PwC's Outsourced Global Customs Classification Services

For over 10 years, PwC has been a leader in customs classification services, both large scale "new / backlog / catch up" classifications and as needed "help desk" services. PwC's Customs Classification Centre has long been renowned for its adherence to process and consistency. We develop tailored operations and control processes that are unique to your specific operations. We recognise that one size does not fit all.

Over the last decade we have reviewed and classified over one million items, assisted our clients with numerous rulings (ranging from simple classifications to complex duty reduction arguments), classification audit defence and refund requests.

We currently provide global "full entry level" classifications for virtually any product into any country from our Manila based Customs Classification Centre. We have developed a unique Classification Toolset. Commodity and industry driven, our Toolset brings together in a single location all of the knowledge necessary to classify a given item. This allows us to ensure that our team employs the same classification logic, rulings support, Chapter, Section and Explanatory notes, customs rulings, commodity questions, and lessons learned to deliver our clients a fully supported classification database. The Toolset ensures that your PwC team has quick access to all of the relevant customs materials and reduces the potential to inadvertently overlook a relevant legal note, ruling or classification question.

How can WMS help?

Our process and team:

  • delivers a classification that will meet customs' authorities reasonable care expectations
  • promotes consistent determination and application of customs classification codes
  • documents the relevant "supporting logic" behind the HS codes we have determined to be appropriate
  • relieves internal resources from extensive customs classification related activities
  • eliminates staff training and turnover challenges
  • reduces your direct labour costs
  • delivers consistent multi-country "entry level" classification
  • supports your operations in the event of Customs' challenges to your classifications
  • can assist you with rulings, protests, disclosures, refund requests and any other classification related issues.

Case studies

Our classification clients have come from a range of industries including aerospace, automotive, consumer products, chemicals, food and beverage products, pharmaceuticals, petro chemicals, power tools, printing equipment, recreational vehicles, semi-conductor machinery & equipment, telecommunications and retail.

Some of our recent Customs Classification Centre's projects include:

  • Chemical Plant Relocation: WMS assisted a global chemical corporation with a request to help them relocate a major plant from South America to the US. Their plan was to disassemble the plant (into nearly 10,000 components), ship it to the US over a period of months and reassemble it.
  • Automotive Service Parts: WMS has worked with a large number of Auto OEM’s to review and reclassify their entire service parts databases. These projects have generally kicked off with 50,000 to 250,000 part databases.
  • Jewellery/Precious Stones: In support of a major online retailer’s global expansion plans, WMS reviewed a number of their products and laid out accurate country specific duty and VAT treatments for use in their online sales site. This gave them a material competitive advantage as many E-Tail sites simply use “estimates” for duty and vat that round up.
  • Consumer Electronics: PwC’s CCC team has assisted several major consumer electronics firms with both larger database reviews as well as “strategic” rulings and import strategies.
  • Consumer Products: We have been working with a major consumer product company to review and reclassify their personal care products across an number of South East Asia countries.
  • Semi-Conductor Equipment: The WMS CCC has worked with two major equipment manufactures to review and reclassify all of their spare/service parts inbound into the US. For a third manufacturer we have provided classification database audit/review services as well as assisted them with translating their US classifications over to the tariff schedules of several Latin America and South East Asia countries.
  • Training: WMS CCC has provided custom industry tailored training services to clients across a number of industries, including: A global art auction house, Auto OEMs, automotive parts suppliers, and consumer and industrial product firms.

 

Contact us

Frank Debets

Managing Partner, PwC Asia Pacific Customs and Trade

Tel: +65 9750 7745

Paul Sumner

Partner, Philippines & Thailand, PwC Asia Pacific Customs and Trade

Tel: +662 844 1305

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