Alpargatas has signed an agreement with GEFCO to coordinate sea freight to Europe and the Middle East. The GEFCO Group will also handle all customs operations.
A “tailor-made” solution to support the international development of Alpargatas.
Since the agreement was signed in April 2011, Alpargatas and GEFCO have been working together to find the most favorable customs solutions for the client in connection with the decision to relocate the Alpargatas warehouse to the Marseille region (France). The famous sandals (known in Portugal as chinelos) are produced in the town of Campina Grande, between Natal and Recife, from where the GEFCO Brazil branch manages their distribution. Since August 2011, the local GEFCO branch has been handling all sea shipments of the famous Havaianas from Brazil, mainly to the port of Marseille, but also to other ports in Europe and the Middle East. Meanwhile, customs formalities upon entry into European ports are handled by other GEFCO branches.
Unique know-how – greater competitiveness
Already in the project phase, GEFCO, in close cooperation with Alpargatas, developed a customs solution tailored to the individual needs of the client.
– Even before the first shipments in August, GEFCO teams in Brazil and France worked as partners to design the best solution that would provide the client with a tailored and comprehensive service – explains Ekaterini Kranioti, Director of the Industrial Market at the GEFCO Group. – Beyond organizing overseas shipments, which constitute a significant area of GEFCO’s activity, as well as our specific know-how, it is primarily the customs and tax representation service offered to the client that determines the high level of advancement and added value of these operations. GEFCO provides all formalities as part of the service, which makes it easier for Alpargatas to focus on its core business. This is exactly how GEFCO creates added value for its clients.
Widely recognized experience
Specializing in intercontinental flows, GEFCO helps companies expand internationally by handling administrative formalities and helping to meet often complex legislative requirements, which are subject to significant changes over the years and vary from country to country.
As a certified customs agent since 1970, GEFCO takes into account the specific requirements of its clients, guaranteeing compliance with customs procedures, VAT operations, and Intrastat declarations (in trade within the EU). It also offers a dedicated service for updating legal regulations. GEFCO, holding AEO (Authorized Economic Operator) authorization, constantly confirms its ability to provide high-quality and reliable customs and tax services for all its international clients.