Brief
Property type, standards, quantities, opening date, operating environment and service expectations.
Import, export & project logistics
Source globally. Understand the landed reality.
HES approaches international hospitality sourcing as an operational and commercial decision, not a supplier-price exercise. We compare landed import cost, origin, duties, taxes, lead time, compliance, warranty, spare parts, consolidation and delivery risk before recommending the route.
The HES decision path
Import only when it makes commercial and operational sense.
A low FOB or EXW price can still become an expensive hospitality decision once duty, VAT, freight, delays, storage, foreign exchange and after-sales exposure are considered.
Specify
Correct performance, dimensions, materials, compliance requirements, par levels and replacement logic.
Compare
Local supply against imported options using landed cost, lead time, MOQ and lifecycle implications.
Validate
Tariff classification, origin, documentation, product compliance and commercial terms are checked before commitment.
Move
Consolidation, freight, clearance, delivery and project receiving interfaces are coordinated around the programme.
Operate
Warranty, spares, replenishment and replacement availability are considered before the first purchase order is placed.
Landed import cost
The real cost is what reaches the property.
HES builds the commercial picture around the full route to site. Exact duty and tax treatment depends on tariff classification, origin, destination and the applicable legal framework.
Product & customs value
Supplier price and customs valuation basis, adjusted where required under the applicable customs valuation rules.
Freight & insurance
International transport, insurance, consolidation and handling appropriate to the route, shipment size and Incoterm.
Duty & origin
Customs duty follows the HS tariff classification and may be affected by qualifying preferential origin under a trade agreement.
Import VAT
South African import VAT is calculated on the Added Tax Value rather than supplier price alone. VAT and recoverability are treated separately in the commercial model.
Clearing & port costs
Clearing, terminal, documentation, inspection, storage and other route-specific charges are allowed for before approval.
Inland delivery
Final-mile delivery, offloading, project access, receiving constraints and regional transport are part of the route-to-site cost.
FX & banking
Foreign exchange, bank charges, payment timing, deposits and working-capital exposure can materially change the comparison.
Risk allowance
Lead-time uncertainty, demurrage, damage, replacement stock, warranty and opening-date exposure are considered before award.
South Africa: SARS states that the standard VAT rate on imported goods is 15%. For goods originating outside the Southern African Customs Union, the Added Tax Value calculation generally includes a 10% uplift of customs value plus non-rebated duty before VAT is applied. Exact treatment must be verified for the specific goods, origin and transaction. View SARS guidance ↗
Origin matters
EUR.1 and SADC opportunities, understood properly.
Preferential origin can create a genuine landed-cost advantage, but it is evidence-led and product-specific. Shipping from a qualifying country does not automatically make the goods originating.
EUR.1 movement certificate
The document is commonly referred to informally as “Euro 1”, but the correct term is EUR.1 movement certificate. Under the SADC-EU Economic Partnership Agreement, qualifying originating products may use a EUR.1 movement certificate or, in specified cases, an origin declaration as proof of preferential origin.
- EUR.1 is proof of origin, not a general product-quality certification.
- It is issued by the customs authority of the exporting country following an application by the exporter or authorised representative.
- The exporter must be able to support the originating status of the goods.
- HES coordinates document readiness with the supplier, exporter and appointed clearing/customs specialists.
SADC rules of origin
The SADC Trade Protocol provides preferential treatment for qualifying originating goods traded within the Free Trade Area. Qualification depends on the relevant rule of origin, which can include wholly obtained status, sufficient processing, regional value content or a change in tariff classification.
- Preferential treatment is not automatic because a supplier is located in SADC.
- Product-specific origin rules and supporting evidence must be checked before the price benefit is assumed.
- Qualifying goods use the applicable SADC Certificate of Origin and customs process.
- HES can compare SADC, local and global sourcing routes using the same landed-cost discipline.
Hospitality commercial control
Price is one line. Performance is the decision.
Will the product improve comfort, presentation, service or consistency in a way the property can sustain?
Can housekeeping, engineering, culinary, F&B and stores teams use, clean, maintain and replenish it reliably?
Does the route support approvals, production, shipping, customs, snagging and opening dates with adequate contingency?
What happens after handover: spares, warranty, replacement stock, standardisation, local support and future availability?
Are the tariff, origin, documentation, electrical, food-contact, safety or other product requirements identified before order?
What is the working-capital exposure from deposits, foreign currency, stock in transit and recoverable or non-recoverable taxes?
Talk to HES
Need a landed-cost comparison before you commit?
Send the product list, supplier quotation, origin, destination, quantities and required delivery date. HES can help structure the commercial comparison around the realities of hotel operations and project delivery.