The decision to adopt CAS was clear for Associated Weavers, as the business case was too compelling to ignore. However, during the onboarding process, it was crucial to ensure that everyone within the company was convinced and fully onboard to incorporate CAS into their daily operations. Before CAS, their customs process was automated via EDI messages sent to a broker, who would return the export and import documentation a few hours later. Initially, there was some hesitation among employees, but once they started working with CAS, their doubts quickly disappeared. CAS provided the same automated flow, with the added benefit of almost instantaneous clearance in both Belgium and the UK. Additionally, they now had the ability to make adjustments in CAS themselves and gained full visibility of their declarations at the touch of a button. This enhanced control ensures that customs no longer becomes a blocker in their supply chain, enabling smoother operations and preventing delays that could disrupt the timely movement of goods.
“Our waiting times reduced massively. Compared to brokers, where waiting times for declarations could take up to four hours, with CAS, it’s instant. The cost savings are a nice extra, but were not our main reason for automating,” said Mieke Debaveye, Transport Manager at Associated Weavers.
Alongside the single message double filing, a major advantage for Associated Weavers, the automation of their customs operations has been a game-changer. In the rare cases of alerts in CAS, they can easily resolve them and resubmit declarations to customs authorities, minimising disruptions in their supply chain. If further assistance is needed, they can access C4T’s knowledge base or contact customer support for guidance, which is available to all customers.
