This article is presented by the M9 Logistics USA Office:
Crated Equipment Air Freight with Document Certification from USA to Kazakhstan
Globus Machinery in Kazakhstan imports Bobcat attachments and equipment from the US on a recurring basis under the Doosan Bobcat program. The units (angle brooms, snow blades, snowblowers, and similar) are sourced from multiple US locations, individually crated, and shipped by air through Chicago (ORD). The project involves two parallel workstreams: getting the freight crated, hauled, and uplifted, and getting the certified customs documents to Kazakhstan in time for clearance.
Shipment Overview
- Commodity: Bobcat attachments and equipment (angle brooms, snow blades, snowblowers, etc.)
- Consignee: Globus Machinery, Kazakhstan
- Packaging: Each unit crated separately, IATA-suitable, labeled per crate
- Shipment size: 10–15 crates per AWB, multiple AWBs per batch
- Gateway: Chicago, IL (ORD)
- Origin transport: 53’ dry vans (or flatbeds when required by height/stacking)
- Documents: Commercial invoice, Certificate of Origin (COO), AWB
The Challenge: Keeping Documents Ahead of the Freight
Kazakhstan customs requires certified Certificates of Origin and commercial invoices for clearance. These are not simple sign-and-send documents. They go through a draft review and approval cycle with the consignee and destination customs teams before they can be stamped and signed. The certified originals then need to be physically couriered to Kazakhstan. If that cycle falls behind the freight, the cargo sits at destination waiting for paperwork.
On the freight side, the units vary in size and shape, and each one needs its own IATA-suitable crate. A typical batch is 10 to 15 crates per air waybill, with multiple AWBs per program cycle. The crating, loading plan, and linehaul to ORD all need to be coordinated tightly so the freight is tendered ready for carriage and on time for the booked uplift.
The core problem is keeping both workstreams (freight and documents) aligned so that neither one is waiting on the other at destination.
The Solution: Parallel Freight and Document Workflows
Crating and labeling
Each Bobcat unit is received at a crating vendor and built into an individual IATA-suitable crate. Labels are affixed to each crate. The crating is done to air transport standards so the freight is accepted at the airport without rework.
Linehaul to ORD
Crated units are loaded into 53’ dry vans per a loading plan. When crate height or stacking restrictions require it, flatbeds are used instead. The freight is line-hauled to the Chicago (ORD) gateway for airline tender.
Air export
At ORD, the cargo is tendered to the airline and AWBs are built by batch. Shipments are uplifted to Kazakhstan routing. The batch structure (10–15 crates per AWB) keeps the documentation and tracking manageable across what can be a large total piece count per program cycle.
Document certification
Commercial invoices and Certificates of Origin are prepared as drafts and sent to the consignee and destination customs teams for review. Once approved, the documents are certified (stamped and signed). The certified originals are then dispatched by courier to Kazakhstan. This cycle runs in parallel with the freight movement so that paperwork arrives in time for import clearance.
Destination handling
On arrival in Kazakhstan, the shipment goes through import processing using the certified originals. Delivery is coordinated to Globus Machinery through a destination agent.
The Lane: USA to Kazakhstan Step by Step
- Step 1 – Crating and labeling: Receive cargo, crate each unit to IATA standards, affix labels.
- Step 2 – Linehaul to gateway: Load into 53’ dry vans or flatbeds, move to ORD.
- Step 3 – Air export: Tender to airline, build AWBs by batch, uplift to Kazakhstan.
- Step 4 – Document certification: COO and invoice drafts reviewed/approved, certified, originals couriered to destination.
- Step 5 – Destination handling: Arrival, import processing with certified originals, delivery to Globus Machinery.
The Operations: Managing Documents and Freight in Parallel
Document timing
The certification cycle (draft, review, approval, stamping, courier) takes time. It needs to start early enough that the certified originals reach Kazakhstan before or alongside the freight. If the documents arrive late, the cargo waits at destination. On a batch shipment with multiple AWBs, each set of documents needs to track to its corresponding AWB.
Crating standards
Every crate must be built to IATA air transport standards. Freight that does not meet these standards will be rejected at the airport. Since the units vary in size and shape (brooms, blades, blowers), the crating vendor needs specifications for each piece. The loading plan for the linehaul also depends on final crate dimensions, so crating and transport planning need to happen together.
Linehaul equipment
Standard moves use 53’ dry vans. When crates are too tall to stack or too high for a dry van, flatbeds are used. The equipment choice is driven by the loading plan, which should be confirmed before the trucks are dispatched.
Batch structure
Shipments are grouped into batches of 10 to 15 crates per AWB. This keeps each AWB at a manageable size for airline acceptance and makes it easier to match documentation to freight. Larger program cycles may produce multiple AWBs, each of which needs its own document set.
The Result: A Controlled Export Process for Heavy Equipment into Central Asia
This lane handles a recurring program of Bobcat equipment exports to Kazakhstan. The freight side (crating, linehaul, air export) and the document side (draft review, certification, courier) run in parallel so that certified originals are in place when the cargo arrives at destination. The batch structure keeps individual AWBs manageable, and the crating process ensures airline acceptance at ORD without delays.
At M9 Logistics New York, we provide full import and export services for goods moving in and out of the United States. From electronics and machinery to sensitive and high-value cargo, we arrange efficient, cost-effective transportation that meets US regulatory requirements end to end.
Our team manages every stage of the process, from origin pickup and ocean or air freight through US customs clearance, FDA and other agency filings where applicable, and final delivery to the consignee. With direct coverage at JFK, Newark, and major US gateways, plus our own 80,000 sq ft warehouse facility on Long Island, we handle deconsolidation, storage, and onward distribution under one roof.
Contact M9 Logistics New York to discuss your import and export requirements and how we can support your supply chain.
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Head of New York office: Matthew A. Haffner
Address: M9 Logistics NY Inc., 475 Doughty Blvd., Inwood, NY 11096, United States
Phone: +1 516-205-3971
Email: Matthew.a.Haffner@m9logistics.com
