SOLO World Partners
Certified: IATF 16949 | ISO 14001 | FTZ | C-TPAT | R.O. | IMMEX | Bonded
F.A.Q.
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about SOLO World Partners’ global supply chain solutions, including customs brokerage, logistics, warehousing, engineering, and compliance certifications. Learn how we help manufacturers streamline operations, reduce costs, and ensure international trade compliance.
General Company Information
Q: Who is SOLO World Partners?
A: SOLO World Partners is a global supply chain solutions provider specializing in customs brokerage, logistics, warehousing, engineering, and compliance services for manufacturers and industrial companies worldwide.
Q: Where is SOLO World Partners located?
A: We operate strategically across Michigan, Kentucky, Mexico, and China, with facilities near major international trade routes and FTZ-eligible zones.
Q: What industries do you serve?
A: Automotive, heavy industry, high-precision manufacturing, aerospace, defense, and other sectors requiring strict quality and compliance standards.
Q - What is SOLO World Partners' primary mission?
SOLO World Partners aims to resolve metal manufacturers' production challenges by optimizing and streamlining the global supply chain. They achieve this by leveraging their expertise in various areas like logistics, IT, engineering, packaging, and international manufacturing to reduce costs and deliver high-quality mechanical industrial products.
Q - How does SOLO World Partners help manufacturers reduce costs?
SOLO World Partners helps reduce costs by optimizing the "Total Landed Cost" – meticulously analyzing and minimizing all expenses associated with bringing a product from production to its final destination. Their flexible approach, combined with expertise in areas like INCO Term conversion, global logistics, warehousing, and technology, allows them to achieve maximum efficiency and cost-effectiveness. They also offer cost advantages through economies of scale and optimize working capital with Just-In-Time (JIT) inventory.
Q - What key services does SOLO World Partners offer?
SOLO World Partners provides a comprehensive suite of services including INCO Term Conversion, Global Sourcing, Program Management, Quality Services, Technology (IT, AI), Customs/Trade expertise, Transportation, and Warehouse Services. These offerings are designed to cover various aspects of the global supply chain, from initial sourcing to final delivery.
Q - What certifications does SOLO World Partners hold, and why are they important?
SOLO World Partners holds numerous prestigious certifications, including IATF 16949, ISO 14001, FTZ, C-TPAT, R.O., IMMEX, and is Bonded. These certifications are crucial as they validate SOLO's expertise in customs/trade, engineering, environmental, tax management, logistics, and global commerce, demonstrating their adherence to international standards and commitment to excellence.
Q - How does SOLO World Partners utilize technology to enhance its services?
SOLO World Partners extensively uses technology, including ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), WMS (Warehouse Management System), Web Portals, AI (Artificial Intelligence), Machine Learning, Vision Systems, and BIN Systems. These technological integrations contribute to optimized logistics management, increased efficiency, and seamless operations across their global network.
Q - What are the key benefits of choosing SOLO World Partners for supply chain management?
Choosing SOLO World Partners offers several key benefits: decreased production costs, superior part quality, optimized logistics management, reliable supply chain solutions, and seamless global manufacturing with a single point of contact. They also offer timely, efficient, and modern solutions that deliver increased value to both global and domestic customers and suppliers.
Q - What is the geographic reach of SOLO World Partners' operations?
SOLO World Partners has a significant global presence, with operations in over 16 countries. They have recently expanded their facilities, including a new distribution and logistics center in Ypsilanti (Detroit), USA, and have a strong presence in Monterrey, Mexico, where they have received awards for supply chain excellence.
Q: Where do you operate?
A: We support programs across the U.S., Mexico, and Asia, with facilities and partners in Michigan, Kentucky, Mexico, and China.
Q: Which industries do you serve?
A: Automotive, heavy industry, precision machining, off-highway, and other regulated sectors.
Q: What makes SOLO different?
A: Vertical integration (brokerage + logistics + warehousing + engineering), program management discipline, and data-driven operations.
Customs Brokerage
Q: Are you licensed to operate nationwide?
A: Yes, SOLO's president is a U.S. Federally Licensed Customs Broker with nationwide filing authority. We can process entries at all U.S. ports.
Q: What customs compliance programs do you support?
A: We manage C-TPAT, FTZ, IMMEX, and other trade compliance certifications.
Q: Can you help reduce import duties?
A: Yes, through tariff engineering, FTZ usage, and trade agreement optimization.
Q: Are you licensed to file at all U.S. ports?
A: Yes—nationwide customs entry filing authority.
Q: What services do you provide as a broker?
A: Classification, valuation, country of origin, PGA coordination, entry filing, post-summary corrections, protests, drawback guidance, and audit support.
Q: Can you help reduce duties and total landed cost?
A: We assess FTZ strategies, tariff engineering, origin/FTA eligibility (e.g., USMCA), reconciliation, and drawback opportunities.
Q: Do you support C-TPAT and trade security programs?
A: We operate to C-TPAT-aligned practices and help clients prepare documentation, risk assessments, and evidence for validations.
Q: Can you review our HTS classifications?
A: Yes—scope, rationale, notes, rulings, and written justifications for audit defense.
Q: Can you handle power of attorney and bond setup?
A: Yes—continuous/single bonds, POA, and onboarding in parallel to avoid delays.
Q: Can you support IMMEX/maquiladora flows?
A: Yes—inbound raw materials, transformation, returns, and compliance documentation.
Q: How do you manage north-/south-bound crossings?
A: Pre-clearance, e-docs, linehaul scheduling, and coordinated broker/forwarder handoffs.
Q: Do you support USMCA certification?
A: Yes—origin analysis, supplier solicitations, and documentation retention.
Q: How do you handle bilingual requirements?
A: Bilingual operations, documentation, labeling, ERP system, and supplier coordination.
Q: When does FTZ make sense?
A: High duty rates, long dwell, mixed tariff structures, or re-export—subject to feasibility.
Q: Can you help set up FTZ procedures?
A: Yes—standard operating procedures, inventory controls, and compliance evidence.
Q: Do you support weekly entry and MPF savings?
A: Yes—scenario modeling and operational execution where applicable.
Q: How do you track zone status inventory?
A: License plates, location control, and system status with audit trails.
Q: Can you combine FTZ with value-add operations?
A: Yes—within scope and regulations; process mapping required.
Logistics & Freight Management
Q: Do you handle both domestic and international shipments?
A: Yes, we manage air, ocean, rail, and truck transportation from origin to destination.
Q: Can you manage end-to-end freight logistics?
A: Absolutely. We coordinate all stages, including pickup, consolidation, customs clearance, and final delivery.
Q: What modes do you manage?
A: Air, ocean (FCL/LCL), rail/intermodal, truckload/LTL/expedite, milk-runs, and cross-border linehaul.
Q: Do you manage door-to-door shipments?
A: Yes—pickup, consolidation, export docs, customs clearance, drayage, and final delivery.
Q: Do you provide shipment visibility?
A: Milestone tracking, exception alerts, and KPIs (OTIF, dwell, damage rate) via dashboards and reports.
Q: Can you run vendor-managed pickup schedules?
A: Yes—supplier call-offs, routes, and time-windows with performance reporting.
Q: Do you manage dangerous goods or oversize?
A: Select lanes with compliant packaging and documentation—review required during scoping.
Q: What Incoterms do you support?
A: EXW, FCA, FOB, CIP, DAP, DDP, and others—selected to balance cost, risk, and control.
Warehousing & Inventory
Q: What warehousing services does SOLO offer?
A: Secure storage, inventory management, repacking, kitting, cross-docking, and just-in-time delivery.
Q: Does SOLO offer bonded warehouse space?
A: Yes, enabling deferred duty payments and optimized cash flow.
Q: Does SOLO offer FTZ warehouse space?
A: Yes, enabling deferred duty payments and optimized cash flow.
Q: Does SOLO offer IMMEX warehouse space?
A: Yes, enabling deferred duty payments and optimized cash flow.
Q: What warehouse services do you offer?
A: Receiving, put-away, cycle counting, license-plate labeling, kitting, repack, cross-dock, and JIT.
Q: Do you offer bonded/FTZ options?
A: Yes—duty deferral and operational controls where applicable.
Q: Can you manage service parts and slow-movers?
A: Yes—bin locations, cycle counts, aging visibility, and obsolescence reporting.
Q: Can you meet OEM labeling/ASN specs?
A: Yes—customer-specific barcodes, pack slips, and EDI/portal requirements.
Q: Do you provide photo documentation?
A: Yes—load/condition photos tied to shipment or SKU.
Q: Can you support containment, sort, or light rework?
A: Yes—documented work instructions, traceability, and QA sign-off.
Engineering & Quality Assurance
Q: Can you provide on-site engineering support?
A: Yes, our engineers collaborate directly with clients and suppliers for product validation and quality checks.
Q: How do you ensure quality?
A: We follow IATF 16949 standards and provide inspection, reporting, and corrective action management.
Q: Do you provide on-site engineering support?
A: Yes—PPAP support, measurement, supplier development, and launch readiness.
Q: How do you manage quality escapes?
A: Immediate containment, root cause analysis, corrective actions, and verified closure.
Q: Can you manage gauge, inspection, or PPAP evidence?
A: Yes—sampling plans, records, traceability, and submission packaging.
Q: What quality standards do you follow?
A: We operate to ISO/IATF-aligned procedures and customer-specific requirements.
Q: Do you support packaging engineering?
A: Yes—right-sizing, dunnage, export packing, and sustainability improvements.
Compliance & Certifications
Q: What certifications does SOLO hold?
A: IATF 16949, C-TPAT, FTZ, Bonded, IMMEX, ISO 9001, ISO 14001, RO, SAT and other industry-specific standards.
Q: How do you help clients stay compliant?
A: We manage documentation, audits, and regulatory updates to ensure full compliance with trade laws.
Q: What certifications and programs does SOLO work with?
A: We operate to IATF 16949/ISO 9001-aligned quality systems and support C-TPAT, FTZ (Foreign-Trade Zone), IMMEX/OEA (Mexico), and AEO frameworks, plus customer-specific security and quality requirements.
Q: What is C-TPAT and why does it matter?
A: C-TPAT is a U.S. customs supply chain security program. Benefits can include reduced inspection risk, faster border processing, and stronger security posture. We help with validation prep, risk assessments, corrective actions, and continuous monitoring.
Q: How does an FTZ help us?
A: FTZ enables duty deferral, potential weekly entry/MPF savings, inverted tariffs in certain cases, and improved inventory control for imports stored or processed before U.S. consumption. We handle feasibility, SOPs, systems, and audit evidence.
Q: What is IMMEX/OEA in Mexico?
A: IMMEX enables temporary imports for manufacturing/maquiladora operations with tax/operational benefits. OEA is Mexico’s Authorized Economic Operator program. We design compliant cross-border flows, documentation, and inventory controls.
Q: Do you support AEO outside the U.S.?
A: Yes. We align security, traceability, and evidence to meet foreign AEO standards and reciprocity programs, coordinating with partners where required.
Technology & Integration
Q: Do you integrate with client ERP systems?
A: Yes, we can connect with leading ERP, MRP, and CRM systems for seamless data exchange.
Q: Do you use automation in your operations?
A: Yes, we deploy AI and RPA for faster document processing, shipment tracking, and reporting.
Q: Do you integrate with ERP/MRP/CRM systems?
A: Yes—API, EDI, and secure file exchange for orders, ASNs, inventory, invoices, and quality data.
Q: What reporting do clients receive?
A: KPI dashboards, shipment status, inventory accuracy, cycle time, cost per unit, dwell, and exception logs.
Q: Can you automate notifications and documents?
A: Yes—event-driven emails, portals, and document packs (PDF) tied to milestones.
Q: How do you secure data?
A: Least-privilege access, encryption in transit/at rest, vendor reviews, and audit trails.
Q: Do you offer customer portals?
A: Yes—role-based access for tracking, files, and performance metrics.
Global Sourcing
Q: Can you help source suppliers internationally?
A: Yes, we provide vetted supplier networks, price negotiations, and contract management in multiple countries.
Q: Do you conduct supplier audits?
A: Absolutely, to ensure quality, compliance, and reliability.
Q: Do you source and qualify suppliers?
A: Yes—capability audits, cost analysis, PPAP readiness, and contractual alignment.
Q: Can you manage transfers of tooling or programs?
A: Yes—timelines, quality gates, PPAP/ISIR, and inventory bridging plans.
Q: Do you negotiate logistics terms with suppliers?
A: Yes—Incoterms, packaging standards, pickup calendars, and data requirements.
Q: How do you ensure supplier compliance?
A: Scorecards, audits, and corrective action management.
Q: Can you support dual-sourcing or regionalization?
A: Yes—risk, cost, and lead-time modeling with staged transitions.
Q: How is pricing structured?
A: Clear rate cards or project quotes covering transportation, storage/handling, value-add services, and integrations.
Q: Do you provide budget scenarios?
A: Yes—lane, mode, and inventory scenarios with sensitivity analysis.
Q: What are typical contract terms?
A: Scope, SLAs, KPIs, liability, change control, renewals, and termination provisions.
Q: How do you invoice?
A: Consolidated or per-shipment, with backup files and cost transparency.
Q: Can you support customer portals for billing?
A: Yes—statement downloads, PO matching, and dispute workflows.
Incoterm Conversion (EXW, FCA, FOB, CIP, DAP, DDP)
Q: What is Incoterm conversion?
A: Changing the delivery term on a purchase or sales agreement (e.g., EXW → DDP) so responsibilities, risks, and cost allocation shift between buyer and seller. It affects who arranges freight, who handles export/import clearance, when risk transfers, and which costs are included in price. (Note: Incoterms govern delivery/risk—not title transfer or payment terms.)
Q: Why convert Incoterms?
A: To simplify operations, reduce landed cost, fix recurring bottlenecks, improve cash flow predictability, or align with customer capabilities (e.g., the buyer wants one delivered price instead of managing international legs).
Q: What are popular conversions you handle?
A:
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EXW → DDP: Seller takes full door-to-door responsibility, including export/import clearance and duties/taxes.
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FOB → DDP/DAP: Seller extends responsibility beyond port of loading to final delivery (DAP excludes import duties/taxes; DDP includes them).
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FCA → CIP/CIF: Seller adds carriage and insurance to named destination.
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CIF/CIP → DAP: Seller adds inland delivery beyond the arrival port, but buyer keeps import duties/taxes.
Q: What changes when we go from EXW/FOB to DDP?
A: Seller (or SOLO on your behalf) now: books international + inland transport, arranges export and import clearance, pays duties/taxes (DDP only), carries more risk until buyer’s site, and builds these costs into the unit price.
Q: What’s the difference between DAP and DDP?
A: DAP: Seller delivers to buyer’s named place, buyer pays duties, taxes, and import formalities.
DDP: Seller delivers and pays duties, taxes, and import formalities.
Q: Which Incoterms version do you use?
A: Incoterms® 2020 (ICC). We reference the term + named place precisely (e.g., “DAP – Detroit, MI Incoterms® 2020”).
Q: What info do you need to quote a conversion?
A:
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Origins/destinations, shipment frequency/forecast, weights & dims, packaging.
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Current term and target term (e.g., FOB Shanghai → DDP Detroit).
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Commodity/HTS codes, values, Incoterm place, required delivery windows.
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Customs data (supplier, COO, PGA requirements), insurance needs, compliance constraints (C-TPAT/FTZ/IMMEX).
Q: How do duties and taxes change under conversion?
A: Under DDP, the seller carries and recovers duties/taxes inside the price. Under DAP, buyer still pays them. We model landed-cost deltas so you can choose the most economical term.
Q: Will our price change?
A: Yes. Conversions shift cost ownership (freight, clearance, insurance, duties/taxes). We provide a transparent price build-up and, if desired, a dual-quote (e.g., DAP vs. DDP).
Q: What about insurance responsibilities?
A:
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CIP/CIF require seller-provided insurance to named destination (minimum cover under Incoterms).
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DAP/DDP do not require insurance, but the party carrying risk should insure. We can arrange cargo insurance aligned to the new risk point.
Q: Can you convert terms mid-program without disrupting supply?
A: Yes. We run a parallel plan: maintain current term for in-flight POs, apply the new term on future POs, and—if needed—bridge with temporary routing instructions while contracts are updated.
Q: What documents change during conversion?
A: Commercial invoice language (term + place), packing list references, shipper/consignee/notify party, broker instructions, insurance certificates (if CIP/CIF), and routing guides. We supply the templates.
Q: Do we need to change our customs broker when moving to DDP?
A: Often yes—the importer of record and broker authorization may change. We can act as or coordinate the broker, set up bonds/POA, and manage entries end-to-end.
Q: Can Incoterm conversion reduce total landed cost?
A: Frequently. Examples: weekly entry/MPF savings via FTZ, better consolidation on seller-controlled lanes, avoidance of origin dray bottlenecks, or duty deferral strategies. We’ll show a side-by-side landed-cost model.
Q: Common pitfalls to avoid?
A:
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Vague places (“FOB China” vs. “FOB Ningbo Port”).
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Assuming Incoterms set title/payment terms (they don’t).
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Missing import restrictions/PGA requirements under DDP.
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Under-insuring when risk point moves.
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Not updating contracts, POs, or ERP master data.
Q: Example: EXW Ningbo → DDP Detroit—what changes?
A: SOLO arranges pickup at supplier, export clearance in China, ocean/air, U.S. customs entry, duties/taxes, inland delivery to your door, and provides status, POD, and a single delivered price. Your team gets a predictable landed cost and less operational overhead.
Q: How fast can we switch?
A: Simple lanes: days. Multi-lane, multi-supplier programs: generally a few weeks. Timeline depends on data quality, broker setup, and systems updates.
Q: What if we want DAP instead of DDP?
A: DAP keeps import duties/taxes with the buyer (you retain control over tariff planning), while SOLO manages door delivery. It’s a good compromise when you want delivery simplicity but prefer to control customs cost strategy.
Q: Can you pilot the new term before a full rollout?
A: Yes—time-boxed pilots with clear KPIs (OTIF, cost variance, exception rate) to validate service and economics before scaling.
Getting Started
Q: How do I become a client?
A: Contact us via our website or call our offices to schedule a consultation.
Q: Do you offer custom service packages?
A: Yes, we tailor solutions to each client’s supply chain requirements.
Q: How fast can we launch?
A: Small programs in days; complex multi-site or integrations typically several weeks, depending on data readiness.
Q: What information do you need to start?
A: Part lists, forecasts, lanes, Incoterms, packaging specs, quality requirements, and integration preferences.
Q: How do you run change control?
A: Documented requests, impact analysis (cost/quality/timing), approvals, and controlled release.
Q: What about exception management?
A: Playbooks, escalation paths, real-time alerts, and corrective actions with owner and due dates.
Q: Do you provide regular business reviews?
A: Yes—performance against SLAs/KPIs, risks, savings, and roadmap actions.
Q: How do I request a quote?
A: Contact us with scope, volumes, lanes, target dates, and any compliance requirements. We’ll return a tailored proposal.
Q: Do you offer pilots before full rollout?
A: Yes—time-boxed trials with clear success criteria and handoff plans.
Q: Who will manage my account?
A: A dedicated program manager with escalation paths and subject-matter experts.
