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RAPAPORT... Graff Diamonds adopted Descartes Systems Group Inc.'s cloud-based import customs solution to automate and integrate its outward processing relief (OPR) and customs warehouse procedures. OPR allows Graff to claim duty relief for goods imported from non-European Union (E.U.) countries where the goods were shipped temporarily for processing or repair in the U.K.
"As an organization, we source diamonds and loose gems from a variety of sources worldwide and operate a complex process that involves importing, diverting and re-exporting," said Andrew Petherick, Graff's head of international shipping and logistics. "Descartes's import customs solution has enabled us to move away from our historic reliance on spreadsheets and automated and integrated our OPR and customs warehouse systems, which, in turn, has brought real cost savings. Furthermore, it has given us much more control and allowed us to become far more self-sufficient." In addition, the customs compliance solution integrates and automates Graff's warehouse and OPR procedures, which displays the duty that is due on each jewelry item and gemstone that it handles. Pol Sweeney, the vice president of U.K. sales at Descartes, said, "Graff is an excellent example of how removing manual customs processes and introducing automation and integration of processes and systems can deliver significant supply chain operational efficiency while enhancing profitability."
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