Customs Agent

What Customs Agent does

Customs Agent (legal entity Visum Business) is an Irish sole-trading customs clearance consultancy headquartered in Wicklow Town, Ireland, founded in 2019. The firm provides import, export, and transit declarations; audit compliance services; CBAM (Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism) consultancy and training; commodity code classification; rules of origin advice; and Common Health Entry Documents (CHEDs) for agri and food products. Lead Consultant Melissa Carroll personally delivers these services, supported by a small team, with no proprietary technology platform — the business is entirely human-expertise-driven.

The firm serves a horizontally diverse customer base across Irish and UK trade, including heavy haulage operators (Greene Heavy Haulage, Kane International Heavy Haulage), agri/food importers (West Cork Seafoods, O'Sullivan Tractor Garage), plant and construction equipment dealers (Lucas Plant Sales, Marc Salmon Plant Sales), salvage operators (Copart Ireland), trade associations (FTMTA), and training providers (CMG Training). Melissa Carroll also holds Trusted Mentor positions with Local Enterprise Office, Intertrade Ireland, and Network Ireland, and is a Chartered Member of CILT.

Revenue is generated through professional services engagements: per-declaration fees for customs processing, quote-based consulting for advisory work, and training/mentoring programmes. Pricing is project-based and not publicly disclosed, with invoicing triggered after declarations are submitted. The go-to-market is sales-led via direct contact (phone, email, website inquiry) and content marketing through educational blog articles covering customs topics. The firm holds no patents, has no funding history, and operates without any institutional investment — it is a founder-managed independent consultancy.

Name

Customs Agent

Legal name

Visum Business

Website

https://customsagent.ie

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Customs Agent is an Irish sole-trading customs clearance consultancy (legal entity Visum Business) that provides import/export declarations, CBAM compliance, audit support, and training for Irish and UK importers, exporters, and haulage companies across multiple verticals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Customs Clearance Services

SIC

Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731)

akta.pro primary industry

Customs Consulting & Brokerage Outsourcing (Managed Brokerage, Brokerage Operations) (TLACAFAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Import Customs Clearance (Entry Filing & Release) (TLACAFAA), Export Customs Clearance (Export Declarations & AES/EEI) (TLACAFAB)

Keywords

• Customs clearance services
• Import export declarations
• Trade compliance consulting
• CBAM compliance services
• Customs training mentoring

Headquarters

HQ city

Wicklow

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Customs Declarations: Fees for completing import, export, and transit declarations on behalf of clients. Costs are geared to processing the advice and documentation for goods, the process involved.
2. Consultation and Training: Professional support and training services to guide clients through importing, exporting, and transiting goods. Includes mentoring and audit compliance advice.
3. CBAM Compliance Services: Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism consultancy, training and compliance support for EU importers of high-emissions industries.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Customs clearance agency that processes import, export, and transit declarations on behalf of clients and provides related advisory services. Offerings include audit compliance checks, CBAM (Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism) consultancy and compliance support, tariff classification and commodity code advice, rules of origin guidance, Incoterms advice, Common Health Entry Documents (CHEDs) for agri and food goods, tariff quota management, training and mentoring, and logistics guidance for Irish and UK businesses engaged in international trade.

Product overview

Customs Agent operates as a professional customs clearance agency providing a comprehensive suite of import and export services. The core offering centres on import, export, and transit declarations, complemented by audit compliance services, CBAM consultancy, training programs, and expert consultation on tariff classification, rules of origin, and documentation requirements. The company also provides specialised support for SPS products, health entry declarations, and tariff quota management. The service model is entirely consultancy and human expertise-driven rather than technology or software-based.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Import, Export and Transit Declarations Processing of customs declarations for importing, exporting, and transiting goods globally, including Entry Summary Declarations (ENS) and Pre-Boarding Notifications (PBNs), delivered on behalf of Irish and UK importers and exporters.
• Audit Compliance Services Compliance checking and health checks to ensure declarations are accurate and meet regulatory requirements, protecting clients from penalties and customs scrutiny.
• CBAM Compliance and Regulatory Guidance Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism consultancy, training, and compliance support for EU importers dealing with steel, aluminium, cement, fertilisers, electricity, and hydrogen.
• Training and Mentoring Programs Professional training courses and mentoring sessions to help businesses understand customs procedures, commodity codes, Incoterms, and audit compliance requirements.
• Consultation Services Expert advice on tariff classification, commodity codes, rules of origin, duties and charges, regulations, restrictions, authorisations, and documentation requirements for customs clearance.
• Health Entry Declarations for Agri Goods and Foodstuffs Completion of Common Health Entry Documents (CHEDs) and handling of Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) product requirements for agricultural and food imports.
• Tariff Quotas Eligibility and Management Assessment and management of tariff quota eligibility to help clients benefit from preferential trade agreements and reduce import duties.
• Logistics Guidance Advisory services on shipping, international routing options, and coordination with freight forwarders for efficient goods movement.
• Invoicing and Documentation Requirements Guidance on proper invoice formatting, required documentation including certificates of origin, and compliance with customs documentation standards.

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Local Enterprise OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrusted Mentors with Local Enterprise Office, providing customs expertise and mentorship services to small businesses and entrepreneurs.
• Intertrade IrelandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrusted Mentors with Intertrade Ireland, supporting cross-border trade and customs guidance for businesses operating between Ireland and Northern Ireland.
• Network IrelandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrusted Mentors with Network Ireland, providing customs and trade expertise to women in business network members.
• Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT)coreOthersChartered Member of CILT, demonstrating professional qualification and standing in the logistics and transport industry.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Bolloré Logistics: International logistics provider offering customs brokerage, trade compliance, and forwarding services across multiple continents. Comparable on customs clearance services but operates as a much larger, multi-modal logistics incumbent.
• DHL Global Forwarding: Division of Deutsche Post DHL providing international air, ocean, and road freight forwarding with integrated customs clearance services. Overlaps with Customs Agent's declaration and brokerage services as part of a much larger end-to-end logistics offering.
• Livingston International: One of North America's largest customs brokers and trade compliance specialists, offering import/export declarations, tariff classification, and consulting. Comparable service offering to Customs Agent's core declarations and audit compliance business, but operating at much greater scale and across more geographies.
• Expeditors International: Global logistics company providing air and ocean freight forwarding with customs brokerage and trade compliance services. Comparable for customs declarations and compliance work, though serving large enterprise shippers globally.
• Yusen Logistics: Global logistics company offering freight forwarding with customs clearance services in Europe, including post-Brexit UK-EU trade. Comparable for declaration filing and trade compliance services, though integrated into a larger forwarding portfolio.
• Kuehne+Nagel: Global freight forwarder with a substantial customs brokerage division offering import/export clearance, CBAM advisory, and trade compliance services. Comparable in the customs clearance service line, but part of a much broader logistics portfolio.
• DSV: Global transport and logistics provider with customs clearance capabilities integrated into its freight forwarding operations across Europe. Comparable service overlap with Customs Agent's import/export declarations business, though at much larger scale and broader scope.

Direct peers

• Customs Support Group: European customs brokerage and trade compliance services firm operating across multiple EU countries. Direct comparable as a customs clearance agent serving importers/exporters with declarations, consulting, and compliance support, albeit at considerably larger scale.

Others

• Descartes Systems Group: Technology provider of customs and trade compliance software (including the former AEB platform), enabling electronic declarations, tariff classification, and regulatory filing. Relevant as a technology-enabled alternative model and indirect competitor to manual customs brokers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/customs-agent

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Customs Agent