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Cross-border trade
A pair of eyes on the ground between France and Germany, for the parts of a deal that email cannot settle.
The Rhine is the border, and it is about fifteen minutes from our door. On one side the paperwork is French, on the other it is German, and the goods travelling between them are frequently checked by nobody until they arrive at the customer.
That gap is what this service fills. Not strategy, not consulting. Someone who will drive out, look at the thing, photograph it and tell you plainly whether it matches the order.
Who this suits
Trading companies that need occasional local presence rather than an office. Buyers who have been burned by a shipment that matched the invoice but not the specification. German firms wanting a French-side representative, and French firms wanting the reverse.
What we will not tell you
We do not give an opinion on whether a supplier is financially sound. That needs a credit report, not a factory visit, and we would rather point you at one than guess.
Going to look
Visiting the supplier, seeing the line running, photographing what is actually in the crate. Reported back the same day.
Specifications
Reading the quote against the technical sheet and finding the places where the French and German versions quietly say different things.
Before it ships
Quantity, packing, marking and loading checked while the goods are still in the yard and a problem is still fixable.
Being the local address
Meetings attended on your behalf, in French or English, with a written note of what was agreed rather than what was implied.
Indicative rates
| Service | Rate |
|---|---|
| Project coordination, hourly | €65 – €85 |
| Site visit with written report | from €390 per visit |
| Ongoing retainer | from €1,200 / month |
The retainer covers roughly twenty hours of operational work a month; scope and reporting rhythm are agreed in writing first. We coordinate and inspect. We are not a customs broker or a freight forwarder, and we work alongside whoever you already use for those.
Common questions
Do you clear customs?
No. We prepare and cross-check paperwork and work with your customs broker or forwarder. Acting as a customs representative is a licensed role and we don't hold it.
Can you find new suppliers, or only deal with ones I already have?
Both. Shortlisting runs through the UpperRhein.com catalogue our family maintains, plus local contacts. The catalogue itself is free, so you can start there before hiring anyone.
Are you inspectors? Is your report worth anything formally?
It is a commercial report with photographs and our name on it, not a certificate from an accredited body. If you need SGS or Bureau Veritas paper for a letter of credit, you need SGS or Bureau Veritas. We are the cheaper, faster check that catches the obvious problems before they leave the yard.
You're French. Can you actually deal with a German supplier?
In English, yes, and that is how most of this business is done on the Rhine anyway. If a supplier will only work in German we say so and bring in a translator rather than muddle through.
We're a small company and only need this once.
Then take a single visit. Most first engagements are exactly that, and plenty never become anything more.