ACDS

Anti-corrosion desiccant system

AGV

Automatically guided vehicle

AID

Aeronautical Inspection Directorate

ANS

American national standard

ANSI

American National Standards Institute

API

American Petroleum Institute

AVDP

Avoirdupois

AWB

Air way bill

AWG

American wire gauge

BA

British Association (thread)

BEAMA

British Electrical and Allied Manufacturers Association

BG

Birmingham gauge

BHP

Brake horsepower

bill of lading

A document which provides the terms of the contract between the shipper and the transportation company to move freight between stated points at a specified charge

BL

Bale; barrel

BOM

Bill of Materials

bonded warehouse

A building authorized by customs authorities for the storage of goods without payment of duties until removal.

BPICS

British Production and Inventory Control Society

BRG

Bearing

BS

British standard

BSF

British Standards fine (thread)

BSI

British Standards Institution

BSP

British standard pipe (thread)

BSW

British standard Whitworth (thread)

buying agent

An agent who buys in this country for foreign importers, especially for such large foreign users as mines, railroads, governments and public utilities. Synonymous with "purchasing agent"

BWG

Birmingham wire gauge

C and I

Cost and insurance

c&f ( cost and freight)

A pricing term indicating that these costs are included in the quoted price. Same as C.I.F., except that insurance is covered by the buyer.

c&I ( cost and insurance)

A pricing term indicating that these costs are included in the quoted price

c.I.f & c. ( cost, insurance, freight, and commission)

A pricing term indicating that these costs are included in the price.

c.I.f. & e. ( cost, insurance, freight, and (currency) exchange)

A pricing term indicating that these costs are included in the price.

c.I.f. ( cost , insurance, and freight)

A pricing term under which the seller pays all expenses involved in the placing of merchandise on board a carrier and in addition prepays the freight and insures the goods to an agreed destination.

CAD

Computer aided design

CAM

Computer aided manufacture

cash in advance (c.I.a.)

Payment for goods in which the price is paid in full before shipment is made. This method usually is used only for small purchases or when goods are built.

cash with order (c.w.o.)

Payment for goods in which the buyer pays when ordering and in which the transaction is binding on both parties.

CC

Cubic centimeters: centrifugal casting

CD Rom

Compact disc read only memory

CEN

European Committee for Standardisation

certificate of free sale

A certificate, required by some foregin governments, stating that the goods for export, if products under the jurisdiction of the United States Federal Food and Drug Administration, are acceptable for sale in the United states, I.e. that the products sold freely without restriction. FDA will issue shippers "letter of comment" to satisfy foreign requests or regulations.

certificate of inspection

A document in which certification is made as to the good condition of the merchandise immediately prior to shipment. The buyer usually designates the inspecting organization, usually an independent inspection firm or governmental body.

certificate of manufacture

A statement by a producer sometimes notarized, which certifies that manufacture has been completed and that the goods are at the disposal of the buyer.

certificate of origin

A document in which certification is made as to the country of origin of the merchandise.

CIE

Company (French)

CIF

Cost insurance and freight

clean bill of lading

A bill of lading signed by the transportation company indicating that the shipment has been received in good condition with no irregularities in the packing or general condition of all or any part of the shipment.

COD

Cash on delivery

collection papers

All documents (invoices,bills of lading, etc) submitted to a buyer for the purpose of receiving payment for a shipment.

consignee

The person, firm, or representative to whom a seller or shipper sends merchandise and who, upon presentation of the necessary documents, is recognized as the owner of the merchandise for the purpose of the payment of customs duties. This term is also used as applying to one to whom goods are shipped, usually at the shippers risk, when an outright sale has not been made.

COSHH

Control of Substances Hazardous to Health

country of origin

The country in which a particular commodity is manufactured.

CP

Charter party

CPA

Contract price adjustment; critical path analysis

credit risk insurance

A form of insurance which covers the seller against loss due to nonpayment on the part of the buyer

CTS

Crates

customhouse broker

An individual or firm licensed to enter and clear through customs.

customs

The duties levied by a country on imports and exports. The term also applies to the procedures and organization involved in such collection.

DC

Direct current

DEG

Degree

DIA

Diameter

DIN

Deutsches Institut fur Normung (Germany)

DISCH

Discharge

distributor

A firm that sells directly for a manufacturer, usually on an exclusive contract for a specified territory, and who maintains an inventory on hand.

dock receipt

A receipt issued by an ocean carrier or it's agent, acknowledging that the shipment has been delivered. Or received at the dock or warehouse of the carrier.

domicile

The place where draft or acceptance is made payable.

draft

The same as a bill of exchange. A written order for a certain sum of money to be transferred on a certain date from the person who owes the money or agrees to make the payment ( the drawee ) to the creditor to whom the money is owed ( the drawer of the draft)

drawee

One on whom a draft is drawn, and who owes the stated amount.

drawer

One who draws a draft, and receives payment.

DRG

Drawing

dumping

Exporting merchandise into a country (e.g., the United States) at prices below the prices in the domestic market.

duty

The tax imposed by a government on merchandise imported from another country.

DWT

Deadweight tonnage

E & OE

Errors and omissions excepted

EA

Each

EC

European Community

EDI

Electronic data interchange

EOQ

Economic order quantity

EPOS

Electronic point of sale

EQT

Equipment

ETA

Estimated time of arrival

ex "from" (point of origin)

A pricing term (" Ex Factory," " Ex Warehouse," etc) under which the seller agrees to place the goods at the buyer's disposal at the agreed place, with costs from that point being paid by the buyer.

exchange regulations/restrictions

Restrictions imposed by an importing country to protect its foreign exchange reserves.

excise tax

A domestic tax assessed on the manufacture, sale, or use of a commodity within a country. Usually refundable if the product is exported.

export

To send goods to a foreign country or overseas territory.

export broker

One who brings together the exporter and importer for a fee and then withdraws from the transaction.

export license

A governmental permit required to export certain products to certain destinations.

f.o.b free on board, as in f.o.b (vessel)

A pricing term under which the seller must deliver the goods on board the ship at the point named at his own expense. Similar terms are "F.O.B. ( Destination)" and " F.O.B. ( Named Point of exportation)."

FAQ

Fair average quality

FAS

Free alongside ship

FIFO

First in, first out

FIG

Figure

FLT

Fork-lift truck

FO

Firm offer

FOB

Free on board

FOC

Free of charge

freight forwarder

An agent who assists his exporter client in moving cargo to a foreign destination.

FRT

Freight

FT

Foot; feet

GR

Grade; gross

GRN

Goods received note

GRV

Goods receiver voucher

GRWT

Gross weight

HEX

Hexagon

HMC

Her Majesty's Customs

HRC

Hardness, Rockwell C-scale

HTS

High tensile strength

ID

Inside diameter

IL

Institute of Logistics

IM or IMP

Imperial

import license

A governmental document which permits the importation of a product or material into a country where such licenses are necessary.

in bond

A term applied to the status of merchandise admitted provisionally into a country without payment of duties.

inherent vice

Defects or characteristics of a product that could lead to deterioration without outside influence. An insurance term.

INSTR

Instrument

insurance certificate

A document issued by an insurance company, usually to order of shipper under a marine policy, and insuraing a particular shipment of merchandise.

ISWG

Imperial standard wire gauge

JIS

Japanese industrial standard

JIT

Just in time

KG, KILO,

KILOG,

Kilogram

KILOGRAM

LB

pound

LH

Left hand

LIFO

Last in, first out

LO/LO

Lift on, lift off

LPG

Liquefied petroleum gas

maturity date

The date upon which a draft or acceptance becomes due for payment.

MAX

Maximum

MESC

Materials and Equipment Standard Code

MHE

Mechanical handling equipment

MIN

Minimum

MISC

Miscellaneous

MPS

Master production schedule

MRO

Maintenance repair operating

MRP

Material(s) requirements planning

NA

Not applicable

NBS

National Bureau of Standards (US)

NC

American national coarse (thread)

NF

Norme francaise

NOM

Nominal

NOS

Numbers

NPL

National Physical Laboratory

NT

Net

OD

Outside diameter

OR

Owners risk

OS

Oversize

OZ

Ounce

PA

Per annum

packing list

A list which shows number and kinds of packages being shipped, totals of gross, legal and net weights of the packages, and marks and numbers on the packages. The list might be requested by an importer or might be required by an importing country to facilitate the clearance of goods through customs.

PC

Personal computer

PO

Post Office

POB

Post Office box

POD

Place of delivery

PPM

Parts per million

PRESS

Pressure

pro forma invoice

An invoice forwarded by the seller of goods prior to shipment to advise the buyer of the weight and value of the goods.

QTY

Quantity

QUAL

Quality

quota

The total quantity of a product or commodity which may be imported into a country without restriction or the penalty of additional duties or taxes.

RECD

Received

RH

Right hand

RORO

Roll on, roll off

RPM

Revolutions per minute

SAE

Society of Automotive Engineers; stamped addressed envelope

SG

Specific gravity

SKU

Stock Keeping Unit

SPEC

Specification

SQ

Square

SS

Stainless steel

STD

Standard

STK

Stock

SWG

Standard wire gauge

SWL

Safe working load

SWP

Safe working pressure

tariff

A schedule or system of duties imposed by a government on goods imported or exported, the rate of duty imposed in a tariff.

TBG

Tubing

TEMP

Temperature

THD

Thread; threaded

TIR

Transport International Routier

TPI

Threads per inch

TQM

Total Quantity Managment

TS

Tensile strength

UL

Unit load

ULW

unladen Weight

UNC

Unified coarse (thread)

UNF

Unified fine (thread)

US

Undersize; Unserviceable

USS

United States standard

VA

Value analysis

VAR

Various

VE

Value engineering

Warehouse Receipt

A receipt issued by a warehouse listing goods received for storage.

WG

Wire gauge

WP

Working pressure

WT

weight

WW

whitworth (thread)

YS

Yield strength