Buying from the UK
Shipping and customs for a repair-and-return breaker
The question every US buyer asks first is who deals with customs. The answer is: whoever you choose. We quote either way and prepare the paperwork.
- Air freightAbout 3 days each way
- TermsDAP or DDP, your choice
- PaperworkPrepared by us
- InsuranceIn transit
Your choice
DAP or DDP: you decide who handles US customs
These are the standard Incoterms. Pick the one that suits how your company buys, and we quote on that basis.
DAP · Delivered at Place
You or your broker clear it
We deliver to your door. Your customs broker clears the shipment and you pay any duty and fees directly. Usually the cheaper option if you already import regularly and have a broker.
- Lower quoted price
- Your broker, your import records
- We send the documents in advance so clearance is quick
DDP · Delivered Duty Paid
We handle it, one delivered price
We quote a delivered price that includes duty and clearance, and deal with customs on the way in. Nothing to arrange at your end apart from receiving the crate.
- One number on the purchase order
- No broker needed
- Best for one-off repairs and sites without an import process
How duty applies to a repaired item depends on its classification and how the shipment is documented. Rules and rates change, so your broker (or ours, on DDP) confirms the treatment for each shipment. We don't guess at rates on this page.
The paperwork we prepare
A breaker going for repair and coming back to the same owner is documented differently from a sale. We prepare the documents so the shipment is treated as a repair-and-return, and send them to you or your broker before the unit flies.
- Commercial invoice for each direction, showing the repair value separately from the unit
- Packing list with weights and crate dimensions
- Make, model and serial so the returned unit can be matched to the one that left
- A description of the work done, which brokers often ask for on the return leg
- Anything your broker requests for your import records
Packing and freight
Air circuit breakers are heavy and their mechanisms don't like being dropped. We send packing instructions before collection: discharge the springs, open the contacts, secure the drawout carriage, and crate or pallet the unit so it can't shift.
We book collection and air freight on our account, or use your forwarder if you prefer. Shipments are insured in transit. Air freight takes about 3 days each way.
Have a large quantity? Sea freight or an engineer visit may make more sense than flying dozens of breakers. See on-site work in the US.
Shipping and customs questions
Will I pay duty on the whole breaker when it comes back?
A repair-and-return is documented so that the work done is shown separately from the unit itself. How duty is then assessed depends on the classification and the rules in force, which your broker confirms. On DDP we deal with it and include it in the delivered price.
Do I need a customs broker?
On DAP, yes: your broker clears the shipment at your end. On DDP, no: we handle clearance and you just receive the crate.
Can you use our freight forwarder?
Yes. Tell us your forwarder and account and we'll prepare the documents for them. Otherwise we book the freight on our account.
Is the breaker insured while it travels?
Yes, shipments are insured in transit. Tell us the replacement value when you request a quote so the cover is right.
Can you invoice in US dollars?
Yes. We invoice in GBP or USD and take payment by bank transfer.
Send us the nameplate
A photo of the nameplate and the fault is enough for a first answer. We reply the same working day with a recommendation and a price for diagnosis and freight.