Customized Brokers are experts at what they do
Customized Brokers are experts at what they do
Nelly Yunta, vice president of Customized Brokers, headquartered in Miami, said that because the company specializes in fresh produce, a streamlined process is essential in the services it offers.
“Produce doesn’t have time to sit at ports so we work seven days a week to consolidate where possible, reduce paperwork and coordinate with truckers to ensure that products get to their destination as quickly and efficiently as possible,” said Yunta.
She added that it is vital for a brokerage service company to have strong relationships with the relevant agencies and to stay abreast of any regulations and changes that may occur.
“And we coordinate with U.S. government agencies on new processes,” she said. “Without strong relationships we could not do what we do. We have to know how regulations are interpreted at each port.
“Strong relationships with agencies are formed by working hard, participating in meetings and just being there on a daily basis,” she added.
Customized Brokers’ staff must be knowledgeable about the Federal Register and all related regulations, including U.S. Customs & Boarder Protection, Agriculture Quarantine Inspection and more. It conducts internal seminars and attends industry seminars to stay on top of details.
Customized Brokers is the customs brokerage and consulting division for Crowley Maritime Corp. in Jacksonville, FL.
Crowley Maritime is a diversified company that does about $1.5 billion in annual revenues in shipping, logistics and projection solutions. Customized Brokers is a customs clearance broker. It clears customs for importers and it specializes in fresh produce. Besides clearing shipments through government agencies, it also handles logistics for some of its customers by coordinating with Crowley.