Freight forwarder
Freight forwarder
Freight forwarder
How Mannson Freight took its customs entries back in-house
How Mannson Freight took its customs entries back in-house
How Mannson Freight took its customs entries back in-house
How a freight forwarder moved its entries away from a broker, and now works to its own timelines.
How a freight forwarder moved its entries away from a broker, and now works to its own timelines.
How a freight forwarder moved its entries away from a broker, and now works to its own timelines.
AT A GLANCE
AT A GLANCE
AT A GLANCE
Entries filed in-house
Entries filed in-house
No longer restricted by how busy a broker is.
No longer restricted by how busy a broker is.
Issues caught before submission
Issues caught before submission
Validation helps the team catch issues before anything is filed.
Validation helps the team catch issues before anything is filed.
No HMRC queries
No HMRC queries
In its first month of filing with DutyDeclared.
In its first month of filing with DutyDeclared.
Mannson Freight used to hand the information for every entry to a broker, and work to the broker’s timetable.
Mannson Freight used to hand the information for every entry to a broker, and work to the broker’s timetable.
Mannson Freight used to hand the information for every entry to a broker, and work to the broker’s timetable.
Now, the team files its own entries, works to its own timelines and, in its first month with DutyDeclared, hasn’t had a single HMRC query.
Now, the team files its own entries, works to its own timelines and, in its first month with DutyDeclared, hasn’t had a single HMRC query.
Now, the team files its own entries, works to its own timelines and, in its first month with DutyDeclared, hasn’t had a single HMRC query.
About Mannson Freight
About Mannson Freight
Mannson Freight is a freight forwarder that wanted more control over its customs. When it decided to bring its entries back in-house, it didn’t settle for off-the-shelf software. It teamed up with DutyDeclared as a joint venture to make the platform work for sea freight.
Mannson Freight is a freight forwarder that wanted more control over its customs. When it decided to bring its entries back in-house, it didn’t settle for off-the-shelf software. It teamed up with DutyDeclared as a joint venture to make the platform work for sea freight.
Restricted by someone else’s schedule
Restricted by someone else’s schedule
Restricted by someone else’s schedule
Customs clearance is one of the services Mannson Freight offers its customers, alongside sea freight, air freight, warehousing and transport. Yet for its own entries, the team relied on someone else.
Customs clearance is one of the services Mannson Freight offers its customers, alongside sea freight, air freight, warehousing and transport. Yet for its own entries, the team relied on someone else.
Mannson Freight provided all the information for each shipment to a broker, who calculated the duty and VAT and submitted the entries on its behalf. That meant paying for every entry, and being restricted by how busy the broker was.
Mannson Freight provided all the information for each shipment to a broker, who calculated the duty and VAT and submitted the entries on its behalf. That meant paying for every entry, and being restricted by how busy the broker was.
The turning point
The turning point
The turning point
Mannson Freight decided to start doing its own entries in-house again, but only with software that made the job streamlined and simple.
Mannson Freight decided to start doing its own entries in-house again, but only with software that made the job streamlined and simple.
The team teamed up with DutyDeclared as a joint venture to make the platform work for sea freight, and found it easy to use and user friendly.
The team teamed up with DutyDeclared as a joint venture to make the platform work for sea freight, and found it easy to use and user friendly.
THE MOMENT IT MATTERED
THE MOMENT IT MATTERED
“We have been using DutyDeclared for 1 month and not had any HMRC Queries to date. The HS CODES field will not allow you to see DUTY/VAT rates if incorrect and the validation part helps you catch any issues before submission which is paramount.”
“We have been using DutyDeclared for 1 month and not had any HMRC Queries to date. The HS CODES field will not allow you to see DUTY/VAT rates if incorrect and the validation part helps you catch any issues before submission which is paramount.”
“We have been using DutyDeclared for 1 month and not had any HMRC Queries to date. The HS CODES field will not allow you to see DUTY/VAT rates if incorrect and the validation part helps you catch any issues before submission which is paramount.”
Charlie Hall
Charlie Hall
Charlie Hall
General Manager, Mannson Freight
General Manager, Mannson Freight
General Manager, Mannson Freight
Making the switch
Making the switch
Making the switch
The team didn’t rush. Before committing, they tested a few entries with different parameters, then made the switch at the beginning of August.
The team didn’t rush. Before committing, they tested a few entries with different parameters, then made the switch at the beginning of August.
Like any new system, there were a few hiccups along the way. Each time the team raised one, DutyDeclared’s technical team got to work on it straight away, kept them updated on progress, and had it rectified rapidly.
Like any new system, there were a few hiccups along the way. Each time the team raised one, DutyDeclared’s technical team got to work on it straight away, kept them updated on progress, and had it rectified rapidly.
What’s changed
What’s changed
What’s changed
Mannson Freight now prepares and submits its own entries, on its own timelines, and the move away from a broker has helped with cost savings.
Mannson Freight now prepares and submits its own entries, on its own timelines, and the move away from a broker has helped with cost savings.
Day to day, the team finds the workspace user friendly, and that has helped staff work more efficiently. They can’t yet put exact numbers on it, but the difference is noticeable in how many entries they process.
Day to day, the team finds the workspace user friendly, and that has helped staff work more efficiently. They can’t yet put exact numbers on it, but the difference is noticeable in how many entries they process.
The checks play their part too. The commodity code field won’t show duty and VAT rates if a code is incorrect, and validation catches issues before an entry is submitted.
The checks play their part too. The commodity code field won’t show duty and VAT rates if a code is incorrect, and validation catches issues before an entry is submitted.
“As we were using a broker this has helped with cost savings and we can now work with our own timelines instead of being restricted by how busy the broker was. The workspace is user friendly which helps staff with being more efficient. I cannot provide exact numbers, but it is noticeable with how many entries we process.”
“As we were using a broker this has helped with cost savings and we can now work with our own timelines instead of being restricted by how busy the broker was. The workspace is user friendly which helps staff with being more efficient. I cannot provide exact numbers, but it is noticeable with how many entries we process.”
“As we were using a broker this has helped with cost savings and we can now work with our own timelines instead of being restricted by how busy the broker was. The workspace is user friendly which helps staff with being more efficient. I cannot provide exact numbers, but it is noticeable with how many entries we process.”
Charlie Hall
Charlie Hall
Charlie Hall
General Manager, Mannson Freight
General Manager, Mannson Freight
General Manager, Mannson Freight
Your freight’s ready to move. Your declaration should be too.
Your freight’s ready to move. Your declaration should be too.
Your freight’s ready to move. Your declaration should be too.
See how DutyDeclared works for freight forwarders.
See how DutyDeclared works for freight forwarders.
CUSTOMER
Mannson Freight
TYPE
Import and export consolidator (LCL)
ESTABLISHED
1991
BASED IN
Basildon, Essex
PREVIOUSLY USED
An external customs broker
USES DUTYDECLARED FOR
Sea freight entries
FILING WITH DUTYDECLARED SINCE
August 2026
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