Valuable Information Learned at Logistics and Compliance Conference

Toledo SBDC Export Assistance Network Hosts 50

“Colleen put together a great group of knowledgeable speakers with topics and discussions on real-world exporting and compliance issues I could relate to.” – Lori Schmitt, Bard Manufacturing Company, Inc.​​

By: Colleen Kardasz, Director, Ohio SBDC Export Assistance Network

For businesses who export there are two topics among the many considerations that generally get the most attention: money and logistics. What will this cost me? How am I going to get paid? How am I getting my product there? Intrinsically tied to those two topics though is the area of compliance. It’s not a given that having a product that a foreign buyer wants means you can get the product to that person or country. There are rules and regulations for exporting that must be followed, but there are also best practices that can make sure your company not only makes the international sale, but that you actually make money from the exchange.

Logistics and Compliance were the topics for a two-day conference at the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce last month. I often hear from clients about the struggles they have dealing with regulations and how those regulations are followed by the logistics companies. It’s too common for American companies to say that they don’t even want to deal with logistics and compliance aspect of an international sale, but want to make their foreign buyer responsible for those details. While certainly NOT a best practice, there are possible implications there for the American company that should be discussed and understood. For a small company without a dedicated compliance staff, the ins and outs of exporting logistics can be daunting at best, and prohibitive at worst. Unfortunately, the cost, both literally and figuratively, of failing to fully understand the logistics of shipping your product overseas, or the ramifications of an export violation are far worse than the added paperwork. The Toledo conference brought together industry experts and government officials to answer some common questions and provide best practices for navigating international waters (pun intended) more smoothly.

“There is no doubt I took away a lot of valuable tips and information from this conference, I feel like it was put together just for me.” – Lori Schmitt, Bard Manufacturing Company, Inc.​

Speakers for the event included: The Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority, Customs & Border Protection, Expeditors International, The Andersons, Inc., Braumiller Law Group and the U.S. Census Bureau.

If you are a business in the State of Ohio and looking for resources such as this conference to help you either start exporting or export more strategically, the Ohio SBDC Export Assistance Network can offer you no-cost confidential counseling as well as training, programs and other resources.

Please use the SBDC Locator below to find an SBDC or Export Assistance Network office near you.

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Colleen Marie Kardasz is the Ohio SBDC Export Assistance Network Director at the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce. Colleen is a licensed attorney with a background in marketing and PR who works with SMEs to start or expand their international business.

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The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) program of Ohio is funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. The SBDC is also funded in part by the Ohio Development Services Agency. All opinions, conclusions, and/or recommendations expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA.

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Please contact Emily Dammeyer, Communications Manager, Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce to submit a story for our blog.
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