Fast Forward

When your business is ready to grow beyond U.S. borders, the prospect of selling your products to customers in countries around the world is exciting. But for many entrepreneurs, it's not quite as enticing once they discover the intricate process of transporting the goods, which encompasses everything from preparing documentation and negotiating carrier rates to tracking the shipment and complying with foreign trade requirements.

Savvy business owners know that moving cargo to foreign countries doesn't have to be a nightmare, especially when you enlist the expertise of an international freight forwarder. Known throughout the industry as "transport architects," these professionals can take your shipment from one point to another efficiently, minus the headaches.

"The freight forwarding company attends to the international shipping, documentation and cargo movement from the shipper's facility to the buyer's facility," explains Peter Powell Sr., CEO of C.H. Powell Co., an international freight forwarding firm in Peabody, Massachusetts. With 38 years of industry experience, Powell knows firsthand the ins and outs of shipping freight around the world. His company handles thousands of tons of freight a week for its clients.

This article was originally published in the August 1997 print edition of Entrepreneur with the headline: Fast Forward.