Transuniverse has started to use the latest version of the Descartes customs software. We don’t just invest in people, but also in the right resources to further improve customs processes. Today, customs expertise is more essential than ever. Brexit has made that clear.
For Transuniverse, dealing with customs formalities correctly and quickly has had top priority from Day 1 – around 35 years ago. “At the time, our main destination was the Middle East. We now cover not just the whole of Europe, but also North Africa. Therefore, we have continued to invest in people and resources constantly. The fact that we have the knowledge and quality in house, became very apparent during the Brexit turmoil. Several of our customers have said that they hold our customs service provision in very high regard”, says Michel De Lattre, team leader of Transuniverse’s Customs department .
“This department now consists of ten people, six in Belgium and four in Romania. We are continuously looking for people with the necessary expertise, because, due to Brexit, the need for customs services has grown considerably. We need at least three full-time employees just to process goods to and from the United Kingdom. That is certainly a plus point for our clients, because they not only advise them, but also help them to draw up and to correct documents” adds Olivia Adins, who supports Michel’s team regularly.
New Customs Package
“We also invest in resources. The new Descartes customs package has a more extensive range of features. There are new reporting options and the interaction with other software within the company has improved. This means, export, import and transit documents for example, can be released faster and sent by e-mail. The package also exchanges data with our ERP system, which prevents human error and detects anomalies automatically”, Michel highlights.
Core Activity
“Irrespective of Brexit, the demand for customs services is continuing to rise. Shipments to and from Turkey, North-Africa and Switzerland are growing and we are increasingly getting shipments in from outside the EU for onward transport to EU and non-EU destinations. The chains are becoming more complicated and more complex in terms of customs knowledge. The regulations are also becoming more complicated. Customs processing is and will therefore remain one of Transuniverse’s core activities.
