Need Help!- Importing SIEG lathe directly from China to Canada

[al777]

Hello,

This is my first post at CNCZone - although it's definitely not the first post I've read here :-). I'd like to use this opportunity to say BIG THANKS to all participants for the great collective and individual wisdom :-) - I learned a lot from all of you. Now it's time to ask for help :-).

I'm planning to purchase a small 7x12 lathe, based on the budget constraints very likely it's going to be one of those made by SIEG (Shanghai, China).

After careful look at SIEG's website and at the recent review by Frank of www.mini-lathe.com I'm really interested in the SIEG SC2 machine - which is a new version of the all-familiar C2. The difference is - it's using DC brushless motor, making torque curve much more exciting :-). Many other small enhancements are also very welcome (less noise and covered leadscrew is one of them).

Here is the link to Frank's review of the SC2:

http://www.mini-lathe.com/Mini_lathe...%20SC2/SC2.htm

Link to the SC2's page at SIEG's website:
http://www.siegind.com/product.php?id=18

It seems to be a great litlle machine for me (I live in a condo %-)), but... no vendor in Canada seem to be interested to import it, at least not yet - I asked many of them.

I've contacted SIEG and they're offering to ship directly, but I'd need to get a freight forwarder part set up on my own.

That's where I'm stuck... I've never imported anything as big in the past, so I really need your advices on how to handle the process. I need to handle it from "SIEG passes it to the freight forwarder" all the way to "it's at my doorstep".

That would also include minimizing customs/brokerage fees as much as possible.

I live in Toronto, so the freight shipping would have to be Shanghai-to-Toronto, weight I guess will be ~60...70 kg.

Any advices on the process in general, references to reliable & trustful freight forwarders in Toronto, ...etc are GREATLY APPRECIATED!

Thanks a lot!

- Alim.

[HAO MAU]

Will suggest that you may look for the reliable business agent. If in Toronto novakon., because import the cost to be able to be very high. May consider the cabinet merge.


http://www.novakon.net







jimmy

[al777]

Originally Posted by HAO MAU Will suggest that you may look for the reliable business agent. If in Toronto novakon., because import the cost to be able to be very high. May consider the cabinet merge. http://www.novakon.net jimmy

Jimmy, thanks for the reply! Novakon's products is not what I'm looking for. My question is about "how to import SIEG SC2 7"x12" lathe from China to Canada". Are you suggesting that Novakon can help with that task?

Besides, I don't think the cost of importation will be "very high" if everything is done right. That's why I'm soliciting advices here.

Not sure what you mean by the "cabinet merge".

- Alim.

[Al_The_Man]

I have imported large items from US but not offshore.
But from my experience you could check with the local Customs office if you have one near you.
Find out if you can name a freight forwarder, this would be a transport company that can ship it to you in bond, most of the freight companies I deal with have a bonded warehouse where it is held until clearance time, if you have access to a Can Customs office, then you go online and look up the Tariff commodity codes in order to fill out a B3. Then you clear it yourself.
The B3 is fillable online.
That is the best/cheapest scenario.
Failing that, if you cannot process any of it yourself, you should at least look up the Tariff commodity number yourself to give to the Brokerage company, it will fall within chapter 8500 probably.
Select a Tariff that matches your equipment the closest. If it shows 6% tariff, then check each side for a number which shows FREE.
Make sure the Brokerage company have this number allocated for this shipment..
The brokerage company are not always familiar machinery to know exactly what Tariff applies, if they make a slip of the pen, it cost you 6% on top, before taxes.
Al.

[al777]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Man I have imported large items from US but not offshore. But from my experience you could check with the local Customs office if you have one near you. Find out if you can name a freight forwarder, this would be a transport company that can ship it to you in bond, most of the freight companies I deal with have a bonded warehouse where it is held until clearance time, if you have access to a Can Customs office, then you go online and look up the Tariff commodity codes in order to fill out a B3. Then you clear it yourself. The B3 is fillable online. That is the best/cheapest scenario. Failing that, if you cannot process any of it yourself, you should at least look up the Tariff commodity number yourself to give to the Brokerage company, it will fall within chapter 8500 probably. Select a Tariff that matches your equipment the closest. If it shows 6% tariff, then check each side for a number which shows FREE. Make sure the Brokerage company have this number allocated for this shipment.. The brokerage company are not always familiar machinery to know exactly what Tariff applies, if they make a slip of the pen, it cost you 6% on top, before taxes. Al.

Al, thanks a lot for the reply! Very informative! By any chance, would you be willing to recommend some freight forwarders? (if policy doesn't allow to do it in this thread, then maybe in a private message?)

I'm wondering if any of those freight forwarders you (or other readers) were using in the recent past are also working in Toronto? I just don't know where to start - Google search gives way too many results, I need some "trusted reference" before starting to call them one by one %-).

Also, do you think there is any difference in process/customs tariffs depending on from where physically you're importing?

There is definitely a difference depending on the "country of origin", but when the machine is made in China, does Canadian Customs treat it differently if you bring it in directly or via let's say US?

I don't feel like there would be difference, as long as "Made in China" is there - it should be the same process, but you never know those inner Customs gears for sure... :-)

Thanks!

- Alim.

[Al_The_Man]

To be honest, I do not know the difference between freight forwarder and a regular bonded trucking company, the one I use is Reimer Trucking, they have a bonded warehouse near me.
What I would do is phone one of the long distance truckers in your yellow pages and tell them your situation and ask if they have a bonded warehouse and any information they can give you.
They usually are very helpful.
I would do this first before phoning one listed under freight forwarder.
I assume your shipment will be part of a container load.
The country of origin does not matter whether it comes in direct or even has been used for a while in the US, it is still ROC origin.
There is a booklet available and I believe it is down loadable about filling in the B3.
It gives details on what nations are favoured, from China, box 14 of the B3 will be 02 (Tariff treatment).
BTW, if you do get stung with 6% unjustly, there is a form you can submit to customs to claim a refund, I have managed to get back every claim I made so far.
UPS is notorious for this as I think they process so many, the person filling the B3 has no time to investigate what actually the Tariff code should be.
I have cleared my own for about 18yrs now.
Al.

[al777]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Man To be honest, I do not know the difference between freight forwarder and a regular bonded trucking company, the one I use is Reimer Trucking, they have a bonded warehouse near me. What I would do is phone one of the long distance truckers in your yellow pages and tell them your situation and ask if they have a bonded warehouse and any information they can give you. They usually are very helpful. I would do this first before phoning one listed under freight forwarder. I assume your shipment will be part of a container load. The country of origin does not matter whether it comes in direct or even has been used for a while in the US, it is still ROC origin. There is a booklet available and I believe it is down loadable about filling in the B3. It gives details on what nations are favoured, from China, box 14 of the B3 will be 02 (Tariff treatment). BTW, if you do get stung with 6% unjustly, there is a form you can submit to customs to claim a refund, I have managed to get back every claim I made so far. UPS is notorious for this as I think they process so many, the person filling the B3 has no time to investigate what actually the Tariff code should be. I have cleared my own for about 18yrs now. Al.

Ok, thanks to you - I'm making a great progress ;-).

I've downloaded the "B3-HowTo" brochure, I see that the box 14 of B3 is defining the Tariff Treatment, code "2" thatyou've mentioned is "Most-Favoured-Nation".

Just to be sure, I've downloaded the 1847-pages behemoth with all tariffs too. Searching there for the list of MFN countries - page 129 has the long list of countries, China is there, but... China is denoted by the "dagger" symbol, which is explained on the same page as "Countries and territories that have been designated as beneficiary countries for purposes of the General Preferential Tariff treatment are denoted by a single dagger symbol (t)"

So it looks like China is not an MFN-country :-(...

I'll do more research to see what the GPT tariff is... if I'll get more info - I'll post it here for everybody's knowledge.

[Al_The_Man]

2 is categorized as MFN, the rate usually also applies to GPT, General Preferential Tariff which would be code 9.
I have always used 02 for ROC origin machines with no questions?
Al.

[al777]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Man 2 is categorized as MFN, the rate usually also applies to GPT, General Preferential Tariff which would be code 9. I have always used 02 for ROC origin machines with no questions? Al.

Yes, "2" is MFN Tariff, "9" is GPT.
The dilemma (nor really a big one since I'm not yet clearing customs :-)) is that per page 129 of the "behemoth book" technically speaking People's Republic of China (I believe it's PRC, not ROC) is not under MFN.

I'm attaching a couple of screenshots, highlighted are lines with:
- tariff classification of China
- Tariff line I picked for the SIEG SC2 7x12 lathe (I think it's a good match).

Oh well, I'll dig into the Customs rules deeper, while researching the shipping part - that is what's important. Might come out cost-prohibitive... but I hope it will not :-).

[al777]

Ok, answering to myself - I just noticed a small thing in the tariffs table - right after the list of tariffs (GPT, CCCT, LDCT etc...) for the code I chose for the SC2 lathe - there is another thing: "PT: Free" - which I'm tempted to read as "Preferential Tariffs: Free", basically saying that for MFN countries it's free of duty, but for other "preferential" countries (e.g. China=GPT) it is also free.

I've attached another screenshot, highlighting that small but important piece.
Al, that would probably explain why putting "02" is the same as "09", it's free of duty anyway, so nobody bothers to correct it.

All right, assuming that part is clear - I'll get ready for Monday full of calls to shipping companies/freight forwarders.

[Al_The_Man]

Originally Posted by al777 All right, assuming that part is clear - I'll get ready for Monday full of calls to shipping companies/freight forwarders.

Good Luck.
Al.

[pobanion]

Incase you are still interested, we import from Sieg all the time. It wouldn't be any trouble to add the lathe you are interested in to the next order..

www.MachineToolsWarehouse.com