Shipping to trade shows, conventions, or conferences can be stressful and frustrating at times. Anything can happen, and it is always good to prepare for the inevitable. Here at ML INTERNATIONAL, we would like to calm your worries about trade show shipping.

Here are some quick trade show shipping tips on what exhibitors can do to make everything go as smoothly as possible:

1) Know your Products
You know your product and booth material better than anyone, please decide if it is better for you as an exhibitor to ship to the advanced warehouse or direct to show site.

2) Choose an experienced Trade Show carrier
If you are interviewing a new carrier and they do not know the cut-off date for the advanced warehouse and or the targeted move-in dates for your event that might be a sign, this is the wrong carrier for you.

3) Be consistent in your bidding
If you are bidding your shipment out, please be consistent in giving the same information to each carrier. For example, the number of pieces, approximate actual weight, and the approximate dimensions. Ask about on-site management.
Please check with the carrier if they will have someone on-site to manage your shipment for you, this is more common on larger shows like CES, PACK Expo, NAB,  etc.

4) Know carrier policies
​Check to see what the carrier has planned for the outbound and what their policy is on wait time and the fees involved for the truck to collect your shipment

5) Getting confirmation or POD
Find out what the carrier does for POD or proof of delivery? Do you have to log into a system to check the status yourself?  Or will the carrier like ML International send you email confirmations and or a text message that your shipment has been collected and delivered giving the name and time of the person who signed for it.


ML International has been coordinating shipments worldwide for its customers since 2005, and we look forward to earning your business. 

When your company manufactures a fantastic product, you want to share it with the world.  A good way of doing this is to exhibit at a trade show in the country you want to establish a presence in or compete in their market with other international brands.  For this particular article, we are going to give you useful tips on how to ship to Mexico City safely and on time.  The same principles apply to shipping to a trade show or conference in Guadalajara or Cancun just the time frame in shipping will change.
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Trucking – when trucking your shipment from the US to Mexico it will most likely pass over the border in Laredo, TX.  Your shipping carrier will hopefully have a customs broker in Laredo that can do the customs clearance and transfer the freight from the US side to the Mexico side and truck the shipment to its final destination in Mexico City for example Centro Banamex which is the largest trade show and conference venue in Mexico.

LTL – Less than Trailer load, this is when you are only sending smaller freight for example 1 crate or pallet with your merchandise and portable exhibit booth included.  This is a reliable way of shipping it can just take longer because LTL Carriers have to stop in the HUB Cities to offload and reload other freight.

FTL – Full Truck Load, this is when you have enough cargo that you can utilize using an exclusive 53’ truck to transport your materials and or exhibit to Mexico.  Unfortunately, when the truck gets to the border it will most likely have to be offloaded at the border and reloaded on to a Mexico based truck to continue the journey to the final destination.  There are not many US Base Carriers that want to have their trucks in Mexico for long periods of time.

Air freight – this is the easiest and quickest way to get your goods into Mexico from anywhere in the world.  Once the freight arrives into Mexico City the goods are customs cleared and then collected and delivered to the venue on where the trade show or conference is taking place.

Time frame – you should give yourself at least 7-10 business days from the time your freight arrives at the border in Laredo in order to have your goods clear customs and be ready to deliver to your stand for set up of the show.
For air freight you should give yourself at least 5 - 7 working days from the time the freight arrives into Mexico City Airport before the freight can clear customs and deliver to your booth for set up.

Commercial invoice / Packing list – whether you are shipping your goods via truck or air freight you need to complete a commercial invoice packing list.  This document should include the following information.

• Your company name and address since you are the owner of the goods being imported
• Name of trade show or consignee on who is conducting the customs clearance on the goods.
• Description of goods
• Quantity of the items with itemized cost of goods $ and total value of goods $
• Serial number if applicable
• Country of origin on where the goods were manufactured
• Harmonized code so customs can determine what the goods are and what their duty and tax value should be.

 
Items to Avoid putting in your shipment

• First aid kit – anything that “touches your skin” needs special permission by the Health Minister in order to clear customs.  Just buy what you need in country.
• Alcohol – if customs find alcohol they will confiscate it and delay your shipment clearing customs for the event.
• Weapons or ammunition – I shouldn’t have to explain on why you should bring anything like this.
• Food items – anything that can be ingested needs special health permits to clear customs.  Unless you are exhibiting at a Food Show do not bring it.  Buy it in country.
• Ionized batteries – items such as laptop computers, batteries for portable drill, i-pad, tablet, etc. can be considered Dangerous Goods if they are not declared and or packed properly the airline can deny the shipment before it even departs the US.

There are 3 different ways your goods can enter Mexico.
Goods listed on the combined commercial invoice / packing list will be admitted in one of the following ways.

• Consumption entry (duty paid) – goods sold or “give a way’s” are entered as a permanent entry into Mexico and then duty and VAT is assessed and paid on the exhibitors behalf and invoiced back to them.
• TIB – Temporary import bond – goods that are going to the show in Mexico and will re-export Mexico after the event is completed.  A non-refundable bond is charged to the exhibitor based on the value of their goods from the commercial invoice / packing list.
• ATA Carnet – goods can be brought into Mexico with an ATA Carnet on a temporary basis and you do not have to pay any Duty or VAT as long as the goods re-export Mexico.

When shipping your product overseas for an international trade show, private event, or to your local vendor or representative in that country, you have many different options on how customs in the particular country you are going to will allow you to claim as an entry. 

Here are 3 major examples and explanations on what you can do.

• Permanent import – when you ship your goods via air freight or ocean freight provide customs with a commercial invoice / packing list giving a description of the goods, the country of origin on where the items were manufactured, serial numbers if applicable, customs harmonized code to determine what percentage you will have to pay for Duty and VAT in order to enter the country, and over course the value of the goods.

Every commodity is different and you have to pay a different rate depending on where the goods were manufactured, what the goods are, and what their value is.

Every country is different on how they asses Duty and VAT = Value Added Tax.  GST = General Service Tax.

• ATA Carnet – this is a legal document that is prepared by either a 3rd party or your local Chamber of Commerce on depending on what country you live in.  A Carnet is a legal document that needs to travel with the goods to the foreign country and needs to be signed out by customs by the exporting country and then signed into the foreign country to have a temporary import.  By having an ATA Carnet you avoid paying all Duty and VAT in Foreign countries.  Carnets are only valid for a maximum of one year so the goods need to export back to the point of origin in order to paying any fines or duty and VAT.  The cost of the Carnet and the non-refundable bond you need to put up are based on the value of everything on the Carnet.

You can use a Carnet in 87 countries currently for temporary imports.​
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• Temporary Import Bond – TIB is non refundable bond that is paid to customs based on the value of the goods.  You have to prove to customs that the goods re-export from the country in order to avoid paying any Duty and or VAT.

If you work with a transportation company like ML International, we can conduct any of these customs entries anywhere in world through our unique network of partners.  Let us know on where you need to ship to and we can assist you through every step of the way.  We look forward to earning your business.