How To Import Granite

Thinking about importing granite? This ‘How to Post’ will give you some direction on how to import granite and how you can leverage Import Genius to your advantage.  Granite is igneous intrusive rock that comes directly from the Earth. The process between extracting it from its natural setting to getting in the hands of a wholesaler takes about 30 days. Because of its many uses granite has become a very desirable import as it is common in home construction and used for surfacing countertops, flooring, bathroom showers and tubs, and fireplaces. It’s also used in gravestones and building construction.  To begin importing, you’ll want to start by spending a fair amount of time researching your supplier. A quick search on the internet will tell you that suppliers can be found in China, Brazil, Italy, Spain, and India, just to name a few places. It is important to evaluate your potential suppliers to get a feel for which one is right for you in terms of product, price and reliability. Slabmarket.com is a good resource for those importing granite.  Another option while searching for a supplier is to look into an account with Import Genius, a searchable database of shipping manifests for importers/exporters all over the globe. The database allows you to find granite suppliers by doing a simple search. By searching for the consignee ‘American Granite Designs Inc.’, a large U.S. granite importer, you can easily find one of their main suppliers is INTERNATIONAL STONES INDIA (P) LTD located in India.  Contact this supplier and you can start importing the same granite and similar products as well. Import Genius also allows you to search by product ‘granite slabs’ or ‘polished granite slabs’ and find shipments coming from other granite suppliers around the globe, for example, YAMAMA GRANITE & MARBLE CO. from Italy.  Choosing a reliable supplier is important. It allows you to conduct business while preserving the integrity of your company and brand. After choosing a supplier, you’ll begin establishing payment terms. One option is to obtain a letter of credit from your banking institution. This can be a long process requiring fees and time-consuming paperwork. The more common payment method is to make a down payment, which will typically be due before shipping. You can expect to put down about 20-30% of the total order. This is why having a trustworthy supplier is crucial.  After placing your order, the next steps would be to arrange a freight company and drayage (trucking) transportation to get the goods to your warehouse when they reach the U.S. An experienced stone transporter will be vital to receiving your imports in good condition.  You’ll also want to invest in a good customs broker to simplify the customs clearance process, saving you time and frustration. To find a complete list of customers brokers in the U.S., look to USCustomsBrokers.org.  Happy Importing!!