination country
Most countries require commercial importers to set up legal entities before letting their goods through customs. There are two main reasons for this arrangement.
- First, it lets you sell your products or services after importing your merchandise into the country
- second, it allows the state to ensure your business pays the appropriate amount of tax.
This process can be time-consuming and expensive, but there’s a way around it…
Most reputable importers of record provide legal entity representation services, which means they can act as a legal entity on your behalf. The IOR will serve as the government-required responsible party, so you’ll be free to conduct business without any legal hindrances.
Note: Blackthorne has an established network of entities in nearly every country in the world. Our global presence means we can represent your company as you set up your infrastructure in an overseas country.
#3 You have a small budget
Obtaining the appropriate license for your equipment can be an expensive and time-consuming process. This is particularly true for countries that have heavily regulated tech industries.
The process will consume valuable time and resources, and it is not worth it if your business does not specialize in international trade and overseas exports. Besides, fulfilling these obligations may divert your attention away from core business functions, and that will hurt your profits.
A third-party IOR provider has the experience and technical capacity to address these issues at a fraction of the cost. They’ll have plenty of experience, skilled employees, and access to local contacts, so they’ll be better positioned to find cost-effective solutions to your problems.
#4 You lack expertise
It can be tempting to ignore the subject of data centre installation and commissioning until all the necessary equipment has been imported into the host country. But, this approach may have adverse effects on your business – what if something doesn’t work? What if, after shipping your equipment halfway across the world, you realize it doesn’t match your specifications?
There’s a lot you must do before shipping your data centre components, and your IOR can help ensure everything is in order before your I.T. equipment even leaves the country of origin.
Integrated logistics
An importer of record can help you plan your data centre’s installation phase at the earliest stage of the project. This will include planning out how to access the equipment during the installation process. The time invested in these challenges always pays off with seamless integration during the installation process and visual inspections. Your Importer of Record will also have standardized system to ensure nothing is overlooked.
#5 You need forward stocking locations and extended support
IOR companies that specialize in IT^ equipment can provide extended support services, like forward stocking locations to enhance your existing warehouse infrastructure. This approach provides several benefits. It will help you ensure that critical components and replacement parts arrive on schedule – processes that usually take days or weeks will only take a few hours. This will reduce downtimes and limit outages, helping you make better returns on your investment.
Your Importer of Record service provider can also use its global supply chain to help you maintain your facility. This kind of support makes it easy for you to set up in logistically or economically challenging countries without a local partner.
Final thoughts
Working with a reputable Importer of Record is one of the best ways to ensure a successful overseas data centre installation. Besides helping you get your equipment through customs at minimal cost, your IOR partner can help you install and maintain your facility.
With many years of experience, Blackthorne is the best partner for your needs. We have entities in over 200 countries across the world, so we have the capacity and experience to guarantee that your data centre equipment is shipped, installed and commissioned on time and on budget.
