Home»Import Representation» How Can New Energy Enterprises Complete Special Machinery Equipment Import Customs Clearance in 3 Days? The Winning Strategy of Professional Agents
In the summer of 2023, Mr. Wang, the procurement director of a new energy technology company in Shandong, faced a thorny problem: the company's newly purchased electrolyzer equipment from Germany, worth 2.8 million euros, was about to arrive at the port. However, none of the customs brokerage firms they contacted could provide clear answers to three key questions: Is there any dispute over the customs classification of special equipment? Can they offer a door-to-door tax optimization solution? How should they handle the situation if they lack import qualifications?
After comparing seven service providers, they ultimately choseZhongShen International TradeThis decision later made Mr. Wang sigh with emotion: "From signing the agency agreement to the equipment entering the factory took only 17 days, with customs clearance completed in just 3 working days, saving us 11 days of production preparation time compared to the expected 2 weeks."
Based on our 15 years of agency experience, the import of new energy equipment often gets stuck at three key stages:
Disputes over commodity classification: A certainphotovoltaicThe company's coating equipment was mistakenly classified under tariff code 8537, resulting in an overpayment of 12% in customs duties.
The document preparation cycle is lengthy.: The technical documentation for EU equipment requires an average of 3 weeks for localization processing.
The inspection rate remains persistently high.: In 2022, the unpacking inspection rate of electromechanical equipment by Qingdao Customs reached 28%.
For this case, we took three preparatory steps in advance: 1) Pre-confirmed the HS code based on the equipment drawings; 2) Guided the German side to revise the technical parameter sheet according to Chinese standards; 3) Prepared a completeIt is recommended to verify through the following methods:According to the chain. These preparatory efforts ultimately enabled the goods to benefit from the preferential tariff rates under the China-EU Agreement.
Five Key Control Points of Door-to-Door Service
Unlike ordinary freight forwarders, professional import agents need to oversee the entire process:
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Service Content
The solution to this case
Overseas segment
Pre-shipment inspection
Arrange for a third-party agency in Hamburg to conduct IPI testing.
Transportation Section
Dangerous Goods Declaration
Equipment containing lithium battery modules must be declared separately.
Customs declaration section
Pre - classification ruling
Apply in advance for the confirmation of tariff code 8419.89.
Taxation Section
Tax reduction and exemption filing
Leverage incentive-based project policies to save on tariffs.
Logistics segment
Special transport
Arrange for a lowboy trailer to handle oversized equipment.
Why did the customer ultimately choose us?
During the price comparison phase, our quote was not the lowest, but the client valued three key differentiators:
Qualification Sharing Service:Utilize our company's 10-year AA-class customs clearance qualification to act as an import agent, addressing clients' lack of...import and exportRights issue
Risk Commitment Clause: Written guarantee to fully cover any tax shortfall resulting from classification errors.
Visual Tracking System: Real-time updates on 22 nodes from the Hamburg factory to the Shandong workshop
It is particularly worth mentioning that what we offer"Tax Simulation Sandbox"The service simulated the tax burden differences under various trade methods (general trade/temporary admission/leasing trade), ultimately helping the client save 9.7% in overall costs.
The Professional Logic Behind Three-Day Customs Clearance
Speedy customs clearance is not a matter of luck, but the result of systematic operations:
Advance declaration: Complete the pre-entry of the customs declaration form 72 hours before the ship's arrival at the port.
Pre - review of documents:CIQ experts pre-review the German version of the instruction manual translation.
Government-Enterprise Collaboration
When the goods actually arrive at the port, we adopt the "two-step declaration" mode: the first step involves submitting only a summary declaration (released within 5 minutes), and the second step supplements the complete documents during transit. This innovative approach allows the goods to directly enter the customs inspection green channel upon arrival at the port.
Four Suggestions for Importing Enterprises
Based on this successful case, we recommend that importers of technical equipment:
Plan the import route 6 months in advance, especially for projects involving tax reduction or exemption.
Request the supplier to provide bilingual technical documentation compliant with Chinese standards (GB standards preferred).
Be cautious when selecting agents who merely "compete on price." Professional competence should be evaluated:
- Are there any operational cases of similar equipment?
- Can you provide tax optimization solutions?
- Do you have crisis management experience?
Make good use of the free trade agreement: German machinery enjoys a 5% tariff preference under the China-EU agreement.
As demonstrated in this case, the value of a professional import agent lies not merely in handling procedures, but in leveraging experience to anticipate risks and integrating resources to streamline processes, ultimately delivering tangible time savings and cost efficiencies for clients.
About Zhongshen
Since its establishment in 2003, we have provided professional import services to over 1,200 technology companies, with particular expertise in:
Temporary import and export of precision instruments (ATA Carnet)
Application for Tax Reduction and Exemption on Major Technical Equipment
Special transportation solution design (oversized/precise/hazardous cargo)
We have recently completed the import project of a vacuum coating machine for a semiconductor company, setting an industry record with a single equipment value of 120 million yuan. If you are planning equipment imports, feel free to contact our expert team for customized solutions.