When a CF-28 notice from U.S. Customs arrived, this aerospace supplier realized it had a problem.

The company had no formal import compliance program. No centralized tariff classification. And no real visibility into what brokers and sites were clearing on its behalf. For a long time, the mindset was, “as long as goods are moving, we’re fine.” But the CF-28 made it clear: the risks were too high to keep operating in the dark.

With high broker fees, unpredictable tariff costs, and growing regulatory pressure, the company knew it was time to take control. That’s when it turned to 3rdwave.

The result? A major shift in how the business manages imports, including more control, faster processes, and significant cost savings. Most importantly, this aerospace supplier finally unlocked the visibility and established the structure needed to run a confident, compliant operation.

The Backstory: Flying Blind on Imports

For years, this aerospace supplier managed imports through a decentralized, ad hoc process. With multiple sites across the U.S., each location worked independently, relying on its own brokers, spreadsheets, and best guesses when it came to tariff codes and documentation.

Rather than launching a formal import compliance program with centralized oversight and a standard classification process, the company relied on a patchwork of practices that left it exposed to errors, inconsistencies, and regulatory risk. As long as shipments cleared, no one asked questions. But, without visibility or control, it was only a matter of time until this approach proved unsustainable.

The Challenge: Compliance Chaos, Hidden in Plain Sight

Without a centralized import compliance strategy, each site and broker operated independently. Tariff codes were applied inconsistently or arbitrarily with zero oversight. Errors were common, and fixing them took time the team didn’t have.

Everything was managed through spreadsheets, emails, and informal knowledge sharing. And with just two people managing compliance across the entire U.S. operation, the margin for error was dangerously thin.

The breaking point came in the form of a CF-28, which is a formal inquiry from U.S. Customs that includes a request for “factual information” from the importer. After the CF-28 arrived, the risks could no longer be ignored.

In addition to the compliance exposure, broker fees were accumulating with each passing day. At the supplier’s busiest site, the company was paying up to $400 per entry — across 500 to 1,000 entries a year. Both the compliance risk and the costs had spiraled out of control.

The Turning Point: From Patchwork to Platform

After the CF-28 notice, the supplier’s small compliance team took fast action by building a stopgap system in spreadsheets to regain some level of control. It worked, but just barely. The process was manual, time-consuming, and impossible to scale. It became clear that the stopgap system was not a sustainable way to manage risk — especially with a potential disclosure looming.

Leadership agreed to invest in the right tools and technologies needed to regain control.

The team explored several trade compliance platforms, sitting through demos and analyzing cost structures. Some looked promising until steep pricing or limited flexibility removed them from consideration. One vendor even dramatically increased rates after a corporate merger, erasing its initial cost advantage.

Ultimately, 3rdwave stood out as the obvious choice. The platform checked every box, including:

• An intuitive, user-friendly interface
• Deep functionality to address real-world compliance needs
• Transparent, cost-effective pricing
• An implementation team that was hands-on from day one

3rdwave offered the right software and the level of partnership the supplier needed to regain control.

Implementation: Getting the Foundation Right

Launching with 3rdwave was a methodical process that required syncing with forwarders, setting up automated document flows, and holding weekly check-ins to review and resolve any issues along the way.

Through coordination with third-party suppliers, testing external integrations, and other key tasks, 3rdwave’s support team delivered. Described by the supplier as “phenomenal,” the support team worked responsively, resolving issues in hours rather than days. By the time the supplier went live with 3rdwave’s platform, the team felt confident and equipped to operate with a new level of control.

Results & Impact: Control, Clarity, and Serious Savings

With 3rdwave fully up and running at the supplier’s highest-volume site, the company finally gained the level of control it had been missing all along.

Documents that were once scattered across inboxes and folders are now centralized and searchable. Reports that once took days to compile can now be pulled in minutes — giving the team real visibility into duties, classifications, and shipment trends.

The team is now handling 500 to 1,000 entries per year in-house, eliminating the need for outside brokers at this key site. That shift alone is driving six-figure annual savings. More importantly, the shift has put the company back in the driver’s seat when it comes to compliance.

The platform’s flexibility has made it easy to train new staff and begin rolling out processes to other sites. What was once a reactive, manual function that exposed the business to significant risk is now a strategic capability that continues to get stronger.

Using 3rdwave to Move From Scramble to Strategy

What started as a compliance scramble has evolved into a strategic advantage.

This aerospace supplier eliminated broker fees, cleaned up documentation, and, most importantly, built a scalable, resilient import compliance program from the ground up. With 3rdwave, the team gained the control it had been missing, the visibility it needed, and the confidence required to manage global trade proactively.

Now, the aerospace supplier is expanding 3rdwave across additional sites, training new teams, and exploring ways to further streamline operations and navigate shifting regulations. What was once a vulnerability is now a source of competitive strength.

Ready to take control of your imports? Get in touch to discover what the 3rdwave platform can do for your business.