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Cuslink is model solution for clay firm

[ August 16, 2012   //   ]

Clay supplier Sibelco UK has become the latest company to implement Pentant’s ‘CusLink’ service for clearance of shipments through the ports of Bideford, Plymouth and Teignmouth.

HM Revenue & Customs no longer have presence in the small Devon ports, forcing Sibelco to complete manual forms and submit them by fax to HMRC’s central NCH facility in Manchester, in order to arrive and depart goods on HMRC’s CHIEF system. This proved to be both onerous, as there are often multiple entries per vessel, and frustrating as confirmations were not always received back.

Sibelco UK customer service manager, Tracy Ferris said: “We handle around 50 shipments a year from the Devon ports, totalling some 125,000 tonnes of clay and kaolin to non-EU destinations. The Pentant ‘CusLink’ service has provided an ideal solution for our requirements – the service speeds up the clearance process and provides better management and control.

HMRC has closed many local EPUs in smaller ports have closed and been replaced by a central facility. But at the same time, says Pentant managing director, Phil Waldron its policy is moving towards greater control of small ports and wharves, creating a requirement for inventory control using simple, cost effective solutions. “The Pentant CusLink system provides the necessary level of functionality without the high costs associated with major deep-sea systems,” he said.

Cuslink is now installed at locations including Dover, Portland, Scrabster, London (City) Airport, Warton (BAe Systems), Stop24 (Dover), Brise Norton and Thetford as well as express parcel operators, logistics service providers and a number of major importers and exporters.

HMRC is likely to announce further policy changes on 30 August, including a requirement for all approved port, wharf, airport and inland clearance facilities to have electronic inventory control systems in place by June 2013. Around 200 facilities are likely to be affected.

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