Logistics
Shipping and returns
Dispatch, packing, freight and returns for semiochemical consignments — including the three cases where a lot cannot come back.
Dispatch
Semiochemicals are dispatched from stock or made to order, and the quotation states which. Stock items normally leave within ten working days of a written order; made-to-order isomers and formulated blends take longer, and the lead time is confirmed line by line in the quotation.
Consignments are packed to protect the material rather than the carton: sealed primary containers, inert cushioning, and temperature protection where the compound calls for it. Neat aldehydes and acetates are the classes most sensitive to a warm transit, so those shipments are planned around the season rather than around the cheapest freight slot.
Shipping
Freight is quoted separately unless the quotation says otherwise, and the mode follows the destination and the documentation requirement. Air freight is the default for small consignments and for anything with a short stability window; sea freight is used where the volume justifies it and the material tolerates the transit.
- Documentation: certificate of analysis, GC trace, safety data sheet and packing list travel with every consignment, per lot.
- Duties and taxes: payable by the importer unless the quotation states delivered terms.
- Tracking: the tracking reference is issued on dispatch, and the lot numbers on it match the certificate.
- Import permits: phytosanitary and import permit requirements sit with the importer. We supply the technical documentation those applications ask for.
On arrival
Inspect the consignment before the material is used: check the carton against the packing list, the lot number against the certificate, and the containers for damage. Report visible damage, a missing document or a lot mismatch within five working days, while the carrier’s record is still open.
Then store it properly. Cool, dry, dark, sealed under inert gas at −20 °C for holdings beyond one season. Condensation is the most common cause of a lot that behaves differently in spring than it did on delivery: let containers reach room temperature before opening.
Returns
Sealed material in its original packaging may be returned within 30 days of delivery, subject to inspection and to a restocking charge. Return freight is payable by the customer unless the return is due to our error.
Three categories cannot be returned, and the reason is the same in each case: once the lot has left controlled storage, its history cannot be guaranteed.
- Opened containers, including partially used packs.
- Formulated blends mixed to a customer specification.
- Made-to-order isomers and custom pack sizes.
If something is wrong with the material
Send the lot number, the certificate, and the analytical result that raised the concern. A retained sample from the same lot is re-tested, and the method statement is supplied so the two results can be compared on equal terms. Where the lot is at fault, it is replaced or credited; where the method differs, the discrepancy is usually resolved by comparing chromatographic conditions rather than by argument.
Shortages and wrong items
Report a shortage or a mis-shipment within five working days of delivery, quoting the packing list and the lot numbers received. Replacements are dispatched against the original order reference so the paperwork stays traceable.