Irish wood-based panel manufacturer Medite SmartPly has announced a “game-changing” partnership with Europe’s leading customs clearance experts to process more than 10,000 declarations per year.
Medite SmartPly says its collaboration with Customs Support Group (CSG) will “revolutionise” its supply chain operations by boosting throughput and establishing a new benchmark for speed and accuracy.
Medite SmartPly is a subsidiary of Coillte, Ireland’s state-owned forestry company, and produces MDF and OSB panels from its manufacturing hubs in Clonmel and Waterford, close to Ireland’s major ports.
However, it needed a seamless customs clearance operation to take advantage of its strategic location and service its key export markets, most notably the United Kingdom post-Brexit.
To address this, CSG has utilised its advanced AI capabilities to create an interface which integrates Medite SmartPly’s enterprise resource planning (ERP) system with its customs system.
This blend of automation and human oversight extracts daily shipping data from logistics providers and inputs it into the ERP system, before CSG’s Customs EDI system creates, checks and validates declarations before submission.
The system also facilitates automated communication with hauliers, allowing Medite SmartPly to maintain its high-speed supply chain.
“Partnering with CSG allows us to deliver products seamlessly and confidently, knowing every customs procedure is handled professionally,” said Jerry Anglim, supply chain business development director at Medite SmartPly.
“Partnering with CSG allows us to deliver products seamlessly and confidently, knowing every customs procedure is handled professionally.”
“Medite SmartPly’s logistics model is built on precision, with tight schedules for truck arrivals around port access windows. Any delay in customs clearance presents a significant risk to our operation.”
Charlie Dawson, business development manager at Customs Support Group Ireland, said speed alone wasn’t enough in the customs landscape.
“It’s not just about being fast, but also about being razor-sharp on regulations,” he said. “Right now, we’re navigating a minefield of shifting rules, suspended checks and evolving standards. ICS2 Release 3 is live, CBAM reforms are underway, and UKIMS still has grey areas around at-risk goods.”
“Add to that the EU’s steel tariff hikes, the US trade deal implications and possible delays with the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), and it’s a lot to stay ahead of – and that’s just on the regulatory side,” added Jocelyn Burke, compliance manager at Customs Support Group Ireland.
