Limited-edition Physical Brand Enhancement™ (PBE) has great potential for creativity and innovation, and it also opens the possibility of working with an interesting variety of manufacturers, including artisanal manufacturers. Working with high-skilled artisans or converters, being innovative with the materials used or the way they are used, and hand-finishing – even personalizing items – can be a fascinating experience, but also a challenging one.
These days, the added trials of a world-wide pandemic, and of more strict regulations worldwide make the process a little more challenging. In the case of international import-export operations, the new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) transformed trade regulations between Mexico, Canada, and the US. The USMCA requires stricter reporting and control, and also more transparency. In Mexico, there are some new customs and tax laws, as well as additional updates. This means heavier regulation, stricter rules of operation for customs brokers, the need to use more accurate codes, and heavier control from the tax authorities. Electronic payments and filing facilitate transparency and traceability in import-export operations, as well as more strict supervision from the authorities and the enforcement of custom and tax rules.
It sounds challenging – and it is. But every challenge also brings an opportunity to those who are up for it. A number of Mexican manufacturers and craftspeople are making the necessary adjustments to comply with the new regulations, taking care of whatever is needed to comply with the new regulations, making themselves more competitive, and often improving the quality of their offer. We pride ourselves on working with those innovative individuals, and we enjoy the challenge of joining efforts with them to offer our clients the best PBE™ from around the world.