Author Archives: FEMP

ICAL & TGL Medical supporting the community and charities

At ICAL & TGL Medical we are proud to announce our support for charities during times of need over the pandemic.

Every box of face masks that we sell, we will match it with a donated box to select charities. The more we sell the more we will donate.  

We will then send these donations off to one of the following organisations:

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We may add more charities over time, if you feel your charity non for profit organisation should be considered as part of our donation program then please contact us for more information and review.

Show your support for these charities by purchasing your face masks directly online via TGL Medical.

Sydney Branch Manager announced

We are delighted to introduce you to ICAL’s newest team member Mr Gregory Good.

Greg has been employed as Branch Manager of our Sydney Office, conveniently located at Banksmeadow, close to the airport and docks.

Greg brings with him a wealth of experience within the logistics and supply chain industry having been State Manager with Toll Global Logistics Queensland and State Manager for Express Logistics NSW. He has exceptional knowledge of International Freight Forwarding, Supply Chain Review, ship’s agents, Warehousing, Mining and Retail Distribution. His knowledge has been built on a career spanning three decades within the freight and logistics industry.

Greg is supported by a proficient team of 30 professional staff, made up of Customs Brokers, import and export, air and sea experts, sales and accounts staff. We have staff fluent in languages including Spanish, Mandarin, French, Serbian, Bosnian, Croatian and Japanese.

Greg’s experience in mining provides a strategic link between the ICAL Sydney and Newcastle offices. The ICAL Newcastle office was established to enable a specialised link between Sydney and the mining belt in northern New South Wales.

If you are bringing anything into Sydney, or indeed Australia, make a point to contact Greg first and you won’t be disappointed. Greg can be contacted on +61 2 9695-7378 or +61 447 035 588, gregory.good @ ical.com.au or visit the office at Unit 1, Ground Floor 1753 Botany Road, Banksmeadow.

China freight VAT notification

Starting on 1st of August, the Chinese administration is planning to apply a 6% VAT/GST tax on all the freight payable in China, effecting both exports and imports. Hong Kong is excluded as it has a special tax regime & is outside mainland China as is Macau.

The tax would not apply if the freight is paid in Australia, purchasing FOB terms on your imports maybe the only way to avoid this additional surcharge. The news has been unexpected and the situation is not entirely clear, we will update this information on our website when more information becomes available.

DAFF New Imported Food Regulations

As of the 20 May, 2013, commercial importers are required to report the overseas producer for all food imports.

DAFF’s definition of the Producer is “the commercial or individuals premises where the goods are packed into the final bulk or retail packaging.” The Producer declared on the Import Declaration must be as listed on the labelling of the imported product. 

Importers are advised to contact their overseas suppliers to ensure that the Producers are declared on the commercial documentation for each type of imported food on the consignment.  Importers are responsible for sufficient information so as the correct Producer is declared with regards to the goods imported. 

We as Customs Brokers will register the Producer in the Customs ICS system on your behalf but will require this information be provided by the importer of the food import. 

This requirement includes all foods & beverage, including alcohol.  Please go to the following link to familiarise yourself with the requirement: http://www.daff.gov.au/aqis/import/food/notices/2009/2013/ifn_02-13,

Import Budget Update

Commercial importers hit with increased Customs charges. 

The Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan announced some dramatic increases in the Customs import processing charge (IPC) to be implemented as of January 1, 2014.  It would seem that the import community has been targeted to pay for the federal governments excesses. 

The current IPC fee is sitting at $50 per consignment per electronic sea import declaration, the IPC will be increased by $102.60 to $152.60 as of January 1, 2014, a 200% increase for an electronic service & $81.00 to $122.00 for air freight consignments.

This increase will apply to consignments over $10,000 in value while the IPC for consignments valued less than $10,000 will remain at $50 and consignments under $1000 will attract no IPC fee.

Little Aussie Battler

The Aussie dollar is seen to be punching above its weight these days with the announcement of Westpac & the ANZ being granted the rights to trade the Australian dollar & Chinese Yuan on the Chinese mainland, this announcement has pushed the Aussie back up over the US$1.05 mark, not a good outcome for our exporters but a bonus for importers. 

This will be a great advantage for Aussie importers as future shipment may not have the added expense of currency conversion into US$ in international trade deals, but I suggest this will all depend on your suppliers attitude towards dealing in Aussie$  when their currency is fixed against the US$ & the US currency is entrenched  as the preferred payment method.

Australia is only the third country behind the US & Japan to achieve such an arrangement & with talks re a free trade agreement between the two countries continuing into too its eighth year, this currency development is seen as a stepping stone for future economic engagement.  There is also a rumour on the Grapevine that the Japan / Australia Free Trade Agreement is a done deal but please do not quote me on that as this is just speculation, we will confirm further details when known.

Parish Pantry Donation

ICAL with the support of Sandvik Mining was able to make a donation of over $700.00 to the St John’s Parish Pantry.

ICAL’s NSW office in association with Sandvik Mining was able to offer a helping hand to the St John’s Parish Pantry, the not for profit organisation opens every Monday morning, providing hampers & food to disadvantaged people living in the Raymond Terrace area.

ICAL’s Business Development Manager, Dan Wilkinson was on hand to present a cheque to the St John’s Prish Pantries organiser Heather Buckingham, who was pleased to receive the generous donation in difficult times. 

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Chinese New Year Period 9-16 February

Please be aware the Chinese New Year Festivities from 9-16 February is an extended holiday period in China which concludes with the Lantern Festival. The year of the Snake celebrations do present some issues for the western world as this celebration can create supply chain havoc re stock requirements.

ICAL’s Men’s Shed Elves

ICAL has donated 110 plywood pallets to the Raymond Terrace Men’s Shed, a community based organisation that provides a safe, social & supportive environment where both skilled & unskilled men come together to provide community based benefits & support.  The plywood pallets have been provided to the organisation to help produce toys & furniture for Xmas orders raising funds for the non-profit organisation.

We at ICAL would like to thank you all for your support over the past 12 months & wish you and your family a happy & safe Christmas.

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Anti-dumping reforms proposed.

The Federal Government has announced reforms to its ‘anti-dumping’ system, to protect Australian industry against foreign companies ‘dumping’ below cost goods in the Australian market place which can be disastrous to local manufacturers. The reforms are aimed at improving the system’s responsiveness, efficiency and effectiveness, and reducing costs and complexity to local industry.

With the USA & Europe still in the doldrums excess manufacturing capacity especially out of China is potentially seeing product being sold at a price below “normal value”- this is usually the domestic price of the goods in the country of export.  If this dumping causes or threatens to cause material injury to Australian industry Customs may impose an additional dumping duty on the imported product which will often make this imported product too expensive to import from the specific country indicated.

Previously the dumping action process was prohibitive & often by the time the process was complete the dumped product had caused significant damage the local industry & the offending product was moved into another overseas market to cause further damage in another destination.  The current products subject to dumping can be found on the following link: http://www.adcommission.gov.au/measures/Pages/default.aspx