Medite Smartply announces "game-changing” partnership with Customs Support Group

Wood panel manufacturer Medite SmartPly has announced a “game-changing” partnership with Europe’s leading customs clearance experts, Customs Support Group (CSG).

The company says the deal will allow it to process more than 10,000 declarations per year.

Medite SmartPly says CSG will “revolutionise” its supply chain operations by boosting throughput and massively increasing both speed and accuracy.

CSG has more than 120 offices in 14 European countries, 1,700-plus customs professionals offering customs processing across the EU, United Kingdom, Switzerland and Norway.

Medite SmartPly is a subsidiary of Coillte, Ireland’s state-owned forestry company, and produces sustainable MDF and OSB panels from its manufacturing hubs in Clonmel and Waterford, close to Ireland’s major ports.

However, the company says it needed a seamless customs clearance operation to take advantage of its key export markets, most notably the United Kingdom post-Brexit.

CSG says it has utilised its advanced AI capabilities to create an interface which integrates Medite SmartPly’s enterprise resource planning (ERP) system with its customs system.

This blend of automation and human oversight extracts daily shipping data from logistics providers and inputs it into the ERP system, before CSG’s Customs EDI system creates, checks and validates declarations before submission.

The system also facilitates automated communication with hauliers, allowing Medite SmartPly to maintain its high-speed supply chain.

Jerry Anglim, supply chain business development director at Medite SmartPly, said: “Partnering with CSG allows us to deliver products seamlessly and confidently, knowing every customs procedure is handled professionally.

“Medite SmartPly’s logistics model is built on precision, with tight schedules for truck arrivals around port access windows. Any delay in customs clearance presents a significant risk to our operation.

“The rapid turnaround offered by CSG has become a cornerstone of Medite SmartPly’s decision to partner with them.”

Charlie Dawson, business development manager at Customs Support Group Ireland, said: “Businesses looking to improve their customs landscape need to understand that speed alone isn’t enough.

“It’s not just about being fast, but also about being razor-sharp on regulations. Right now, we’re navigating a minefield of shifting rules, suspended checks and evolving standards.

"ICS2 Release“Add to that the EU’s steel tariff hikes, the US trade deal implications and possible delays with the EU Digital Regulation (EUDR), and it’s a lot to stay ahead of, and that’s just on the regulatory side,” added Jocelyn Burke, compliance manager at Customs Support Group Ireland.

“Trading conditions are equally volatile, as labour shortages, ESG pressures and the ongoing housing crisis are all squeezing supply chains.

"My job is to ensure that every declaration we touch is not only fast but future-proof. That’s what makes our partnership with Medite SmartPly work – we’re not just reacting, we’re anticipating.”

Photo: Charlie Dawson, business development manager at Customs Support Group Ireland