HOW TO IMPORT MARBLE AND GRANITE

Import Granite and Marble to the USA

Importing Marble and Granite or any Other Natural Stone is very good business. There is always a need for Natural Stones in construction and Infrastructure development. This is a never-ending business, so you can consider it a very good option. Most of the export of the Natural Stones are done by India, China, Brazil, Turkey & Italy. China and Brazil export Granite, Turkey and Italy export marble, while India exports both marble and granite.

If you are already Importing Marble and Granite in your country, you must know the importance of Marble and Granite from India. Indian Granite and Marble colors have beauty, verity, toughness and the prices are very competitive. India exports more than 100 types of Natural Stones. This includes Marble, Granite, Sandstone, Limestone, and Slatestone. Indian Granite and Indian Marble are cheaper, beautiful and long lasting strong materials, which are popular throughout the world, you can start a new business by Importing Natural Stones from India.

Understanding The Local Market

Different markets have different types of needs. You can do a little research about popular granite and marble in your area. There are thousands of quarries of marble and granite in the world and each quarry produces a different type of stone. So do a little bit of research that which are the most salable materials in your market.

You can also visit any local fabricator and ask him the most popular materials. Generally, fabricators do not import granite directly so visiting a few local fabricators will also help you get a potential new customer. The fabricator may buy from you in the future, so it is good to visit a few local fabricators of Granite and Marble. You can also browse our most popular granite and most popular marble blogs to understand different popular colors of your market.

Choosing Materials

Now you have the idea of popular materials, it is time to identify which materials should be Imported first. We give an advantage of mixing different types of materials in one container. You can select up to 5 materials in one container load. We make our stones at 5 different facilities, so please ask us before finalizing that which materials you can load in one container.

Choosing Sizes and Thickness

The marble and granite are available in different types of sizes, the sizes can be slabs, tiles, memorials. Also, the products are available in different thicknesses, so after finalizing the colors you need to finalize the size and thickness as well. You can get an idea about the size and thickness of fabricators as well. Countries such as United States, Canada, Tunisia, Morocco etc prefer 3 cm slabs over 2 cm and in rest of the world including Europe and Asia, people prefer 2 cm slabs. Before importing slabs or any size, it is better to check your market about the popularity of sizes and thickness.

Quantity

Before ordering, you need to understand the minimum and maximum quantity one container can carry. The price per unit is calculated on the Free On Board basis. The price per unit includes the local transportation, loading and packing charges. So the minimum quantity has a reflection on the prices. You can discuss with us for the minimum quantity required for specific sizes, thickness, and materials.

Freight Charges

Since you are getting the material on the Free On Board basis, you need to find out the Ocean and local transportation charges. You can contact any reputed freight forwarding agency or shipping line to find out the charges for the ocean freight. In the meantime, you can appoint the agent for freight charges and custom clearance charges in your country.

Calculate The Landing Cost

You can sum all the charges including ocean freight, terminal charges, custom clearance charges, transportation charges till your stockyard and the local tax. This will give you an idea about the expenses of Importing the container. Once you calculate all the charges, divide it by the Unit of Import. It can be either Square Feet or Square Meter or even Pieces in some cases. This will give you an idea of the landing cost per Unit.

Rajasthan Black Granite Kitchen Countertops

Compare Landing Cost With Market Prices

Now you have the landing cost per unit with you. You can compare it with the selling market prices. The selling market prices must be higher than the landing cost.

Decide The Selling Price

You can add an adequate margin to the landing cost. There are companies that keep low margins and there are also companies that keep high margins, so decide the selling price as per the trend in your market. It should be as per the market trends.

Payment Terms

By now, you have the Popular Colors, Sizes, Thickness and landing cost of the material. You need to get back to the actual process of Import. We sell on different payment terms as per materials and quantity. General payment terms are as follows:

  • LC
  • Credit Card (Paypal)
  • Full Advance
  • Advance + Pay on receiving

We also provide the material on Cash Against Documents depending on the different circumstances.

Ordering The Materials

After finalizing everything from material to payment terms, you can place the order. The completion of an order depends on the colors and quantities. We have adequate resources to make 40-45 containers per month.

Material Inspection

Once your order is completed, you can go for the inspection. There are following types of Inspection available

  • Factory Inspection (Inspection by Factory Inspectors by providing pictures of your material)
  • 3rd Party Inspection (You can appoint any third party to check the quality)
  • Self Inspection (You can plan a visit to our plants to check the quality yourself)

Ordering the Container

After checking the quality of the material, you can order for the container to your shipping agent, he can provide the empty container to the exporter. You can get Open Top or Box containers from the freight forwarder. You should always negotiate the price for ocean freight with different providers.

Packing Loading and Inspection

Packing is one of the most important parts of any export or Import consignment. The Packing is done as per the requirements of different clients, please provide your packing standards and ask for the pictures of packing. Generally, the exporter provides pictures of loading. Packing should be perfect as the Natural stones are brittle materials, they can break if not packed properly.

Documentation

You should provide all the shipping instructions once you finalize the order. You should always ask for drafts of different documents prior to finalization. The changes in the drafts cost a lot and any mistake in the document can cost you too much. These are general documents, you should check :

  • Invoice
  • Packing List
  • Bill of Lading
  • Certificate of Origin (Form A)
  • GSP (for selected countries)
  • Fumigation

Once you get the drafts of these documents, show it to your customs clearance agent, and if there is any doubt request for change.

Shipping

The shipping can take 1 day to 60 days depending on your destination, general shipping days are as following :

  • East Asia – 2 Days to 15 Days
  • Australia – 20-28 Days
  • Europe – 25-35 Days
  • North Africa – 25-35 Days
  • Americas – 45-60 Days

The Ocean Transport can vary from port to port, so please check with your freight provider in advance before committing to your customer, and keep 8-10 days extra.

Getting Documents

After fulfilling your payment terms, you can get all the documents such as Bill of Lading, GSP, Invoice, etc., you can get the documents directly or from your bank. Please check if the documents are made as per your needs.

Releasing The Container

After getting your documents, you can give it to your agent. Your agent will release the container after fulfilling the necessary requirements of your customs or any other agency.

Receiving Material in your Stockyard

After so many days of continuous follow-ups and tracking, now you have the container in your stockyard. Open it and check if the loading and packing are proper. Unload it and check for measurements and other quality inspection. Now you can sell the material to your clients and prepare for the next order.

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