The advantages of IMMEX

HB Agencias Aduanales began its operations in early 2000 in response to market demand for an integrated service that could manage all land, air and maritime importing and exporting activities. Today, 13 years later, HB Agencias Aduanales consists of 14 customs agencies offering services at 24 of the 49 main customs posts in the country. The group manages import and export activities for every stage of mining operations. According to Humberto Beltrán Murillo, Director General of HB Agencis Aduanales, in terms of customs processes the mining industry is very open. If a company needs to import replacement parts from the US or Canada, thanks to NAFTA it does not have to pay taxes. Mexico’s 12 free trade agreements with 44 countries make it fairly simple for mining service providers to commercialize their products on an international level.

MMEX is another alternative for the mining industry. The program has been created for companies that need to import machinery in order to develop a product for export. It is designed in such a way that companies can avoid paying a large amount of taxes. “Under IMMEX, imported raw material can stay in the country for up to 18 months,” Beltrán Murillo explains. “However, machinery and equipment can stay until the end of the program. In terms of customs, the main challenge for mining companies is managing IMMEX correctly, because if they do not maintain strict control over their products it may be considered illegal in the country.” Beltrán Murillo adds that import and export control management for mining companies is fairly simple, whether using IMMEX or not. However, for customs agencies it is essential to have trained staff that are able to give consulting services to their mining clients. Another advantage is that mining companies are not forced to comply with Mexican official standards, which is required only for products that are sold directly to the public. “We recommend to our mining clients that they use IMMEX to bring in all of the machinery and equipment that they require for their operations. The technology used in the mining industry is very expensive, and having to pay taxes for a multi-million dollar piece of equipment can affect the finances of any company. IMMEX provides many tax exemptions,” says Beltrán Murillo. As a foreign trade facilitator HB Agencias Aduanales makes its clients’ customs processes much easier. “We want companies to focus on their business and not be distracted by customs issues. We give our clients the certainty that every commercial challenge regarding their imports and exports will be solved in an effective and financially responsible way,” highlights Beltrán Murillo.