Insights

Logistics in Russia – Points to Consider

May 05, 2014.
Logistics Publications

Russia is a growing market for long-term business investments and its importance as a strategic market for consumer goods will grow due to its energy exporting ability. Logistics is a challenge alone and below are some areas to review and consider when looking at the opportunities in Russia. 1. ...

NAFTA’s Emerald Anniversary

May 02, 2014.
Logistics Publications

Twenty years ago, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was finalized and signed into law. The agreement between the nations of Canada, the U.S., and Mexico, was hotly debated for years prior to signature. Some, like former president Bill Clinton, heralded the agreement as a major step...

How unmanned remote-controlled aircrafts will shape freight services

April 30, 2014.
Logistics Publications

The first practical use of drones was introduced by the military, but the history of the idea dates as far back as 1915, which Nikola Tesla described a fleet of unmanned aerial combat vehicles. Having 100 years to develop from fantastic idea to a virtual reality, we now find ourselves at the...

Alabama Establishes Independent Tax Tribunal

April 16, 2014.
Tax Publications

Alabama has just recently established an independent tax tribunal effective October 1, 2014, replacing its Administrative Law Division which was tied to the Department of Revenue. See 2014 Alabama House Bill No. 105. This is significant, as Alabama has attempted to establish this tribunal multiple times in order to improve its tax...

Same day delivery: Ignoring the elephant in the room

April 15, 2014.
Logistics Publications

Whether we like it or not, people in the logistics world are facing two major trends: the increase of e-commerce and the desire to immediately receive online orders in their hands. Companies like Amazon are partnering with the United States Postal Service (USPS) for Sunday Deliveries and testing same-day delivery...

An Exceptionally Oversized and Heavy Convoy

April 13, 2014.
Logistics Publications

March 5, 2014 will be a day to remember for many people of Belfort, especially those who work at General Electric, as this was when the largest gas turbine manufactured by GE in Belfort, France, named 9HA-01, was completed. There have been huge challenges for General Electric’s manufacturing, logistics, and...

To TIB or Not to TIB

April 12, 2014.
Trade Publications

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) offers several programs that allow importers to save on duties and taxes. One of these programs is the Temporary Importation Under Bond or TIB program. Like most CBP related programs for reducing duty payments, this process can be complex and costly if not...

Senate Finance Committee Passes Bill to Extend Bonus Depreciation

April 10, 2014.
Tax Publications

The EXPIRE Act (Expiring Provisions Improvement Reform and Efficiency) was passed in the Senate Finance Committee on April 3, 2014. Part of the act included provisions for extending bonus depreciation under Section 168(k). Bonus Depreciation For over a decade, bonus depreciation has popped in and out of the tax code as...

Is your sourcing strategic?

April 02, 2014.
Logistics Publications

Strategy is a plan of action, or policy, designed to achieve an overall aim. Sourcing is the buying of a product or service delivery from a supplier. Strategic Sourcing is an organized and collaborative approach to leveraging targeted spending across locations with select suppliers that are best suited to create...

President Signs Ukraine Related Executive Order

April 01, 2014.
Trade Publications

The president of the United States has signed a new executive order that prohibits transferring or exporting US property to anyone who is furthering the current situation in the Ukraine. http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/OFAC-Enforcement/pages/20140317.aspx All property and interests in property that are in the...

Virginia Rules Post-Sale Technical Training Development Creates Nexus

March 30, 2014.
Tax Publications

The Virginia Tax Commissioner has recently ruled that an employee’s home office in Virginia, wherein test methods for post-sale training were developed, created nexus for income tax despite the training itself being conducted out of state. (Virginia Public Document Ruling 13-172, 09/19/2013). Facts The taxpayer’s only tie...

Ask Your Logistics Expert... What is EEI and who needs to take care of this?

March 30, 2014.
Logistics Publications

Q: What is EEI and who needs to take care of this? A: Foreign Trade Regulations and determining if an Electronic Export Information (EEI) is required. Mandatory EEI filing through the Automated Electronic System (AES) went into effect on October 2, 2008. This required specific filing for tangible cargo with a...