Companies that are ignorant of the opportunities for duty avoidance, made possible by free trade agreements and changing government regulations, are leaving millions of dollars on the table, says Bernie Hart, vice president of global trade management sales with Livingston International.

Moving into new markets beyond the U.S., even to nearby Canada, has its complications. A marketer of outdoor apparel and gear partnered with Purolator International to ease the way.

Is there slavery in your global supply chain? Are you sure about that?

Oh, sure, go on and do it by yourself. Just try to run the company without any help. Treat suppliers like you don't need them. Go on! If there's a recipe for disaster, that's probably it: acting like you don't need anybody else's cooperation, input or ideas. The reality is quite a bit different though, isn't it? No company, no supply chain, exists in a vacuum. We do rely on each other, because no one of us can do it all, successfully, by ourselves. We need partners. Ah, but which partners – which ones are right for you?

The grand golden doors of 500 Pearl Street, in Manhattan, have welcomed such glamorous names as Hermès, Tiffany & Co., and Kering, a French conglomerate whose treasures include Gucci and Bottega Veneta. The building is not a posh hotel or department store. It is the federal court for the Southern District of New York, a favored battleground for the decidedly unglamorous war against counterfeit goods.

Ted Diamantis, an importer of Greek wines who is based in Chicago, has been helping his suppliers stock up on bottles, labels and printing ink. The barrels, though, have him worried.