Most importers do not change brokers because of price. They change because nobody could tell them where the shipment was, or why it was held, or who was handling it. This is how a shipment runs at Eilan, from the first file to the records you keep afterwards. One file, one team, whichever of our twenty-seven points of entry the freight moves through.
1. Before the first shipment
Onboarding happens once and it decides how smoothly everything after it runs.
- Power of attorney, your importer number, and your customs bond, or we arrange one
- On the Mexican side, your registration with the tax authority and the importers registry, plus any sector registry the product needs
- A review of your product list and tariff classifications before anything moves, not after an entry is questioned
- Which permits or agency requirements apply, and who files them
2. Before the freight reaches the border
The entry is prepared while the goods are still moving. We check the commercial invoice, the packing list and the transport document against each other, confirm the classification and the duty treatment, claim USMCA where the goods qualify, and flag anything that needs a permit, a licence from another agency, hazmat documentation or an in-bond movement. Problems found here cost an email. Found at the bridge, they cost days.
3. At the crossing
We file the U.S. entry and the Mexican pedimento on the same shipment. If the shipment is selected for review, whether that is a U.S. exam or Mexican recognition, the same team works it rather than passing it to a counterpart at another company. You are told what was asked for and what we sent.
4. Moving and holding the freight
Cross-border transportation, transload and cross-dock, bonded warehouse space, and in-bond movements that we create, clear at destination and cancel when the routing changes. Hazardous materials are handled with the classification, documentation and placarding they require. Laredo is our largest operation, with offices and 200,000 sq ft of warehouse capacity, and freight can be received, consolidated and released to your plant as you need it.
5. After release
The entry is not the end of the obligation. The importer of record has to keep records and answer for what was declared. We return the filed documents, keep them retrievable, handle corrections and post-entry work, and tell you when something in your product list should change before it becomes a pattern.
What you get in practice
- One point of contact. A person who knows your account, not a queue.
- One file across both countries. The U.S. entry and the Mexican pedimento sit together, with one reference.
- Shipment tracking and warehouse systems, so status is something you can look at rather than ask for.
- Email answered 24/7. Freight does not stop at five o’clock.
- Your credentials stay yours. Your bond, your importer number, your import history. Moving to Eilan changes who files and who answers. Nothing else.
Starting without moving everything
You do not have to move your whole operation on day one. Pick one shipment or one lane. You see how we work, how fast we answer and how we document it, and you decide from there.
Frequently asked questions
How long does onboarding take?
Once the power of attorney, importer number and bond are in place, a first shipment can usually be filed quickly. The part worth not rushing is the classification review, because that is what determines duties and what gets questioned later.
Do I need to change my bond or importer number?
No. Those belong to you, not to your broker. Changing brokers changes who prepares and files the entry.
Can you work alongside our current broker?
Yes. An importer can authorise more than one broker, so we can take a single lane, a port or overflow volume while your current arrangement continues.
What happens when a shipment is held?
We find out what was asked for, send it, and tell you what happened and what it means for your timing. You should never have to ask us whether there is news.
Start with one shipment. Call +1 (956) 717-4150, or request a quote.
En español: cómo trabajamos
Un solo expediente y un solo equipo, desde el alta hasta los registros. Damos de alta su poder, su número de importador y su fianza, revisamos su lista de productos y las fracciones arancelarias antes de mover nada, preparamos la entrada mientras la carga viaja, presentamos la entrada en Estados Unidos y el pedimento en México sobre el mismo embarque, atendemos revisiones y reconocimientos, movemos la carga con transporte transfronterizo, almacén fiscal e in-bonds, y después le devolvemos la documentación y atendemos rectificaciones. Un solo contacto, seguimiento de embarques y atención por correo 24/7. Despachando embarques desde 1994. Llame al +1 (956) 717-4150.