Facilitating the U.S.-Canada Border Clearance Process

A Pennsylvania-based musical instrument manufacturer thought it had covered all its bases when it began shipping to the Canadian market a few years ago. It had done its research and knew there was demand among Canadian consumers for its highly regarded acoustic guitars.

It had lined up an impressive list of music stores that were eager to begin offering its instruments, and it enlisted an internationally recognized logistics/ transportation provider to handle distribution and shipping. But what the company failed to anticipate was that some of the types of wood used in the manufacturing process required special export authorization from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Without that authorization, the guitars were prohibited from leaving the U.S. Similarly, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), acting on behalf of Environment Canada, required a special import permit along with a detailed description of the goods before they would be eligible for importation. Failure to understand these requirements resulted in excessive customs delays, missed delivery deadlines, and disappointed Canadian customers.