What AFC International does

AFC International, LLC is a privately held U.S. customs brokerage firm headquartered at 600 Gillam Road, Wilmington, Ohio (founded 1989 per firmographic data, though internal sources cite 1998), operating with 11-50 employees. The company helps importers clear goods through U.S. Customs and Border Protection, with a service portfolio spanning core customs brokerage, FDA import clearance, Importer Security Filing (ISF), Automated Broker Interface (ABI) filings, Duty Drawback, Binding Ruling, Surety Bonds, NAFTA/FTA Certificate of Origin handling, C-TPAT support, Remote Location Filing, Pre-Release of Shipments, and post-entry corrections. Its technology stack is built around standard CBP electronic systems (ABI, Remote Location Filing) and a WordPress-based website with a quote request workflow; no proprietary software, API, or AI/ML capability is disclosed.

The firm generates revenue through professional service fees charged per customs entry and per compliance engagement, with a quote-based pricing model and liability capped at $50 per entry or the amount of brokerage fees paid, whichever is lower. Go-to-market is sales-led and direct, targeting a horizontal base of U.S. importers from China, Mexico, Canada, and Europe, acquired through a 1-800 number (800.274.2329), website quote forms, content marketing (a 140+ post blog), and organic social channels (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn). The firm maintains a Wikipedia-disclosed affiliate signal via an R+L Carriers contact email ([email protected]), though no formal parent-subsidiary relationship is confirmed. Customer concentration and financial performance are not publicly disclosed.

Name

AFC International

Legal name

AFC International, LLC

Website

https://afcinternationalllc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

AFC International, LLC is a privately held U.S. customs brokerage firm that helps SMB and mid-market importers clear goods through U.S. Customs, offering ISF filing, FDA clearance, duty drawback, and trade-compliance services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Customs Brokerage Services

NAICS

Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers (42512)

SIC

Deep Sea Foreign Transportation Of Freight (4412)

akta.pro primary industry

Import Customs Clearance (Entry Filing & Release) (TLACAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Regulated & Controlled Goods Clearance (FDA/USDA, Pharma, Chemicals, Dual-Use) (TLACAFAF), Customs & Regulatory Filing Documentation (Entry/Exit Summaries, Declarations, ENS/AMS/ACI) (TLACAHAE), Certificates of Origin & Trade Certificates (COO, Chamber/Legalization) (TLACAHAC), Trade Compliance & Ocean Regulatory Services (Sanctions/Export Controls) (TLACABAL)

Keywords

• Customs brokerage services
• Import compliance
• FDA import clearance
• Customs clearance services
• International trade compliance

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Customs Brokerage Services: Professional customs brokerage fees for processing Customs entries, ensuring compliance with Customs regulations, filing ISF (Importer Security Filing), and facilitating import clearance for goods entering the United States. Revenue is generated through service fees charged to importers for customs clearance operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

AFC International is a licensed customs brokerage firm that helps importers clear goods through U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The company files customs entries, manages Importer Security Filings (ISF), provides FDA import clearance support, and handles tariff classification and duty compliance on behalf of businesses importing merchandise into the United States.

Product overview

AFC International is a licensed customs brokerage firm offering a comprehensive suite of customs clearance and international trade compliance services. The core offering consists of Customs Brokerage Services for clearing imports through U.S. Customs and Border Protection, supplemented by specialized FDA Import Clearance services. The company provides value-added services including Automated Broker Interface, Duty Drawback processing, Pre-Release of Shipments, Remote Location Filing, Tariff Classification Review, Compliance Support, Post-Entry Services, Binding Ruling, Surety Bond Services, and NAFTA/FTA Certificate handling. The product portfolio is delivered through a network of knowledgeable licensed customs brokers with over 25 years of experience in customs clearance worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Customs Brokerage Services Licensed customs brokerage services helping businesses clear their goods through U.S. Customs. Includes processing customs entries, ensuring compliance with U.S. Customs and Border Protection regulations, and facilitating prompt product delivery for importers.
• FDA Import Clearance Specialized customs clearance services and experienced agents for clearing FDA-regulated imports entering the United States, ensuring compliance with Food and Drug Administration requirements.
• Importer Security Filing (ISF) Services Electronic filing of Importer Security Filing (ISF) documents with U.S. Customs and Border Protection for ocean shipments, required no later than 24 hours before cargo is laden aboard vessels destined to the U.S.
• Duty Drawback Services Refund services for duties paid on imported merchandise when the merchandise is exported unused or after being altered via a manufacturing process.
• Tariff Classification Review Classification of imported items using proper codes from the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) to determine correct duty rates for imports.
• Binding Ruling Services Obtaining official rulings on proper classification and duty rates for imports, outlining how imports will be treated upon entry into the U.S.
• Surety Bond Services Providing customs bonds as financial guarantees to U.S. Customs and Border Protection to assure financial responsibility for importers.
• NAFTA/FTA Certificate of Origin Services Collection and maintenance of Free Trade Agreement documentation including NAFTA Certificates of Origin for duty-free eligibility.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• ClearCustoms: U.S.-based digital customs brokerage offering importer-facing software and broker services for ISF, entry filing, and classification. Most direct comparable to AFC in target customer (U.S. importers) and service scope, with a contrasting technology-first delivery model.
• Pacific Customs Brokers: West Coast U.S. customs brokerage serving importers entering through major Pacific ports (LA/Long Beach, Oakland, Seattle). Comparable service portfolio to AFC with a contrasting geographic specialization.
• Livingston International: One of the largest North American customs brokers and trade compliance specialists, serving U.S. and Canadian importers with entry filing, duty drawback, and compliance services — overlapping directly with AFC's core offering at significantly greater scale.
• Flexport: Technology-enabled global freight forwarder that includes customs brokerage and trade compliance as part of its digital platform. Competes with AFC for tech-forward importer clients and represents the technology disruption vector facing traditional brokers.
• Trans-Border Customs Brokers: U.S. customs brokerage firm specializing in entry filing, classification, and compliance for importers along the U.S./Canada and U.S./Mexico borders. Direct overlap with AFC's NAFTA/USMCA-related services and customer segment.
• Camelot Customs Brokers: U.S.-based customs brokerage firm providing import clearance, tariff classification, and trade compliance services to mid-market importers. Closely comparable size and service mix to AFC, with a similar B2B sales-led model.
• Worldwide Customs Brokers: Canadian-headquartered customs broker with U.S. operations providing entry filing, tariff classification, and trade compliance. Comparable service mix and mid-market importer focus to AFC, with cross-border NAFTA expertise.

Broad incumbents

• C.H. Robinson: One of the largest U.S. third-party logistics providers with a significant customs brokerage division serving thousands of importers. Operates at materially greater scale than AFC and competes for the same enterprise importer accounts through bundled logistics offerings.
• Kuehne+Nagel: Global freight forwarder and customs broker with extensive North American operations, offering integrated customs, transport, and contract logistics. Comparable service scope to AFC's trade compliance stack at vastly greater scale and geographic reach.
• Expeditors International: Global logistics giant with substantial customs brokerage and trade compliance capabilities across air, ocean, and ground. Represents the large-incumbent competitive vector against mid-sized brokers like AFC, especially for multinational importer clients.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AFC_Customs
• Facebookfacebook.com/AFC-International-869587723151345
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/afc-international-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about AFC International