I’ve told stories for many years about importers being black listed for not addressing the real and harsh expenses associated with disposing of bug infested wooden crates inside or outside of a container shipment. Darren Hill down in Northland NZ, was in near shock WHEN his Indian shipment arrived and the Inspectors seized his property and threatened to destroy it all at great expense to him. That was maybe 5 or more years ago, and I think the experience caused Darren pause in ever risking that kind of money on import again.
To my knowledge, ‘you the importer’ are held responsible for all costs in destroying the imported materials, or for all costs and fees associated with the emergency export of same IF others are not held accountable. There are situations where if you don’t pay the fees, you will be black listed, and you will no longer be able to import.
As a public Service, I post here a comment made in a forum recently, and then a link to one of my previous posts.
Gentlemen,Be sure to check the rules. It can be very expensive.My latest shipment of GM90 Listeroids got stopped at the port in Canada and was deemed to be lacking adequate fumigation.By import law the whole container had to be immediately fumigated and returned to the most recent port. In this case Shanghai China.(It went from India to China to Canada)After an inspection in China it was shipped back to Canada where passed customs, but got seized by the freight company until “somebody” pays the additional $8000 for special fumigation, storage, re-crating, shipping twice more across the pond, inspections fees, and on…and on….and on…After 5 months I got it resolved and the faulty party is now being chased for the money.So, unless you want a whole bunch of paperwork, additional fees, and an extra 5 month wait, make sure about the fumigation requirements.Second item is the wood crating itself.By US law all incoming wood crates must now be made from specially treated wood with proper numbered markings showing that it is insect resistant.Check with an import authority and make sure you comply. One option is to not crate at all and leave the engines open for inspection.Of course this creates additional problems of stability and safety.
Let’s discuss the reality of this situation: In China, it’s very difficult for a company to ship anything out of the Main Land; including the port of Hong Kong with natural wood. The Chinese Government has encouraged all exporters there to use composites, and this started many years ago. As an interesting side note, if you attempt to burn some of these materials in your wood stove, they often smell like old cigars, and the smell can linger in your mind for months 🙂
However! IF you are receiving goods that were stuffed inside a mixed container, AND even one crate is found to be infested with bugs, the whole container might be shipped out of your country even though your shipper followed all the rules. In my case, I got the stuff months later, and I think my stuff got marked for additional inspections at additional cost >to me< when it returned.
This situation should lead you to consider the cost of your own container, and of course the assurance that illegal materials are not used to pack the container.
Here’s another tip: If you have a WEBsite, and you are selling Brand X, don’t show examples of >your< product with another companies’ name on it sitting on a standard Indian crate bottom, it may confuse people, take a moment to use a simple program like paint to remove the logo of another brand if it’s all you have to display at the time.
Here’s a recent post below:
https://www.utterpower.com/the-joys-of-importing/
I’ll always remember the Public Forum Posts ‘Commie Doug’ made about the Blood Sucking Dealers of slow speed engines in North America, and his thought that a 10 percent mark up was all a person should have to pay 🙂 If only he had the courage to risk some of his own treasure and start a small business, he might have raised his import IQ to at least a first rung of the ladder.
My hat is off to all those who attempt to serve our DIYer, AE, and Slow Speed Engine communities. We know the weakness of our Dollar, and if you have surprise expenses, it can be impossible to find a profit in your efforts period!
I do know that Lovson has worked very hard to assure you don’t experience a problem like the one mentioned above, and they do market an engine nearly identical to the GM90 under the lovson LG 6 and 8 name. There’s a Canadian Dealer who recently received a load of Lovson engines, Mr. Peter LeGross – Kent Farms, he’s in Ontario, and easy to google up. Lovson has developed a shipping system and a composite and steel crate for less than container shipments.
Lovson’s LG8s are one of the most popular work engines in Fiji with the best reputation for doing hard work with no break downs.
Here’s a link to my story about Lovson and how you can order an Air Compressor, and why you might do so.. https://www.utterpower.com/personal-import-up-to-2000-a-year-its-now-a-simple-process/
In other news, there’s now a person dealing with Powerline in Canada who has taken up the Lovson Air Compressor Idea, the more the merrier 🙂
In closing, our Inspectors don’t always catch the fact there are pests in crating. One time I had a warehouseman call me and let me know that there was saw dust coming out from under crated engines, and since both of us know the importance of protecting our Agra business, and the fact we don’t need new pests here, we kept the crates tented and wet with pesticides for about 5 months before the crates were moved.
Hats off to Customs and Agra Inspectors for protecting our Farmers, don’t we know they already face enough challenges in making a profit large enough to stay in business. And no thanks to Lisa Jackson, the Partison Activist Currently Running the EPA. Remember, if you rebuild that old antique, it must meet new emission standards.. even if you only run it during a blue moon 🙂 This does place a burden on our Farmers (and others) who (for example) have standby power for irrigation in case their electric pumps fail during the height of growing season and similiar. So many Stationary Engines are seldom if ever run, and it’s a shame that the US Government can’t quit printing money long enough to reduce enough red tape so the Farmer can make a profit. I see the EPA is in the news today.. Check this out.. And you thought Mother Russia was hard on Her people during the cold years.
All the best, George B.
Accordingto my friend Phil
About your last sentance, is it true that a rebuilt antique must meet new standards? I thought we were good on pre 2006 engines. Bummer if so. Excepting California, of course.
Bill,
This is a good mention you make, and I missed seeing it as your posts are automatically approved. The EPA and the IRS are currently competeing to see who can print the larger pile of paper. I thought I came across some verbage that included engines prior to 2006 and specifically stationary engines. It’s getting complicated (and well over my head) to find this stuff If I don’t copy and save it, it’s hell going back and looking ofr it. and on several occasions, the EPA has changed their minds on things, like taking away the stationary exemption, as they had threatened to do it much sooner than they did. If you’re right about the 2006 and prior part of the ban, then we clearly need only order a short block for a 2006 or prior engine, and slap the parts on it 🙂 As part of the Clean Air Act, ‘We The People’ unwittingly gave up the State’s rights to the FEDs, and it might be inside that mile high pile of paper I read about tighter and more strict regulation. Some will think anything we give up is worth it to get clean air, but in reality, nearly any action you want to take can be touted as an action to keep the air clean. If you’re right, we Slow Speeders need only build our own from parts ‘designed’ for 2006 and prior, I don’t think they gave us so much latitude.
I have a neighbor who gets used vegetable oil from restaurants. He ends up with lots of the cardboard boxes the 5 gallon jugs are shipped in and they are typically used oil soaked and not good for recycling. So he makes a big pile and and burns them. A pissy neighbor made problems for him including calling the EPA. It turns out they have field offices and actually will come out to yell at you and hand out paperwork that says you have jump through some hoops or face a fine. I worry that if they ever want to talk to me about my engine I’ll need to lawyer up. Like maybe if I say it’s stationary it’s a got you. But maybe if I say portable it’s got you.
It’s hard for me to understand what the EPA says. All they want to do is talk about the format of their document and the need for harmonization. When looking for quality opinions of what the nsps requires I have found sources that say < 2007 installations are grandfathered and others that contradict that. Here is one that supports us. I should have shortened the URL. But even if this professional is correct, I doubt we could buy an older engine and have the same rights as someone who installed the genset prior to 2007.
http://www.coloradocontractors.org/htdocs/Friday_Facts/2010/052810/Emissions%20Corner%20Number%2015.pdf
This is from the federal register. The document is :
“Standards of Performance for Stationary Compression Ignition and Spark Ignition Internal Combustion Engines”
http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/nsps/sinsps/fr28jn11.pdf
I hope this is as simple as it seems.
“II. Background
This action promulgates revisions to the new source performance standards (NSPS) for new compression ignition (CI) stationary internal combustion engines (ICE). The NSPS were originally promulgated on July 11, 2006 (71 FR 39153). New source performance standards implement section 111(b) of the CAA, and are issued for categories of sources which cause, or contribute significantly to, air pollution which may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health or welfare. The standards apply to new stationary sources of emissions, i.e., sources whose construction, reconstruction, or modification begins after a standard for those sources is proposed.”