Air Cargo Security Update

Important Reminder: Solid Wood Packaging Restrictions

Featured Service: German Wings Program

Around the World

Air Cargo Security Update

Managing security for transportation is a significant challenge. There are constant changes regulated by the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) in order to keep our flights and our borders safe. At times, we are unable to fully explain the security reasons for why something is mandated. In order to arrange transportation, we are regulated by the TSA and often we are forced to communicate information on a need-to-know basis only. As your forwarder, and a participating member in the Customs Trade Partnership against Terrorism (CTPAT), we take our responsibilities seriously.

We have been advised, with nearly immediate effect (actual effective date is March 12), that all air cargo weighing 150 pounds (68 Kilos) must be secured to a pallet with either metal bands or break-resistant plastic bands. If you are preparing cargo for export, please ensure that you follow this requirement immediately.

Should Reilly International receive your cargo for air transport either in the United States or with one of our overseas partners for transportation to the United States, and your cargo is not properly secured, we will secure it properly at our facility. There will be a nominal charge to cover our costs and handling, which we trust you understand. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

Important Reminder: Solid Wood Packaging Restrictions

To prevent harmful insects from entering the U.S., the USDA requires all regulated Wood Packaging Material (WPM) for import, including crates, pallets and dunnage, to be treated prior to entry. After treatment, the WPM must be marked with the International Plant Protection logo in a visible location, preferably on at least 2 opposite sides.

Recently one of our Customs Clearance clients had a shipment arrive which did not have the necessary markings for solid wood packaging. Although we were able to make some arrangements for exporting the packaging—and not the contents, the law clearly states that in such a case, Customs has the right to refuse an entire shipment and mandate that it is returned to its origin at the importer’s expense. Such an order would have caused our client a costly penalty in money, and potentially even more in time.

To avoid such an event, we recommend that our clients send a reminder to any supplier who is packing with hard woods for either crating or bracing—reinforcing the fact that the appropriate stamps must be present on all hard wood arriving in the United States.

With over 100 other countries that support and enforce the International Plant Protection Convention standard, we also recommend that WPM for export be marked as well.

To make it easier for you, please click here for an attachment that you may send to your suppliers to explain the regulations.

 
Featured Service: German Wings Program

For clients shipping airfreight direct from Germany to the Midwest, we have a solution that offers reliability and predictability. Our program leverages the traditionally non-working days of Saturday and Sunday to close the gap of in-transit product. This means that all cargo collected in Germany on Friday will be delivered to its Midwest destination by 3pm on Monday.

Around the World

Reilly International hosted Ms. Snezana Simic of Cargo Partner, our German partner, in late February. Frequent visits on each side of the Atlantic bridge the knowledge of respective operations and visits to our clients allow us to strengthen our understanding of their supply chains.

Pictured to the right are Vickie Reilly, Snezana Simic, Peter Weinberger, and Jeff Burke ringing the new sales bell to acknowledge and celebrate the new business gained from Snezana’s trip.

In the Spotlight

Reilly International is proud to sponsor an indoor soccer team managed by one of our own--Beto Cabral. Beto has managed our warehouse operations for the past 12 years. His soccer team consists of primarily teenagers aged 16 to 17, and also includes Beto’s own two boys--John, age 13, and Luis, age 16. The team competes in the men’s open league at Grand Sports Arena, and this year, they took 1st place! The team's overall record was 9 wins and 1 tie (draw), and they ended the season with 28 points!

Six Questions About Ann Fraser

Each member of our staff is a dedicated, hard working individual. But what else do you know about us? Below are six questions we asked Ann Fraser. Ann is the Accounts Controller for Reilly International’s Scotland office. She has been with the company for 5 years, and in that time, she has enjoyed managing every aspect of accounting within that office.

What one thing do you like most about your job?
I’ve always been in the accounting field. I really like working with numbers because it’s an exact science. If the numbers don’t work, then I know there’s something wrong.

What three words would others use to describe you?
Cheerful, cheeky and charismatic. I have a good sense of humor and always like to see the light side of life. I love my family and friends and socialize with them every chance I get.

How have you been spending most of your free time lately?
Once a week, I do classical dancing on an individual basis (no partners) just to keep fit. In my younger days, I spent 12 years as a Highland dancer and a tap dancer, but I have not done those types of dancing for 20 years.

If you won the lottery, what would you do?
I would take my family and see Europe. I really want to take them to Switzerland. I have one boy who is nine years old and loves snowboarding, so now I am planning on taking up snowboarding as well.

If you could have dinner with any famous person, who would it be?
Johnny Depp dressed as Jack Sparrow. I just love his character because he is so eccentric.

What is your favorite line from a movie?
From Forrest Gump—“Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re gonna get.”