We Do Things Like This: How Collaboration Creates Smoother Supply Chains

When an importer needed to vacate their Baltimore warehouse by a strict deadline, they turned to us for support. The request wasn’t just about moving stock — it was about managing a complex mix of bonded and tax-paid merchandise, damaged items and promotional material. Everything had to be handled in line with customs regulations, while keeping to a tight schedule.

The challenge

The operation required more than simple transport. The warehouse held:

• Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) merchandise that needed to stay in bond and move with a bonded carrier
• Tax-paid stock requiring relocation to a new tax-paid area
• Damaged bottles in bond that needed to be destroyed without triggering tax payments
• Tax-paid stock that also had to be destroyed
• Point of Sale (POS) materials to be either relocated to a marketing warehouse or disposed of

Each category required a different process, a different set of customs paperwork and precise coordination. The customer needed all of this completed before the end of August - giving just a few weeks to plan and execute.

The solution

The key to success was collaboration. Our Domestic and Customs teams, recently brought together under one leadership, combined their expertise to deliver the solution.

• Domestic Team: Coordinated 77 truckloads from Baltimore FTZ to the NJ FTZ, ensuring smooth scheduling and warehouse liaison.
• Customs Team: Managed all in-bond withdrawals and transfers, filing the correct customs paperwork on time.
• Joint effort: Together with the DHL Supply Chain team, we also arranged for the compliant disposal of any unsalable beverages/items.

What made this project possible was not just hard work, but the way our people operated as one. Each bonded truck required exact descriptions and quantities to be shared across the teams so that customs paperwork could be filed and approved before every pickup and delivery. This close coordination kept the project compliant, on time and easy for the customer.

The global advantage

Behind this success is the strength of our global network. Our teams work across a shared operating platform, which allows us to connect local expertise with international reach. From managing bonded transport logistics in the United States to arranging sea freight through our colleagues in Europe, our operating model means that transport, customs and inventory flows align seamlessly.

Because our experts work at both ends of the supply chain, we make it easier for importers in the wine, beer and spirits logistics sector to manage complex requirements without disruption. This combination of global presence, local knowledge and unified systems is what gives customers confidence that every stage of their supply chain is under control.

The result

By the end of August, every truckload and every piece of material was moved or disposed of exactly as required. 

This story highlighted the success of bringing the Domestic and Customs teams together, unlocking opportunities and delivering smoother results for customers. Uniting our expertise to elevate our customer service, we do things like this…

“It is truly difficult to find the right words to express my gratitude to all of you. Once again, you have shown what true professionalism looks like - how quickly you can mobilize, how dedicated and responsible each of you is in your area. You have proven again that you can handle any challenge in the shortest time — never breaking down, always pushing forward until the very last minute.

Outstanding job! Thank you a million times over for wrapping this up so successfully.”

Andrey Stoiko, Global Director customer Service, S.P.I. Spirits (Cyprus) Ltd

Reviewed by Hillebrand Gori