Shipping is Going Global

Recently, we have heard so much news about the trend of reshoring emerging in American manufacturing—the idea of companies bringing manufacturing back to the United States from foreign countries, so that there is pride in “Made in the USA.” But what about the opposite effect? American companies manufacturing goods here and then shipping them overseas? As plastic extruders, we are beginning to see the demand expand internationally.

Typically, people here in America wanted someone close by to make their extrusions, so they can be a part of the engineering process. At that point, it made sense that international shipping wasn’t widespread. However, international shipping is now becoming more and more common. Requests are increasing, largely due to the processes we have developed for greener materials that companies are seeking more of. With expanded shipping, then, comes expanded security and responsibility—there are more standards that need to be met for international shipping.

Because of terrorism and other international security issues, the regulations for shipping, especially overseas, have tightened tremendously. This has enforced companies, much like ours, to be more secure in our packaging and shipping of products. One partnership in particular, C-TPAT, issues specific regulations for secure and safe shipment. When it comes to large customers and large international shipments, these regulations become even more important and necessary to adhere to.

What types of security measures are taken into consideration for international shipping? The sides and interiors of shipping trucks need to be inspected, as well as the roof, to ensure there is nothing other than the specified product being shipped. Measurements of the shipments need to be verified, and background checks of the inspectors need to be certified. Once this inspection is completed, a seal is placed on the truck, allowing customers to get shipments in an expedited manner.

While there are many other types of programs and regulations out there for stipulating international shipping standards, the first step is understanding the importance of need of these regulations, and then becoming familiar with how to ship products in a safe and efficient manner. What is better for the resurgence of American manufacturing than providing goods both domestically and internationally!