Stop wasting money on single entry Customs bonds.

Multiple Single Entry Bonds or 1 Continuous Bond?

In the past, it was more economical for low volume importers to purchase single entry bonds. However, U.S. Customs is now requiring that if a single transaction bond is used to clear the entry an additional single entry ISF bond to be place. This increases the costs of single entry transactions; however, TRG has the solution.

Since 1991, TRG has provided continuous Customs bonds direct to importers. The continuous import bond will cover every shipment over a one year period (both entry and ISF). TRG offers the following promotional pricing to low-volume importers. Call us today to see how you can save!

Applying for Continuous bond is easy.

 Send TRG a completed 1 page application and Power of Attorney form,
 TRG will contact you with any changes needed on the application,
 TRG will place the bond with U.S. Customs,
 You will provide your broker (or whomever clears your entries) with the new bond number.

It’s really that simple to decrease your import costs! Don’t pay the high costs of single entry bonds. If you are interested in obtain a continuous bond, please contact TRG or apply online today!

Airport Security Bonds

TRG offers all types of Customs bonds. The most common type of Customs bond is the import bond and is the bond most companies are familiar with. Over the past few months, TRG has begun to see a rise in the applications of Airport Security Bons (ASB). These are also a type of Customs bond, however US Customs is only now just regulating the requirement with more force.

An Airport Security Bond (ASB) is a US Customs bond needed for out sourced service companies to enter secured areas of airports (like cleaning services not employed by the airlines to clean planes or maintenance individuals not employed by the airlines to fix something).

Bond Amount Calculation for Airport Security Bonds: The Customs bond amount is determined by the Airport the company is operating in.

To apply for the ASB visit www.trgbond.com and click apply now!

We have moved, officially!

After 18 years providing import solutions from Barrington, Illinois TRG has expanded to Bozeman, Montana. November 9th marked the official opening of the new office which will now serve as the company’s headquarters. All departments have been centralized to this location. In 2005 President and managing partner, John Michel, expanded to Montana in a smaller town South of Bozeman. After years of rapid growth the company found the need to increase staff and set its sites on Bozeman.

TRG’s business is focused on U.S. Customs bond, Marine Cargo Insurance and self-filing which some might say is an odd combination for sales out of Montana. However, the company’s direct marketing approach over the years has shown that sales, if done properly, can be accomplished from any remote location. TRG caters to importers of all sizes and all locations of the U.S. and Canada. Even though few customers are actually found in Montana, the company has been able to bring a wealth of education to the local U.S. importers. http://www.trgbond.com

TRG Bond, the division specializing in U.S. Customs bonds, has placed key staff members in Montana to help facilitate sales and customer service. “Having the ability to speak face to face with our Customs bond underwriters, Claims Department and sales executives has increased productivity and the effectiveness of internal communication.” Courtney Larson, Customs Bond Administrator comments about the move.

TRG Marine Insurance will soon follow suite as Sales, Marketing and Administration will be settled into the Montana office by the first of the year. “We are expecting TRG Marine Insurance to transition into a leading product role in 2010, as our ability to present a more cohesive sales approach improves.” Gregg Cummings, National Sales Manager said, “TRG Marine’s manager’s placement in the Bozeman office will play a vital role in the development of this product.”

The Illinois office will still play an important role for TRG Direct, the web-based system for entry filing and Importer Security Filing. Members of the accounting department and direct filing customer service remain in Barrington where they share an office with TRG’s sister company, Corporation for International Business. http://www.trgdirect.com

Meet TRG National Sales Manager, Gregg Cummings

The International Compliance Professional's Association just sent out an email on our very on Gregg Cummings.

1. Tell us about yourself, your company, and what services you offer.

My name is Gregg Cummings and I am the National Sales Manager for TRG. TRG is an import services provider with offices in Barrington Illinois and Bozeman Montana specializing in 3 areas: US Customs Bonds, Marine Cargo Insurance and TRG Direct, a web based application which allows an importer to direct file their Customs entry and ISF.

TRG was founded in 1991 by John Michel and provides US Custom's surety bonds directly to importers. In addition to the cost savings of buying your bond direct, importers with bonds under $1MM can also take advantage of a 3 year pricing strategy to lock in their low price for an extended period of time.
TRG Marine provides Marine Cargo insurance and has established relationships with several insurance companies enabling us to offer competitive rates for this important coverage.

Perhaps the most publicity for TRG this year has been our Direct Filing application which includes an ISF module. ISF has been a real challenge for importers to implement in difficult economic times and resource constraints and we have offered a "zero start up fee ISF only" approach to help importers learn how they can meet their ISF obligation by filing it in house and experience how bringing some of these processes in house can lower costs (only $5 per ISF) and increase control and visibility into their supply chain.

2. How did you get started in the business?

I came to the import services arena after spending 20 years in Chicago in the Brokerage industry. I sold short term securities and structured bonds to corporations which worked out very well right up until the entire industry vaporized in 2007. At that time my family had a home in Montana that we loved and took that opportunity to move here full time. It was at that time I met John Michel who was increasing the exposure of TRG in Montana and I viewed the challenge of starting something new, growing a sales force and expanding a business was very appealing.

3. What's the best piece of advice you would give a person starting in the business?

As far as advice for anyone looking to get started in this business, I would suggest that you do join an organization like the ICPA to meet a network of professionals that can be resources for your questions and growth.

4. Do you have any hobbies or hidden talents?

I don't know about hidden talents but I am quite active. My family has four horses and we all ride quite frequently. I have also run triathlon's for 20 years and just signed up to run the LA Marathon this coming March. Living in Bozeman also allows for an active ski season since I am only 8 miles from our local ski resort.

5. What's your favorite thing about ICPA?

TRG has been very involved with ICPA for years. We attend all the conferences and have many important customers and relationships with ICPA professionals. The blog is a particularly good resource for discussion and education on issues affecting an individual's import practices and supply chain.

Do You Operate a Foreign Trade Zone? Save On Your FTZ Bond!

What is an Activity Code 4 - Foreign Trade Zone Customs Bond?

Activity Code 4 - Foreign Trade Zone

A Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) is considered non-U.S. territory for Customs’ purposes and foreign goods placed into FTZ may be manufactured, manipulated, repacked or exported without paying duties. The Activity Code 4 Customs Surety Bond, required to be filed by all FTZ operators, is a guaranty to the U.S. government, from an insurance company, that the FTZ will follow all rules governing FTZ’s. If any rules or regulations are not followed and if any duties, fines or penalties arise as a result, the FTZ must pay Customs & Boarder Protection, and if they do not, the insurance company will be required to pay. The bond further allows the insurance company to seek any legal means to recoup any monies paid on behalf of the FTZ.

TRG Underwriting Requirements: These bonds are strictly underwritten but are available to Trade Risk Guaranty if strong financial statements or an irrevocable letter of credit are supplied.

Pirates at the ICPA? Don't Forget Your Marine Insurance!

It seems as though we were just at the International Compliance Professionals Association's annual seminar (actually it really wasn't that long ago). Now we find ourselves again in the beginning stages of planning for next year's event. The greatest suprise of all.....the theme! This year in Orlando, FL all of us compliance professionals will be walking around dressed as Jack Sparrow and I'm sure at least one or two jokesters will be decked out in Pittsburg Pirate gear. I hope that's no one at TRG!

Well it is still months away, but it is such a fun and educational conference that we look forward to it every year. At the conference we showcase our direct filing system, TRG Direct. We leave the Customs bonds and marine insurance at home, although with a pirate theme this year we should sneak our marine insurance in!

So that's all we know for now...pirates, but that's enough to get my head spinning! ARGGGG

US Customs Drawback Bond

What is a Drawback Bond and how do you calculate the amount needed?

What is an Activity Code 1a - Drawback Payment Refunds Bond?

This bond allows an importer to obtain a refund of 99% of the duties paid on imported goods upon providing proof these goods were exported.

Bond Amount Calculation: Average of all estimated drawback claims in a 12 month period.

As with all Customs bonds, should your bond amount be inadequate according to Customs regulations, Customs will advise the importer and the surety company to increase the bond amount, and they will give a reasonable amount of time to do so.

TRG Underwriting Requirements: Fully complete bond application form, completed Power-of-attorney form, and most recent company financial statements.

Purchase Your Customs Bond Direct with TRG

TRG is the industry’s expert in U.S. Customs bonds. All Customs bonds are financial guarantees between 3 parties: the Insurance/Surety company issuing the bond, the Principal (who is required to file the bond), and Customs & Border Protection (CBP). The TRG customs bond guarantees Customs & Border Protection that if they cannot collect monies due from the Principal they can seek remedy, up to the bond amount, from the Insurance/Surety company. The TRG bond also indemnifies the Insurance/ Surety company, allowing them to use any legal means to collect from the Principal any monies that were paid to CBP on the Principal’s behalf.

To apply for a customs bond or get a quote please contact Sarah Braun, 847-756-7531 or sbraun@traderiskguaranty.com.

TRG has been offering a direct buy option on the Customs bond since 1991. WIth 18 years in the business, TRG considers itself to be an innovator in the Customs bond. The company's experience

has allowed them to offer services beyond the bond.

Barrington, IL (PRWEB) August 5, 2009 -- To many importers, the U.S. Customs bond is considered a commodity item. Even so, this government mandated "contract" is purchased on a continuous basis and therefore is a never-ending recurring cost. TRG entered the Customs bond market back in 1991 as a direct provider. Prior to offering this option, an importer purchased the bond from a Customs broker, who had obtained the bond from a Surety agent. By cutting out the middle man, TRG found a niche in the market and has grown over the past 18 years. http://www.trgbond.com/

"If they are consistently receiving a fair and competitively priced Customs bond, then we're happy to let them know they have a great provider," TRG Senior Account Executive Tony Haag said. "Beside cost savings [on the Customs bond], we are continually finding ways to set us apart from the competition. 18 years in the business allows us to offer mult-year pricing, an entry monitoring system, monthly newsletters and in-house claims mitigation."

The growth of the company has not gone unnoticed by TRG's competitors. Other Customs bond providers have made price cuts; however, many will only cut their price for one year and increase it at renewal time. TRG advertises on their website that they have only marginally increased their Customs bond rates twice since 1991 and has never increased rates on the most common Customs bond ($50,000 Importer Bond). http://www.trgbond.com/

With over 6,000 clients, TRG is making an impact in the market. The Robert Bosch Corporation said, "We want to thank you and the TRG staff for your assistance in placing our US Customs Bond. We appreciate the excellent service you have given us and the prompt responses to our inquiries. We continue to be pleased with the decision to have a specialized agency provide our US Customs Bonds and in addition save a substantial amount of money. Robert Bosch looks forward to a continuing relationship with TRG."

TRG just launched our Press Room!

See what TRG has been up to. We will continue to update this with current press releases and link to our social media profiles.

Also download our online brochures, the TRG Biography and TRG Suite of services.

Our latest release...

U.S. Customs Bonds Direct from TRG Reaches 18 Year Milestone TRG has been offering a direct buy option on the Customs bond since 1991. WIth 18 years in the business, TRG considers itself to be an innovator in the Customs bond. The company's experience has allowed them to offer services beyond the bond.

Barrington, IL (PRWEB) August 5, 2009 -- To many importers, the U.S. Customs bond is considered a commodity item. Even so, this government mandated "contract" is purchased on a continuous basis and therefore is a never-ending recurring cost. TRG entered the Customs bond market back in 1991 as a direct provider. Prior to offering this option, an importer purchased the bond from a Customs broker, who had obtained the bond from a Surety agent. By cutting out the middle man, TRG found a niche in the market and has grown over the past 18 years. www.trgbond.com

"If they are consistently receiving a fair and competitively priced Customs bond, then we're happy to let them know they have a great provider," TRG Senior Account Executive Tony Haag said. "Beside cost savings [on the Customs bond], we are continually finding ways to set us apart from the competition. 18 years in the business allows us to offer mult-year pricing, an entry monitoring system, monthly newsletters and in-house claims mitigation."

The growth of the company has not gone unnoticed by TRG's competitors. Other Customs bond providers have made price cuts; however, many will only cut their price for one year and increase it at renewal time. TRG advertises on their website that they have only marginally increased their Customs bond rates twice since 1991 and has never increased rates on the most common Customs bond ($50,000 Importer Bond).

With over 6,000 clients, TRG is making an impact in the market. The Robert Bosch Corporation said, "We want to thank you and the TRG staff for your assistance in placing our US Customs Bond. We appreciate the excellent service you have given us and the prompt responses to our inquiries. We continue to be pleased with the decision to have a specialized agency provide our US Customs Bonds and in addition save a substantial amount of money. Robert Bosch looks forward to a continuing relationship with TRG."

About TRG: TRG offers other import solutions beyond the Customs bond, including marine insurance (shipping insurance) and direct filing. Trade Risk Guaranty (TRG) Brokerage Services LLC is a licensed insurance agency, having agency agreements with Hanover Insurance Company of Worcester, Massachusetts, and Great American Insurance Company of Cincinnati, Ohio, both of which are insurance companies approved by the Department of the U.S. Treasury to issue U.S. Customs bonds.

You Don't Need to Purchase Your Customs Bond From Your Broker

Yes, you need an import bond to bring goods into the United States. No, you do not need to purchase this bond from your broker.

Odds are when you first began importing into the U.S. your broker did two things for you. 1) Purchased a customs bond from a surety agent and 2) began clearing your entries. What most importers don't know is that they can purchase the exact same bond directly from TRG. Your broker comes to a company such as TRG, purchases the bond, marks up the price and sells it to you. They are doing you a service, but you shouldn't have to pay for this service when you can easily purchase the import bond on your own.

Your Continuous Customs bond is a universal bond that is good at any port. The bond renews every year and your broker sends you a bill every year. This year, purchase it from TRG for a 3 year renewal term and notice the cost savings. Year after year this savings adds up. Get a quote and well tell you about our other services (if you don't already know).

Rare Medical Condition Affects Importers: Losuvimp Ortsitis

Throughout the years importers have witnessed the many effects the economy has on their import practices. Today’s economic times are no different, but this year a strange medical and highly contagious virus has blindsided many U.S. importers. Losuvimp Ortsitis has made its way to the U.S. where vaccinations are still in the testing phase. The World Customs Organization predicts that global trade will fall 9% in value this year. We have reason to believe the majority of this sudden downturn is due to Losuvimp Ortsitis. This condition strikes fast are you ready?

So what is Losuvimp Ortsitis?

In medical terms Losuvimp Ortsitis (Loss • of • imports • itis) is the inflammation of the loss of one company’s import practices. This condition is found mainly in small to medium sized enterprises but no matter how severe, the side effects are not always permanent. Many companies who are diagnosed with Losuvimp Ortsitis decide to purchase single entry bonds in order to ensure their shipments. This may seem like a temporary cost savings, but in most situations this is the least economical decision and may actually feed the virus. Depending on the value of the shipment a single entry bond could be anywhere from $55 - $400.

Is there a cure?

At this time no preventative cure is available to stop your company from experiencing Losuvimp Ortsitis, however there is a prescription to help alleviate the symptoms.

Introducing the Low Volume Continuous Import Bond (LVI):

Importers who have always or now import less than 5 shipments with less than $5,000 in duties NEED this bond. Companies such as TRG offer special pricing on the continuous import bond allowing companies to maintain their practices even at a low volume. This bond is can be priced as low as $200 per year.

This bond is the same as any other continuous import bond, but special provisions all for the lower pricing. If you decide to apply for this bond you here are some typical "special conditions" you would have to meet in order to qualify for the continuous US customs bond.

Low-Volume Importer Special conditions:

•Entries per year must be less than 5. Should total entries grow to 5 or more during any 12 month period of the bond, you will be billed the difference between the Special rate and the Standard rate.
•Total duties paid to CBP per year must be less than $5,000.
•Should duty bills reach or exceed $5,000 during any 12 month period of the bond term, you will be billed the difference between the Special and the Standard rate.
•Discounted multi-year pricing is available if you must revert to Standard pricing.
•Financial statements may be required by underwriting.
•This offer does not apply to importers subject to FDA regulations or Anti-Dumping or Countervailing Duties.
•The underwriter should be an A.M. Best A-Rated company.

The fact of the matter is that is you are purchasing multiple single entry bonds in one year, you are probably over paying for your US customs bond. If you choose to go for a low volume bond I suggest making sure the pricing on the company's "standard rates" for the continuous customs bonds are also below the industry average in pricing.