Know what to expect before your surety asks for it. Join Michael D. Easton, president of Star USA, and Travis Smith, President of Trade Risk Guaranty, as they explore how customs bond requirements are changing, driven by tariffs, enforcement shifts, and…
Industry Insights
Data Quality in Trade Compliance: Governance Practices That Prevent Costly Errors and Delays
Melissa MerkleManager, Star USA Data quality is a major risk control across trade compliance. Data quality issues like inconsistent classifications, unreliable origin determinations, and incomplete valuation details can compound across systems. They may not be noticed for a while, but…
Case Study on Navigating a CF-28: How a Newly Independent Manufacturer Turned Its First Compliance Test Into a Win
Eight months isn’t a lot of time, but that’s precisely how long we had to help a brand-new independent industrial paints manufacturer build a compliance program from the ground up, after divesting from its former organization. Then, right after the dust settled, they received a CF-28…
Designing a High-Performance Trade Compliance Program Operating Model: Roles, Routines, and KPIs
Melissa Merkle Manager, Star USA Trade compliance programs fail in predictable ways. Not because companies lack the intention to get it right, but because good intentions don’t hold up when there’s no clear structure behind them. When performance is measured by activity rather than…
Tariff Savings Case Study: Identifying $2M+ in Client’s Potential Savings
Most compliance engagements start with a signed contract. This one started with a refusal. When a major U.S. importer issued a competitive RFP for trade compliance services, the conventional move would have been to sharpen our pencils, compete on price, and hope…
How Strong Trade Compliance Helps You Win and Keep Enterprise Customers
Melissa MerkleEducation & Outreach Manager, Star USA If “we’re working on it” is your current trade compliance strategy, enterprise customers have already noticed. Blunt? Perhaps, but it’s the kind of honest observation that saves a lot of time. Large, sophisticated customers are no longer treating…
Be Ready for CBP’s New CAPE System: Automatic IEEPA Tariff Refunds
Nic ArtersDirector, Star USA Customs and Border Protection (CBP) advised that they are developing a new refund system called the Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries, or CAPE, within its existing Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) portal. CAPE is designed with…
Executive Trade Compliance Dashboard: Setup Tips & Metrics
Nic ArtersDirector, Star USA For executives at your business, making decisions without a trade compliance dashboard can feel like driving to an unfamiliar destination without a map or GPS. They’ll likely get where they want to go, but it may…
How One Importer Recovered $8 Million and Transformed a Loss into Leverage
Nic ArtersDirector, Star USA When the phone rang, the voice on the other end wasn’t panicked, but it was close. A client in the industrial equipment space had hit a wall. Their warehouse was packed with electrostatic spray guns purchased…
Year-End Trade Compliance Checklist: Prepare for a Successful Year Ahead
Nic Arters Director, Star USA As our Star USA team ramps up to next year, I can’t help but reflect on the trade compliance landscape of 2025. The global trade landscape shifted with new regulations, evolving sanctions, and technological advancements,…
The End of De Minimis – What does it mean for your business?
Nic Arters Director, Star USA Overview For years, Section 321 allowed for one shipment per person or business per day that was valued at or under $800.00 USD to be imported duty free or “sectioned.” However, this exemption has been…
Top 5 Traits of Businesses that Execute Successful Trade Compliance Strategy
Michael D. Easton President & General Manager, Star USA If you think trade compliance strategy is just about checking boxes, you’re missing what the top-performing companies already know: it’s one of the smartest operational investments a business can make. In…
What is Proactive Trade Compliance & How Does it Benefit Your Business?
Nic Arters Director, Star USA When the next disruption strikes your supply chain (and it will), will your company pivot or pause? I’ve spent years assisting businesses navigate the evolving maze of trade regulations, and if there’s one truth I’ve…