Malca-Amit Partners with Edinburgh Assay Office for Jewelry Hallmarking in Transit

(IDEX Online News ) - The Edinburgh Assay Office in partnership with Malca-Amit has launched a new, one-stop, secure, in-transit hallmarking and onward delivery service based at its new facility at London’s Heathrow Airport.

“In the global jewelry market, the challenge of complying with separate regulations in each EU location has made it difficult to create an effective supply chain that serves more than one country. The answer is to mark in a single location and achieve savings by using an all-in-one hallmarking and logistics service,” says Malca-Amit.

This new international hallmarking and onward shipping service will enable importers of precious metal jewelry from outside Europe to have all of their goods tested and marked in one secure location rather than dealing with Assay Offices in each country of importation. After marking, consolidated shipments can be broken down for distribution to multiple locations, removing the need to carry separate stock for each country.

According to Malca-Amit, the process starts with the product being shipped directly from any international location using Malca-Amit’s secure logistics service. It is then tested and hallmarked by the Edinburgh Assay Office while in transit through Heathrow under a temporary import scheme. Finally, the product is delivered to any international location where duty can be paid and the goods released. Since the product is brought into Heathrow under temporary import, tax is deferred until the shipment reaches its destination. The service also includes pick and pack capabilities.

Benefits of the new service include lower costs and fewer delays when importing precious metal jewelry into Europe, and access to internationally recognized UK and Vienna Convention hallmarks, for maximum coverage. Customers can track the progress of their shipment from manufacturer to client and goods benefit from Malca-Amit’s full liability cover throughout transit.

“Hallmarking in transit, in partnership with Malca-Amit, provides a practical, cost effective, pan-European, integrated logistics and hallmarking solution for domestic and international manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers,” says Scott Walter, Edinburgh Assay Office CEO.

“This one-stop solution allows international jewelry producers to benefit from the reassurance of a highly recognized hallmark and gives their customers the reassurance they desire. It also enables the producer the opportunity to benefit from additional cost savings through the consolidated assay, pick and pack, transportation and distribution throughout Europe, presenting significant market flexibility with no overhead investment,” says Stephan Kazes, Regional Director Europe, Malca-Amit.