The supply chain for companies importing from China is often complex. Industries and retailers buy from several suppliers at the same time, but need to coordinate internal transportation, warehousing, consolidation and international shipping.
When this management is done in-house, with multiple independent intermediaries, costs increase, deadlines lengthen and predictability decreases.
In today's content, we're going to compare in-house supply chain management with Afianci's integrated solution through its alliance with Union Logistics, showing clearly and directly which model is safer, more efficient and more strategic for companies that depend on international supplies. Join us!
The import scene in Brazil
Brazil maintains a strong trade relationship with China, its largest economic partner.
According to the Institute of Logistics and Supply Chain (ILOS), the cost of logistics in Brazil reached 18.4% of GDP in 2023, one of the highest in the world. This burden is even greater when the operation involves multiple international suppliers and long transportation chains.
This is where the difference between in-house supply chain management and Afianci integrated management becomes clear. We'll talk more about each model in the following topics.
The challenge of managing the supply chain yourself
In in-house management, each stage of the process depends on different suppliers: internal transportation in China, warehousing, cargo consolidation, international shipment, customs clearance and delivery to Brazil.
This means that the importing company has to deal with a network of independent partners who are often not integrated with each other. The result is:
- Lack of control over deadlines and costs.
- Low visibility of the load along the route.
- Greater risk of document loss or error.
- Customs delays, due to a lack of standardization in the process.
- Extra time spent coordinating multiple steps.
In other words, in-house management fragments the import process, increasing the risks and reducing the reliability of the operation.
Afianci + Union Logistics: efficiency from the ground up
In common market practice, it is the client's responsibility to take the cargo to the port for international shipment. Afianci, in partnership with Union Logistics, innovates by offering an entire logistics structure within China, eliminating the need for multiple intermediaries.
This alliance creates a complete and integrated logistics platform, combining in-house execution in China and direct coordination in Brazil. The result is a safer, more efficient and transparent supply chain.
With Union, one of China's largest logistics operators (which serves global companies such as BYD and Ford), Afianci offers..:
- Own structure in China and Brazil.
- Dedicated fleet of over 2,000 vehicles and multimodal integration (road, rail, water and air).
- More than 170,000 m² in strategic warehouses in China's main export corridors.
- Technology platform (WMS) for real-time monitoring.
- Bilingual team with local technical support at all stages of the operation.
This infrastructure makes logistics a strategic asset for Brazilian companies that want to scale up their imports with greater predictability and competitiveness.
How integrated management facilitates operations
The big difference is how Afianci manages the entire cargo journey within China.
Through its internal logistics structure, it is possible to offer customers a complete operation: collection from various suppliers, storage, sorting, load consolidation, dispatch and delivery on demand.
This guarantees benefits such as:
By consolidating volumes from different suppliers, the company has greater negotiating power and is able to reduce unit prices. In addition, storing the products in China is cheaper than in Brazil, allowing more time for payment, since the disbursement only takes place at the time of dispatch. With cargo on demand, the client gains flexibility in stock management, without compromising working capital.
This combination allows industries and retailers to operate with more margin, more predictability and less risk.
Supply chain management x Integrated management Afianci
While in-house management requires manual coordination and multiple contracts, Afianci's solution integrates the entire operation into a single flow, with standardization, traceability and guaranteed customs compliance.
The result is a modern and reliable logistics model that transforms the complexity of importing into a simplified and strategic process.
Conclusion: turn your supply chain management into a competitive advantage
International trade demands ever greater efficiency, control and predictability. In this scenario, managing the supply chain yourself may seem like the most natural solution, but it ends up exposing companies to higher costs, risks and a lack of reliability.
With the union between Afianci and Union Logistics, you have access to an integrated operation from the outset, with technology, infrastructure and local expertise. This means turning your international logistics into a competitive advantage for your business.
If your company is looking for greater security, efficiency and competitiveness, get to know Afianci's solution and set sail on a path of sustainable growth.
