One IOR Partner for Data Center Infrastructure
TecEx handles the import and compliance for power generation, cooling, physical security, IoT monitoring, structured cabling, and physical infrastructure across 200+ destinations, with no local entity required.
From the first generator shipment to the final fiber run.
ISO 9001
certified
ISO 27001
certified
100%
Liability Cover
VAT
Efficiencies
Don’t Let Customs Stall Your DC Build
Your infrastructure is ready. Your compliance may not be.
Generators stuck in Lagos for six weeks due to missing SON certification, a cooling unit held at Rotterdam because the refrigerant permit was applied for after shipment, and an IoT sensor order seized in Brazil because ANATEL approval was not obtained.
A data center build isn’t a single shipment — it’s various categories of equipment, from multiple countries of origin, arriving in waves over months. Each category carries its own HS codes, import permits, local standards approvals, and compliance requirements.
TecEx is your single partner for all data center supporting infrastructure.
Common Import Errors
Misclassifications cause maximum duty exposure or stuck shipments.
One stuck shipment derails the go-live date.
Increasing post-clearance audits.
DC Ancillary Hardware Categories What's Being Imported and Why an IOR Matters
We import and export everything that powers, cools, secures, connects, and houses your data center.
Power Generation
Generators are classified as industrial machinery and are subject to type approval, local standards certification (e.g., SABS, KEBS, SON), and import licensing in many emerging markets.
Cooling Systems
Cooling equipment contains refrigerants subject to the Montreal Protocol. Specialist import permits are required in 197+ countries. Furthermore, immersion-cooling dielectric fluid is subject to chemical import restrictions in many markets.
Security Systems
Biometric and surveillance equipment is often classified as dual-use with encryption capabilities in security hardware that triggers export licensing. Any systems that house fire suppression chemicals (e.g., FM200, Novec 1230) require hazmat import permits.
IoT Monitoring
These devices are considered dual-use and require type approval and wireless spectrum certification. Many markets, like Brazil or India, require mandatory local product certification, such as ANATEL or BIS, before import.
Cabling
Many markets require country-of-origin certification for telecom-adjacent cabling. Bulk volumes can trigger de minimis breaches and full duty assessment even when imported in multiple shipments.
DC Build or Refreshes
Prefabricated DC modules are often classified as “buildings” under some jurisdictions, triggering construction import duties instead of IT equipment rates. This classification error can cost 15–25% in excess duties.
Emerging Markets for Data Centers and Data Center Refreshes
Your DC Infrastructure Partner for The Lifecycle
A data center’s operational life spans ten to fifteen years. The import compliance requirement doesn’t end when the building opens.
Hardware Refresh Imports
Failed Component RMA
Capacity Expansion Imports
Handling a 7 Country Data Center Deployment
“Moving high-value equipment into APAC is not easy, especially at such a large scale. With deployments across multiple countries, each with its own regulations, we had to be precise in how we navigated customs. Our team took full ownership of the process, making sure everything cleared smoothly and arrived at all of the destination countries within the six-week timeline.”
– Matias Pravia, Partnerships Manager
Data Center Supporting Infrastructure FAQs
Can TecEx actually handle non-IT equipment?
TecEx can handle the import of all data center ancillaries. We also have experts in over 200 markets who understand the compliance requirements of all goods necessary for data center builds and refreshes.
Will you understand my technical specifications?
The correct HS classification of DC ancillary equipment requires genuine technical understanding of the equipment, not just customs knowledge. With our decades of experience, our HS code database is unmatched.
Data centers are more than just servers, racks, and chips. The various categories of supporting infrastructure required to build and refresh these buildings span different classifications, import licenses, and country-specific regulations. Furthermore, vendor alignment for time-sensitive deadlines creates further inefficiencies.
TecEx is your single partner solution for all your needs.
Let’s Find a Solution That Works For You
Import everything that powers, cools, secures, connects, and houses your data center compliantly and efficiently.
