Industries

Freight forwarding and customs clearance for plastics and packaging

Resins, films, and packaging materials, with tariff classification that holds up.

Polymers are one of the easiest product groups to misclassify, because the correct tariff heading depends on the polymer, the form, and sometimes the additive package rather than on the trade name. A wrong heading is not just a duty difference — it is a penalty exposure on every past entry using it. We review the classification against the technical data sheet before the first declaration, not after an audit.

Pain points

Common challenges

  1. Tariff classification

    Resins, films and finished packaging sit close together in the tariff schedule, and a wrong heading usually surfaces as a penalty at post-clearance audit rather than at entry.

  2. Regulated additives

    Some compounds and additives are restricted in transit, and a single undeclared one stops the shipment and the carrier relationship with it.

  3. Volume before weight

    Packaging cubes out long before it weighs out, so a wrong container choice is not one bad shipment — it is a cost attached to every shipment on the lane.

How we move Plastics & Packaging

  • FCL and LCL sea freight for resins in bags, octabins, and bulk liners
  • Airfreight for masterbatch, additives, and urgent production inputs
  • Cross-border trucking for regional packaging supply chains
  • Import consolidation from multiple suppliers into one clearance

Common questions

Plastics & Packaging: common questions

How do I know my plastic resin is classified under the right tariff heading?

The heading follows the polymer type and physical form from the technical data sheet, not the supplier's product name. We read the data sheet against the tariff schedule before the first entry and document the reasoning, so the classification can be defended if Customs reviews it later. Where the answer is genuinely arguable, an advance ruling from Thai Customs is the safe route.

Can I recover the duty I paid on imported material that I export again?

Often yes, through a Section 29 tax refund on imported inputs used in goods that are subsequently exported. It requires the import and export entries to be linked with production records, so the claim depends on paperwork you have to keep from the start. We set the entries up to support the claim rather than reconstructing it afterwards.

Are any plastics restricted for import into Thailand?

Yes — plastic scrap and waste are tightly controlled, and some grades and additives fall under hazardous-substance rules that require a permit from the relevant authority. We screen the Safety Data Sheet before booking, because a restricted grade discovered at the port is a re-export problem, not a paperwork problem.

See all frequently asked questions

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Shipping Plastics & Packaging?

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