International freight forwarding is something I never had much knowledge in. When Scott first hired me, I figured Jade was simply a company that handled large shipments internationally. I had no idea how complex and important the industry really was. During these last few months as a new employee, I have been given the opportunity to learn all the ins and outs of the industry and what kind of role Jade in particular has in all this.
As a freight forwarder, Jade International holds the role of intermediator between a shipper and the final point of distribution. This means that Jade is responsible for organizing shipments for individuals or corporations so that their goods can travel from the manufacturer to the customer. So generally, there are 4-5 different parties involved per shipment. It is Jade’s job to then utilize relationships with carriers, trucking companies, airline and ocean carriers to negotiate the best possible price and service for a shipment to be carried out. Many companies find importing and exporting has many regulations and pitfalls, and working with a knowledgeable, service-driven freight forwarder and Customhouse broker can save the importer and exporter a great amount of time and aggravation.
The freight forwarding industry provides companies with the most efficient solution to the shipping process. Without freight forwarders, the entire shipment process may not only be slowed down, but can experience many complications that are simply too much for companies to handle. For example, the process of moving cargo overseas deals with several different foreign transport protocols and regulations. Companies who are unfamiliar with this can find themselves in a challenging spot when dealing with foreign customers and vendors.
I feel as though my knowledge and appreciation for the industry has grown significantly. There are so many different aspects that go in to what we do here at Jade. Things like customs brokerage, networking, scheduling, negotiating, documentation, inventory management and of course freight forwarding are all crucial in the shipment planning process. Learning all of this has not only allowed me to gain a larger view of what I do on the accounting side, but has helped me understand and appreciate the importance of the industry and its role in society.
Written by: Matthew Shelton
