Start with production fit
For a U.S. project processed at PPC's Toronto facility, confirm that the part, coating specification and production schedule are accepted before booking transport. A served-city listing describes service coverage; it is not a shipment authorization or a confirmed freight lane.
- Send drawings or labelled photos, material, dimensions, weight and quantities.
- Identify preparation, masking, finish, inspection and documentation requirements.
- Provide the pickup address, Toronto delivery requirements and final return destination.
- Ask for written confirmation of the accepted scope and scheduling assumptions.
Assign responsibility for each direction
Document the inbound and return arrangements separately. The quotation and order acknowledgement should make clear which services are included, who books them and who pays. A finishing quote alone does not establish every freight or border responsibility.
- Name the party booking inbound freight and the party booking return freight.
- Confirm carrier and broker contacts, plus the parties responsible for import and export arrangements.
- Confirm which party supplies shipment documents and instructions, and who checks them before pickup.
- Ask the broker to identify any required customs treatment, classification, documentation, duties and taxes for this specific movement.
- Record the agreed freight terms, insurance arrangements and responsibility for transit claims.
Compare the complete cost
Compare like-for-like quotations using the same part quantities, specification, packaging and delivery scope. Separate one-time setup or first-article costs from repeat-run costs. Mark unknown transport and border charges as unconfirmed rather than treating them as zero.
- Preparation and finishing, including setup and masking.
- Agreed inspection, testing and reporting.
- Packing, crating, racks, labelling and loading requirements.
- Inbound and return freight, plus any quoted accessorial charges.
- Brokerage and applicable charges confirmed by your logistics providers.
- Any agreed handling, storage or re-delivery costs.
Protect finished parts in transit
Share drawings and finish-sensitive surfaces with PPC and the carrier so packaging can be reviewed around the geometry, weight, stacking and handling requirements. Document the packing approach before dispatch; a standard packing assumption may not cover a particular assembly.
- Confirm overall packed dimensions, gross weight, package count and lifting or loading requirements.
- Identify cosmetic faces and surfaces that must not touch straps, racks or adjacent parts.
- Agree separators, protective materials, crating or reusable racks where needed.
- Define labelling, receiving inspection, shipment photographs and damage-reporting contacts.
Keep production and transit milestones separate
Work backward from the required receiving date. Confirm technical approval, inbound collection, Toronto receipt, production, testing, packing, return pickup and final delivery as separate milestones. Carrier estimates and production availability must be checked for the actual shipment.
- Identify the person who authorizes shipment after PPC accepts the project.
- Confirm receiving hours and unloading constraints at both destinations.
- Record the readiness notice and who may book return collection.
- Agree who receives schedule updates and what to do if a milestone changes.
Before dispatch
Use this guide as a planning checklist. It does not replace PPC's quotation, the accepted order, carrier instructions or advice from your customs broker. Do not send parts until the parties have confirmed the process, responsibilities and shipment instructions.