Logistical Services from A to Z

Asik International, Inc. is located in the business center with many big and small companies. The company is only 3 years old. The founder is the young entrepreneur Ufuk Asik. Ten Turkish companies of different sizes are providing logistical support in New York. The major difference of Asik International is that its owner is a broker. In other words, Asik himself provides custom clearance services with his own license.

To a certain extent, his previous experiences in other companies he worked for had an influence on his decision to establish his own company. When his family moved to the US in 1990, Asik continued his high school and university education in New York. Asik first started working for DJ Air passenger services after his graduation from the aviation management program of the State University of New York.

He also worked in the cargo department of Irish Airlines and for Circle International. At Circle, one of the 3 major freight forwarding companies in the US, he managed customs clearances for big companies such as Nike, GM, Lockheed Martin, IBM, and GE. When he was offered a position as a supervisor, he had to obtain a broker’s license. After passing the examination in June 2001, Asik obtained his license and the path to founding his own business was opened. Together with his brother Ugur, a long distance transporter himself, they decided to establish Asik International in 2002.

At the beginning Asik undertook mainly customs clearances of Italian foodstuffs.  Later he provided services for a variety of goods, from marble to textiles, excluding dangerous chemical products. In addition to his clients in Turkey, he provides services to importers with goods originating from Brazil, India, Korea, China, France, Germany and Italy.

FULL SERVICE
With a leased 35 thousand square foot warehouse in New Jersey, Asik International began providing provide logistical services from A to Z in June 2006. Besides transporting goods from one point to another, called freight forwarding, the company will be providing all transporting services, such as the transport of products from the manufacturer to the port, storage, and transporting in containers, to the customers. Expressing their desire to increase their business with China and India, Asik says: “We deal with and work out any customs related issues our customers, who prefer someone speaking their language for customs, without creating any more problems.”

Asik International employs 9 people; Ufuk is responsible for custom clearances, and his brother Ugur Asik takes care of the transportation of the goods.

Drawing attention to the fact that the inspections at customs are tighter now after the attacks on September 11, Asik states: “Previously one out of 20 would be inspected by X-Ray. Now such inspections have become frequent for small companies.”

Asik, a member of the National Customs Brokers Association of America, is also a member of the board of directors of Fenerbahce USA. Asik is preparing to marry his fiancé Lauren Komnick, who also is his co-worker.   

OTHER TURKISH SHIPPING COMPANIES IN USA
Ata Freight, Balnak, Barsan, Marathon, Mega Shipping, MTS, Nex Worldwide, Tul Air, Turkish Express, Turkon.

(March 2007, 24th Issue)