Footner & Company, Inc. is more than a traditional forwarder. The departments preparing bills of lading, consular invoice, customs entries, and Letter of Credit banking documents are staffed with experts. Over the years these basic services have been supplemented to form an enterprise of global dimensions.

Project Forwarding. The special experience necessary to expedite movement of complete factories and construction projects was acquired by Footner & Company many years ago. Equipment and materials for overseas highways, bridges, hotels, dams and even a sports arena have been successfully exported. Other major projects include construction of petrochemical plants, steel mills, refineries, and manufacturing facilities. We are able to accurately marshall cargo, procure vessels and aircraft for charter, and coordinate cargo destined for overseas projects arriving from various USA origin points.

Rate Negotiations. Lesser forwarders are interested in high ocean freight rates as increased commissions are earned from ocean carriers. We do not operate in this short-sighted manner. Our skills and success result from obtaining competitive rates for our routine shipments and large projects, and holding our customers' best interests in mind. Loyal clients and the resulting referrals are the rewards of the philosophy! Ocean carriers often have the upper hand when dealing with exporters requiring lower rates, yet careful proposal preparation, alternative land/ocean routings, and systematic information gathering will often result in savings for customers.

Containerization. Our experience in the transportation industry pre-dates the container revolution; we are able to help our customers benefit from lower packing costs associated with containerized cargo. Furthermore, our dedication has kept us abreast of intermodal transportation innovations, such as Containerships, RO/RO (roll-on/roll-off) vessels, and LASH (Lighter Aboard Ship) barges, and break-bulk vessels.

Consulting Services. For firms trading overseas but not operating a separate traffic department, Footner & Company can assist in solving complex logistical problems which frequently plague international shipping. We are able to advise quotation policies for terms of sale, applications for utilizing letter of credit and other financial instruments, and training of personnel.

Automation Technology. Our firm continues to be at the forefront of electronic documentation preparation. TradePoint Systems, a well-known software development firm, provides integrated systems for exports, imports and accounting. Our use of Automated Broker Interface (ABI) transmits "paperless" entries to U.S. Customs and export reporting/ and electronic filing of Shipper's Export Declaration (SED) via Automated Export System (AES) to the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Census. This system can be customized and connected with outside vendor tracking and tracing programs to allow up to date status information on your shipments.