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C-TPAT Validation Update:
Wood Dale, Illinois - April 29, 2004 - The Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) program consists of three main phases. In the initial phase, you submit an executive summary of the security procedures in your entire supply chain. Once Customs reviews your executive summary and approves what you have detailed, they certify you in the C-TPAT program, the second phase. The third phase is validation. This is a review by Customs auditors to confirm that a company has implemented its security procedures and that it has developed a program of continual improvement in regards to its security. All C-TPAT approved companies are to be validated within 3 years of certification. On February 16th, Stephane Rambaud-Pres. & COO, Lori Buckley-HR Director and myself spent several hours with two Supply Chain Security Specialists from US Customs and Border Protection (Raymond Monzon & Tammy Lacy). While we are still in the process of implementing our C-TPAT program, the auditors were quite impressed with the work we have done so far. The detail of the Phoenix Security Policies & Procedures manual was a key element in our approval. A copy of the documentation and information regarding our procedures and training was prepared for the auditors who intend to use them to show other Supply Chain Security Specialists examples of best practices. The Supply Chain Security Specialists informed us that we are essentially validated for our U.S. brokerage business and once we successfully complete an overseas office audit, we will be validated on the forwarding side. Our Hong Kong office was selected by Customs for the foreign visit. On April 22, 2004 they met with Dannie Lo and Naran Andreyev. They were extremely impressed with our Hong Kong branch and what they have accomplished.
I am writing to you to let you know what a pleasure it was to visit your office in Hong Kong. Tammy and I were very pleased to see the effort and dedication that has been displayed by Phoenix International regarding the C-TPAT Program. Mr. Dannie Lo, Mr. Naran Andreyev, and their personnel should be commended for their excellent presentation of Phoenix International's supply chain security and commitment to the C-TPAT program. It is evident that Phoenix International is dedicated and committed in making their supply chain as secure as possible. This level of commitment is one that US Customs and Border Protection is seeking in companies that are participating in the C-TPAT program and I believe that the level of commitment displayed by Phoenix International toward their supply chain security is one that other companies should model their security after. Please contact me when you have an opportunity to schedule the closeout meeting. Hope all is well and congratulations to Phoenix International from Tammy and me for all the hard work put into making Phoenix International an exemplary company for others to follow. Thank You,
There are over 5000 companies enrolled in C-TPAT and as of December 2003, only about 200 had been validated. We were selected as a priority for validation due to the high volume of international traffic that we handle. We are off to a good start! Our continued efforts in this partnership with Customs and Border Protection will help secure the international supply chain for Phoenix and its customers. # # # Media Contact: |