Sadly for those forwarders that have sat on their hands, they literally have three months to prepare themselves for 100% screening or their businesses could face dire circumstances. Small forwarders especially may have to hand their customers over to friendly competitors and become commission agents. Others will have to sub-contract handling and security out to third parties. Last week one of the largest multi-national transportation companies in the world approached us asking if we could take over their handling and screening. The cost for them to set up another division such as we have within our own small company was simply too great. We are just awaiting approval from TSA that our program designed to handle this freight will absolutely comply with their regulations. Once we are given the green light we will this corporation will sign the contract and freight will immediately start being delivered to our Los Angeles, Atlanta and New York terminals.

If we were asked the question three years ago that there was a commercial opportunity by investing staff and equipment to screen freight, we would have said the airlines will probably throw in screening for nothing. By their actions only large forwarders that could present freight in ULD’s would exercise the option to handle their own screening. How wrong we were holding this view. Airlines don’t really want a bar of it unless it is at a commercial rate and even then they are well aware their terminals are not designed for holding and inspecting freight. If a multi-national sees only costs and ongoing problems a company such as ours with its commitment by way of specially trained staff and adequate equipment there must be opportunity. Thanks to Peter Lamy, Zachary Zemby and Jeremy Vergara we have a wonderful chance to have a division which will add dollars to our bottom line instead of being a cost center. The new machines we have just purchased from Rapiscan will allow us to handle mega-tons per day in all three terminals. Roll along August 1st; we are ready!

When TSA first announced its implementation policy we became aware of the ramifications or I should say three senior staff members did. President Peter Lamy immediately saw huge opportunity while all I could see was increased costs! In spite of my skepticism, Peter went ahead and brought two experts on board; Jeremy Vergara and Zachary Zemby. The three of them, with me as an observer, tackled the issues and challenges with schoolboy enthusiasm. Today, our screening facility is a credit to Peter’s vision and tenacity to get the job done. CII also owes a huge amount to both Zachary and Jeremy for their thousands of hours of research and subsequent implementation of the plans.

As the rest of the industry continues to be at sixes and sevens praying the TSA will postpone D Day, the CII teams in Los Angeles, Atlanta and New York are ready to pick up the mantle once August 1st arrives. There is no question our screening facility will become a major source of revenue/profit in the years ahead.