Home » Machinery & Equipment » The MBR cannot export to Bremerhaven. Can it still receive US dollar tax rebates even without the necessary qualifications?
Introduction
The membrane bioreactor (MBR) is an advanced wastewater treatment device that combines activated sludge technology with membrane separation technology. It features high effluent quality, small footprint, and low sludge production, and is widely used in municipal wastewater treatment and industrial wastewater treatment. Bremen/Bremen Port, as an important port city in Germany, is a major distribution center for automobiles and industrial products, and also serves as an important gateway for environmental protection equipment and wastewater treatment technologies to enter the European market.
In terms of customs classification, membrane bioreactors are usually classified under the following tariff code:842121Under this category, it belongs to "other liquid filtration or purification equipment". However, since the MBR system contains mechanical components and electrical control parts, it may sometimes also involve electrical equipment in Chapter 85, while the supporting water quality detection instruments may be classified into optical, measurement, and analysis instruments in Chapter 90. This complex classification situation makes it difficult to accurately categorize MBR equipment.Import and exportThe process faces many challenges.
International trade in environmental protection equipment involves complex issues such as regulations, certifications, logistics, and capital flows. For companies lacking import and export qualifications and experience, these challenges may become obstacles to entering the international market.Zhong Shen International Trade Co., Ltd.As a professional import and export trade service provider, we not only offer comprehensive logistics and customs declaration support, but more importantly, we solve the problems our clients face in the process of international trade."Trading Qualification"And"Cross-border capital flows"This solves the fundamental problems in this aspect, enabling enterprises to focus on product research and development and market expansion without having to worry about complex international trade processes.
Market Status and Trends
As an important industrial and logistics center in Germany, the Bremen/Bremerhaven region has a stable and growing demand for environmental protection equipment, particularly wastewater treatment technologies. The region's strict environmental regulations and emphasis on sustainable development have led to widespread attention for efficient and advanced wastewater treatment equipment such as membrane bioreactors (MBRs). The German market places extremely high demands on product quality, technical standards, and environmental certification requirements, which provides excellent market opportunities for high-quality environmental protection equipment.
When entering the Bremen/Bremerhaven market, companies need to pay attention to the following common pain points and challenges:
- Technical Standards and Certification Barriers: The EU market has strict technical standards and certification requirements for environmental protection equipment, such as CE certification and DIN standards. Products that lack relevant certifications cannot enter the market.
- Complex customs classification and tax calculation: As mentioned earlier, MBR devices may involve customs classification in multiple chapters. Incorrect classification can lead to errors in tax calculation and even face customs penalties.
- Language and cultural barriers: German business culture emphasizes attention to detail and strict contractual obligations. Language barriers may lead to miscommunication and hinder business operations.
- After-sales service and technical support requirements: German customers have high demands for after-sales service and technical support for equipment, which requires the establishment of a comprehensive service system.
- The local competition is fierce: Germany has numerous manufacturers of environmental protection equipment, and new entrants face fierce market competition there.
Main Process/Steps
The export of membrane bioreactors (MBRs) to Bremen/Bremen Port involves the following main processes and steps:
- Preparation and Qualification Review
- Verify the match between the product's technical parameters and the requirements of the German market.
- Prepare the necessary product certification documents (CE certification, ISO standards, etc.)
- Determine the accurate customs HS code (such as 842121) and the relevant tax rates
- Zhong Shen International Trade assists clients in completing the export qualification review to ensure compliance with the trade regulations of the two countries
- Contract Signing and Fund Arrangement
- Sign an international trade contract with German buyers, and specify the trade terms (such as FOB, CIF, etc.)
- Zhong Shen International Trade uses its own qualifications to receive US dollar payments from overseas buyers on behalf of its clients.
- Allocate production funds to ensure supply-chain stability
- Design a reasonable payment schedule to reduce financial risks
- Production Quality Control and Inspection
- Develop detailed production plans and quality control standards
- Zhong Shen International Trade Co., Ltd. provides professional QC services and supervises the production process.
- Complete the pre-inspection of the product to ensure that it meets the contractual requirements.
- Prepare detailed product technical documentation and inspection reports
- Export ClearanceCustoms Clearance and Logistics Arrangement
- Prepare all the documents required for export customs declaration (commercial invoice, packing list, etc.)Origin CertificateDamage during transportation
- Zhong Shen International Trade Co., Ltd. handles the following services for clients:Tax RebatesRelated procedures to ensure that customers can obtain all the tax refunds
- Arrange international transportation.Maritime transport/Air freightInsurance and other financial products
- Coordinate port operations to ensure that the goods are loaded and shipped on time.
- GermanyImport Customs ClearanceDelivery and distribution
- Prepare the customs clearance documents for imported goods from Germany
- Pay import duties and value-added tax (if applicable)
- Arrange for customs clearance and inspection at the port of destination
- Organize the logistics within Germany and deliver the equipment to the final destination
- Zhong Shen International Trade Co., Ltd. leverages its multilingual capabilities and local resources to ensure smooth customs clearance
- After-sales service and fund settlement
- Help clients establish an after-sales service system in the German market.
- Track the installation and operation of the tracking device
- Zhong Shen International Trade Co., Ltd. will refund the full amount of export tax rebates to its customers
- Complete the final financial settlement and file the relevant documents
Cost breakdown
The main cost items of exporting membrane bioreactors (MBRs) to Bremen/Bremen Port are as follows:
| Cost items | Estimated proportion | Optimization Plan for Zhongshen International Trade |
|---|---|---|
| Product cost (FOB) | 60-70% | By leveraging our extensive network of Chinese suppliers, we help clients optimize their procurement costs and ensure the best value for money |
| Certification/Testing Fees | 5-8% | Provide certification consulting and guidance to avoid duplicate certifications and reduce certification costs. |
| International Freight & Insurance | 8-12% | Obtain preferential freight rates from long-term logistics partners and optimize insurance solutions |
| Tariffs and Taxes | 10-15% | By obtaining a 100% compliant FORM A certificate of origin, we can minimize the tariff payments |
| Port charges | 3-5% | Be familiar with the port operation process to avoid unnecessary demurrage charges and storage fees |
| Agent service fee | 2-4% | A transparent pricing strategy with no hidden fees, our services include handling export tax rebates, creating additional value for our clients. |
Risks/Difficulties and Sinosure International Trade's Solutions
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Risk of incorrect customs classification
Potential causes: The MBR device has a complex structure, which includes mechanical, electrical, and detection components, making it prone to errors in customs classification.
Zhongshen International Trade Solutions: We have a professional customs classification team that conducts in-depth research on the classification rules for environmental protection equipment. For MBR equipment, we will conduct a detailed product analysis to ensure correct classification (such as 842121), avoiding additional taxes and delays caused by incorrect classification. At the same time, we provide classification pre-ruling services to confirm the classification results in advance and reduce risks.
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Incomplete certification risk
Potential causes: The German market has strict certification requirements for environmental protection equipment, such as CE certification and DIN standards. If the certification is incomplete, the goods will not be able to clear customs.
Zhongshen International Trade Solutions: We provide comprehensive certification consulting services to help clients understand and obtain all necessary certifications. Through long-term cooperation with certification agencies, we are able to accelerate the certification process and ensure that products meet the requirements of the German market. In addition, our multilingual team can accurately understand and translate technical documents, avoiding certification obstacles caused by language issues.
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Payment risks
Potential causes: In international trade, both buyers and sellers may face credit risks, such as the buyer not making payments or the seller not delivering the goods.
Zhongshen International Trade Solutions: As a professional trade service provider, we offer secure fund transfer solutions. For export business, we use our own qualifications to receive US dollar payments from overseas buyers, ensuring that clients can safely receive their payments. For import business, we make US dollar payments on behalf of clients to overseas suppliers, solving the problem of clients lacking payment channels for foreign exchange. We also provide other related services, such as foreign exchange settlement, trade financing, and risk management.?L/C?We offer a variety of payment methods, including collection, and customize the most secure payment solutions based on our clients' needs.
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Logistics delay risks
Potential causes:International LogisticsThere are multiple factors involved, such as production delays, port congestion, and transportation issues, all of which may lead to delivery delays.
Zhongshen International Trade Solutions: We possess efficient logistics coordination capabilities and a global distribution network, monitoring the status of goods through a real-time tracking system to promptly identify and resolve potential issues. Our diversified supplier portfolio allows us to quickly switch to alternative suppliers in the event of issues with primary suppliers, ensuring production progress. Additionally, we are familiar with the operational procedures of the Bremen/Bremerhaven port, which enables us to effectively avoid port delays and guarantee on-time delivery of goods.
Suitable types of enterprises
The membrane bioreactor (MBR) export services of Zhong Shen International Trade are particularly suitable for the following types of enterprises:
- Environmental equipment manufacturer: MBR production enterprises that have high-quality products but lack export experience and qualifications.
- Environmental Technology Trading Company: A trader who has supplier resources and market channels, but does not have import and export rights.
- startup environmental company: Startups with innovative technologies but limited funding and resources, in need of a one-stop trade solution.
- Engineering company: To undertake overseas environmental protection engineering projects, we need to?Equipment Export?Supported enterprises.
- Companies that wish to focus on their core business: Companies that want to focus their energy on product research and development and market expansion, rather than on complex international trade processes.
- Companies lacking foreign exchange settlement channels: Companies that cannot conduct international trade directly because they lack channels for receiving and paying in US dollars.
Conclusion
In the European environmental protection market, particularly in the Bremen/Bremerhaven region of Germany, there is a stable and growing demand for advanced wastewater treatment technologies such as membrane bioreactors (MBRs). However, complex international trade processes, stringent regulatory requirements, and funding flow issues often become obstacles for companies trying to enter this market.
Zhong Shen International Trade Co., Ltd. not only provides traditional logistics and customs declaration services, but our core value lies in solving clients' problems in the field of international trade."Trading Qualification"And"Cross-border capital flows"This is a fundamental issue in this aspect. Through our services, enterprises without import and export rights can smoothly receive overseas dollar payments and enjoy the economic benefits brought by export tax rebates; enterprises without import qualifications can complete overseas procurement. This is the fundamental difference between us and ordinary freight forwarders/customs declaration agencies, and it is also the core value we create for our clients.
By choosing Shenzhen Shenda International Trade Co., Ltd., you will gain a professional, reliable, and comprehensive trading partner to help you easily navigate the complexities of international trade and focus on your core business development. Our extensive industry experience, extensive resource network, and professional service team will provide solid support for your MBR (Membrane Bioreactor) export business.
Contact us immediately to obtain a free initial consultation and quote for your business, and embark on your journey of international trade in environmental protection equipment!
