What is the Alihankinta event in Finland?
The Alihankinta event is hosted by Tampereen Messut, and is the largest industrial event in Finland. It is also the second largest subcontracting industry trade fair in Europe.
This year was the 35th Alihantinka, with the sold out convention host to service providers, technology companies, and the trading of ideas on this year’s theme – “globally local”.
Of course, Customs Support is your local customs partner throughout Europe, so this theme strongly aligns with our vision. So much so that Customs Clearance Director Finland Esko Holopainen, gave a seminar at the event.
Optimising the cost of cross-border purchases with customs
Presented to a huge audience of importers and procurement professionals, Esko shared insights on how customs functions can be used as effective duty management tools during import clearance.
Throughout his presentation, he explained how using the correct commodity code can save you money, working with Inward Processing Relief, and how you can leverage customs warehousing to improve your cash flow.
He advised how the customs conversation starts at purchasing, not when the goods have been shipped as your flexibility is already limited at that point. It is essential for purchasers to consider the embedded costs of customs when comparing suppliers – the cost of the goods and the freight are not the whole picture.
Esko went on to explain how the ever-changing landscape of customs means that there are opportunities and threats arising all the time – such as the upcoming costs associated with the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism and the recent sanctions on Russian iron and steel.
These two areas relate to metals, although importers of cement, fertiliser, hydrogen, and some electrical goods must also prepare for CBAM.
However, as Esko explained at Alihankinta, these two areas will also impact customs in manufacturing, as these components will go into goods like electric vehicles and could affect preferential origin.
If these simple changes can have such a wide spread effect, then it is vital that you have a regular customs quick scan to identify where industries of all kinds can be affected. Esko spoke about what to look for when working with customs consultants, our customs consultants in Finland, and how optimising your supply chain can help with obtaining customs licences or applying for AEO.
Looking for a “globally local” customs partner?
Customs Support provides customs clearance for over 30,000 companies throughout Europe, working across more than 13 countries to keep your supply chains moving.
If you’d like help identifying the opportunities and threats in your supply chain, book a quick scan with us today.
