Practical Guide to Full Process of Hefei Metal Products Import and Export Agency

Disassembly of Core Processes of Hefei Metal Products Import and Export Agency

When Hefei metal products enterprises carry out import and export business,links such as customs declaration,inspection declaration,international transportation and export tax rebate are closely connected.Any error in any link may lead to cargo detention at the port or delayed tax rebate.Many enterprises try to operate on their own,but waste a lot of time costs due to unfamiliarity with the latest 2026 policies or process details.This article will sort out the core processes of Hefei metal products import and export agency,and explain the practical role of professional agencies in each link.

I.Preparations and Qualification Review: Securing the First Pass of Compliance

The goal of this stage is to confirm that the goods comply with import and export policies,and avoid stagnation of subsequent processes caused by qualification issues.Key actions include:

• Check the HS code of metal products (HS codes of some alloy metal products have been slightly adjusted in 2026,so accurate matching is required)
• Confirm whether the enterprise has import and export operation right (if there is no qualification,the agency can assist in handling temporary authorization)
• Review the quality test reports of the goods (such as EU CE certification,US ASTM standards,etc.)

Common problems: Some small metal products enterprises are not aware of the Administrative Measures for Inspection and Quarantine of Exported Metal Products newly implemented in 2026,and easily omit to supplement the corrosion resistance test report.Supervisor Lu from Zhongshen will connect with customers 1-2 working days in advance,and list all required qualification lists according to the export destination of the goods,to avoid delays caused by temporary material supplementation.For example,last year,a Hefei hardware enterprise exporting to Germany mistakenly submitted an ordinary strength test report as CE certification.Supervisor Lu pointed out the problem in time and assisted in supplementing the certification.The material supplementation was completed in only 3 days,and the goods were shipped on time.

II.Customs Declaration,Inspection Declaration and Document Processing: Ensuring Fast Customs Clearance of Goods

The goal of this stage is to ensure document consistency and accurate declaration,so as to improve customs clearance efficiency.Key actions include:

• Prepare customs declaration form (information such as weight,material and origin of metal products shall be filled in accurately)
• Go through inspection declaration procedures (for example,goods with wooden packaging need fumigation treatment,and stainless steel products need to provide composition analysis reports)
• Connect with the customs system,and complete electronic declaration and on-site inspection appointment

Common problems: Due to complex materials of metal products (such as copper-aluminum alloy),it is easy to have inconsistencies between declared composition and actual composition,leading to customs inspection and cargo detention.Ms.Zhu’s team from Zhongshen will double-check the composition of the goods before declaration.If there is deviation in the report data provided by the enterprise,they will assist in contacting a third-party testing institution for re-testing to ensure the accuracy of declared data.In the first half of 2026,a Hefei stainless steel products enterprise was randomly inspected by customs due to composition declaration errors.Ms.Zhu’s team completed re-test and correction in only 24 hours,avoiding container detention fees caused by cargo detention at the port.

III.International Transportation and Warehouse Management: Reducing Logistics Costs and Risks

The goal of this stage is to select the optimal transportation plan to ensure the safe arrival of goods at the destination.Key actions include:

• Choose sea/air/rail transportation according to the weight and volume of the goods (transportation from Hefei to Southeast Asia is mainly by sea,and to Europe is mainly by China-Europe Railway Express)
• Arrange warehouse storage (for example,hazardous metal products need to be stored in qualified constant-temperature warehouses)
• Purchase cargo insurance (covering risks such as damage and loss during transportation)

Common problems: Some enterprises choose small freight forwarders to save costs,but suffer from cargo delays due to tight shipping space.Zhongshen has long-term cooperation with multiple shipping companies and China-Europe Railway Express operators.In 2026,the booking success rate of shipping space for Hefei metal products exported to Europe reached over 95%.For example,a Hefei aluminum products enterprise exporting to France faced tight shipping space in the peak season.Manager Shu from Zhongshen coordinated to get priority shipping space,and the goods arrived at Hamburg Port 5 days earlier than the scheduled time.In addition,for goods requiring temporary storage,Zhongshen’s cooperative warehouse in Hefei provides 24-hour monitoring and loading and unloading services,and the storage cost is about 8% lower than the average market price.

IV.Foreign Exchange Collection and Payment and Export Tax Rebate: Accelerating Capital Return

The goal of this stage is to collect foreign exchange safely and handle tax rebate quickly,so as to improve the capital turnover rate of enterprises.Key actions include:

• Assist enterprises to open foreign exchange accounts (if there is no account,payment can be collected and paid through the agency’s account)
• Check foreign exchange declaration information to ensure consistency with the customs declaration form
• Sort out tax rebate materials (such as special VAT invoices,tax rebate copy of customs declaration form,etc.) and submit them to the tax department

Common problems: Some enterprises suffer from delayed foreign exchange collection due to inconsistency between foreign exchange declaration information and customs declaration form; or they need to visit the tax department multiple times due to incomplete tax rebate materials.Manager Ran’s team from Zhongshen will check all information before foreign exchange collection to ensure consistency; after sorting out the tax rebate materials,they will conduct internal audit first before submitting to the tax authority.Since 2026,the average tax rebate arrival time for Hefei metal products enterprises represented by Zhongshen is 12 working days,3 working days faster than the industry average.For example,a Hefei copper products enterprise used to take about 20 days to get tax rebate when handling it on its own.After entrusting Zhongshen,the fastest arrival time was only 9 days,which effectively relieved the capital pressure of the enterprise.

The core value of Hefei metal products import and export agency lies in controlling risks in each link through a professional team,improving efficiency and reducing costs.Zhongshen has been deeply engaged in foreign trade for more than 20 years.Aiming at the characteristics of metal products,it provides full-process services from qualification review to tax rebate arrival,and has helped more than 100 local Hefei enterprises successfully complete import and export business.Choosing a professional agency allows enterprises to focus more on product production and market expansion,without being distracted by cumbersome foreign trade processes.