Shipping Dominican Made Wrought Iron Railings to the US (Florida)

J D Sauser

Silver
Nov 20, 2004
2,940
390
83
www.hispanosuizainvest.com
I am having several heavy "wrought" iron railings made near Santiago. Not enough to fill a 20' container but too much to send it by air.

I need a shipping "consolidator" (crate shipping) who can also handle EXPORT from the DR and also the adequate paper work preparations to import into the US (it's going to West Palm Beach, FL), if possible taking advantage of CAFTA since it's all made in the DR with DR iron. Customs broker AND shipper... I don't know how to call it.

Recommendations as well as warn offs (negatives PM only please, so to limit the mudslinging).

Thanks! ... J-D.
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
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Try Chatelain Cargo or Rosa del Monte or Hispaniola Freight.

Chatelain came from a thread here about heavy equipment
 

PJT

Silver
Jan 8, 2002
3,562
298
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Source Miami

You may be better served if you contact a reputable Customs House Broker / Shipment Consolidator from Miami that deals with freight originating from the DR.

They will have the information to include CH agents and shippers they associate with in the DR.



Regards,

PJT
 

donluis99

Bronze
Jul 12, 2004
721
16
0
Even if it is not enough to fill a 20' container, that still may be the most economical way. I ship 40 footers all the way to Jacksonville
for US1,500.00 all in.

Other option would be LCL via someone like CaribeTrans to Miami, then common carrier to PB.

As far as CAFTA, There is No steel made here in the D.R., all steel is imported, if not finished, then
rolled out from billets by one of the 2 rolling mills here, which are mostly imported from Ukraine,
Turkey or Brasil.


I used to fabricate Wrought iron in the USA, do not know why in earth it makes any sense to fabicate it here and ship it to there on such a small scale.

Although there are some talented fabricaters here, that produce some very nice products, there is no doubt better quality in the U.S.A.

Even some of the very nice looking steel fabrications, such as verjas, purtas or what ever, look nice, nearly always the actuall handiwork quality is subpar, such as light welds, poor fits, open hollows that allow in water and the poorest of all is allways the painting, priming over dirt, grease and rust with oxido rojo does not make a quality long lasting paint job.

If your guy at least wipes done the steel with thinner prior to primer, but still that is subparllocal quality at it's best and is better than most, but is till very inadaquate.

g'luck with this.............
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
4,329
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they all have good websites JD...... it was Caribetorno who used Chatelain

I have used Hispaniola Freight and Rosa del Monte is a well known mudanza and freight company .

Just google them
 

the gorgon

Platinum
Sep 16, 2010
33,997
83
0
Even if it is not enough to fill a 20' container, that still may be the most economical way. I ship 40 footers all the way to Jacksonville
for US1,500.00 all in.

Other option would be LCL via someone like CaribeTrans to Miami, then common carrier to PB.

As far as CAFTA, There is No steel made here in the D.R., all steel is imported, if not finished, then
rolled out from billets by one of the 2 rolling mills here, which are mostly imported from Ukraine,
Turkey or Brasil.


I used to fabricate Wrought iron in the USA, do not know why in earth it makes any sense to fabicate it here and ship it to there on such a small scale.

Although there are some talented fabricaters here, that produce some very nice products, there is no doubt better quality in the U.S.A.

Even some of the very nice looking steel fabrications, such as verjas, purtas or what ever, look nice, nearly always the actuall handiwork quality is subpar, such as light welds, poor fits, open hollows that allow in water and the poorest of all is allways the painting, priming over dirt, grease and rust with oxido rojo does not make a quality long lasting paint job.

If your guy at least wipes done the steel with thinner prior to primer, but still that is subparllocal quality at it's best and is better than most, but is till very inadaquate.

g'luck with this.............

major point, about workmanship. look at every gate in POP, and they are all rotting along the joints of metal. maybe the salt in the air has something in it, but why would you not have a guy in the US do it?

Dominican workmen have their own particular way of doing things. i brought in a direct current power supply from Colorado, and took it to a "tecnico" to solder the power mains inlet, and the dc out tap. there are four terminals that have to be strapped, and i told him, several times, that it is critical for regulation. well, he just ignored me, and did it his way. before i paid him, i demanded that he put the voltmeter on it, across the dc. sure enough, it was fluctuating. guys here do things just well enough to get them to work, nothing more.
 
Last edited:

donP

Newbie
Dec 14, 2008
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0
Welding Joints

Dominican workmen have their own particular way of doing things.

Indeed.
Good Dominican welders exist, mainly in big companies in SD (where I had a large diesel tank welded) or Stgo.

Local guys only 'glue' things together and their "terminaci?n" leaves a lot to be desired.

Let me show you a detail of an iron door that I designed.
Unless the welding joints are done nicely, the strength and the design suffers.
Finally the whole door needs to be dipped in hot zinc.
In this country having iron work painted is a waste of time and money.

Schweissstellen_ordentlich_1-3.jpg


donP
 

J D Sauser

Silver
Nov 20, 2004
2,940
390
83
www.hispanosuizainvest.com
major point, about workmanship. look at every gate in POP, and they are all rotting along the joints of metal. maybe the salt in the air has something in it, but why would you not have a guy in the US do it?

Dominican workmen have their own particular way of doing things. i brought in a direct current power supply from Colorado, and took it to a "tecnico" to solder the power mains inlet, and the dc out tap. there are four terminals that have to be strapped, and i told him, several times, that it is critical for regulation. well, he just ignored me, and did it his way. before i paid him, i demanded that he put the voltmeter on it, across the dc. sure enough, it was fluctuating. guys here do things just well enough to get them to work, nothing more.

I have looooong investigated this. This particular job is a totally "custom" design, where no prefab parts (typically from India) are used. It's all "bent" and built based on a custom "artistic" design. It's all interior. Several swung stairs etc. IF we had this done in the US... near Palm Beach, this job would have cost us over $50K... it would thus not have been possible. Here? A fraction. Yes it's often excruciatingly difficult to work with locals. I had to personally supervise the erection of a repro-frame to re-create the actual situation in Palm Beach, upon which all the art work has to be built. This particular team at least TRIES to make it happen, which is usually a major hurdle the often fail here.
We will take delivery of it, un-treated (no orange paint). It will be sandblasted and then zinc plate in West Palm.

I would not recommend this adventure to most people, so I understand other poster's warnings and take no exception.

Back to the subject at hand:

Based on above posts (thanks), I have found the following companies which I will now contact:

La Rosa Del Monte
www.hispaniolafreight.com
Caribetrans, S.A.S

posted here for further reference.

Thanks! ... J-D.
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
4,329
113
J-D
I can't speak to the 3rd one but the other two are stalwarts...... Rosa del Monte by reputation, Hispaniola from experience.

At Hispaniola, ask if Wendoline de Pena is still there..... very helpful.

good luck
 

donluis99

Bronze
Jul 12, 2004
721
16
0
I have looooong investigated this. This particular job is a totally "custom" design, where no prefab parts (typically from India) are used. It's all "bent" and built based on a custom "artistic" design. It's all interior. Several swung stairs etc. IF we had this done in the US... near Palm Beach, this job would have cost us over $50K... it would thus not have been possible. Here? A fraction. Yes it's often excruciatingly difficult to work with locals. I had to personally supervise the erection of a repro-frame to re-create the actual situation in Palm Beach, upon which all the art work has to be built. This particular team at least TRIES to make it happen, which is usually a major hurdle the often fail here.
We will take delivery of it, un-treated (no orange paint). It will be sandblasted and then zinc plate in West Palm.

I would not recommend this adventure to most people, so I understand other poster's warnings and take no exception.

Back to the subject at hand:

Based on above posts (thanks), I have found the following companies which I will now contact:

La Rosa Del Monte
www.hispaniolafreight.com
Caribetrans, S.A.S

posted here for further reference.

Thanks! ... J-D.

would love to see pics of this steel extravaganza, please!

g'luck
 

J D Sauser

Silver
Nov 20, 2004
2,940
390
83
www.hispanosuizainvest.com
would love to see pics of this steel extravaganza, please!

g'luck

I will gladly post when it's done, good or bad.
I get some updates and it seems promising.

I have called and subsequently e-mailed all the suggested transportation companies and a few which were suggested privately... a total of 6.
So far, only Rosa Del Monte has not only called back, but maintained a fluid communication.

1 out of 6! About the typical National hit and miss rate... :D

For a struggling country, one thing that never ceases to amaze me, is their unwillingness to be be professional from the very beginning. Maybe an explanation for all the ruins littering the landscape.

I'll keep updating when there's some PROGRESS.

Thanks! ... J-D.
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
4,329
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Isn't that peculiar about Rosa del Monte.....their website infers a very professional company.

Live and learn......
 

AlterEgo

Administrator
Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
23,097
6,247
113
South Coast
I realize Rosa del Monte is the only one communicating with you J D - just be aware that they have a terrible reputation in NJ/PA area. People we know shipped things that either never arrived, or arrived 3-4 months late. We wouldn't touch them with a 10' pole.

Forewarned/forearmed and all that rot......
 

J D Sauser

Silver
Nov 20, 2004
2,940
390
83
www.hispanosuizainvest.com
Sorry I left this unanswered so long.
MISSION COMPLETED! And successfully!

The railings have been delivered, well made from Santiago to West Palm Beach and are currently being sandblasted locally and prepared to be powder coated here in Florida.

After writing to 9 shipping companies of which only about 4 answered we chose ShiPack in Santo Dominga, since they answered back intelligently and also came highly recommended by a Dominican business partner of mine.

They were the most expensive quote. Almost 100% higher than the lowest we got. But they asked the correct questions and offered something which seemed to make sense. It's not the first time I ship across waters either.
The deal was Door-to-Door all export and import inclusive (except for any US customs duty which were ZERO as they managed to make the case that this was a CAFTA item (MADE in the DR).
While the transaction took some time (document filings in the DR mostly), we were extremely pleased with the outcome and the communication during the whole process.

Here is their contact:

Srta. Merlin Martin

SHIPACK, Consolidators, Srl

C/Pablo Pumarol #05,
Los Prados, Santo Domingo, R.D

Tel: 809-732-2122
Cel. 829-760-6962
Fax: 809-565-5035

Email: customer_service@shipackrd.com

International Phone: (305)396-4112

www.shipackrd.com


Thanks to all for the input, warnings and suggestions!

... J-D.
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
4,329
113
Good to know JD.... you promised pics when all complete.

another follow-up we need is dv8 on her US visa....
her thread was closed.... maybe she'll start it again??