Supplying Electric Motors from Türkiye to Neighbouring Countries: One Export Order File

A water utility just across the border orders twelve motors for a new pumping station. They are loaded on time, then sit at the border crossing for three days: the number of packages on the packing list does not match the number on the truck, and the customs tariff code on the invoice differs from the one in the buyer's declaration. When the motors finally reach site, a second problem appears. The station's starters are star-delta, but the motors are rated to run in star on that supply.

When electric motors are supplied from Türkiye to neighbouring countries, most problems come not from the motors but from order information scattered across too many places. Technical data sits in one email, the Incoterm in another thread and the document requirements arrive at the last minute. This article sets out the contents of a single export order file that both the overseas buyer and the shipper can work from.

Does the motor suit the destination supply?

A question that is often skipped on domestic orders moves to the top when a border is involved: is the motor right for the supply at the site it is going to? The voltage and frequency on the nameplate must match the local supply. HEM Motor's three-phase ranges are built for 50 Hz networks, with 230/400 V or 400/690 V windings.

If the destination network uses a different voltage or frequency, that is a separate matter to raise with the technical team before ordering; a motor run outside its nameplate values will not deliver the expected speed, torque or temperature rise. How voltage and frequency affect a motor is explained in motor rated voltage and frequency.

As the opening example shows, the starting method belongs in this part of the file too. For star-delta starting on a 400 V network, the motor must be rated 400/690 V. If the buyer states the panel arrangement on the order, the risk of an unusable motor on site disappears. The technical section should also cover:

• Power, number of poles and speed.
• Mounting arrangement (B3, B5, B14, B35 or vertical) and flange size.
• Protection class and site conditions: will ambient temperature exceed +40 °C or altitude exceed 1000 m?
• Whether the motor runs on a drive, and whether options such as winding temperature sensors or anti-condensation heaters are needed.

Altitude is easy to overlook for sites on high plateaus in some neighbouring countries. Above 1000 m the air cools less effectively, so the motor may need derating or the next size up. Stating the site altitude on the order avoids the question coming up after delivery.

Delivery terms: where cost and risk change hands

Incoterms rules define the point at which transport cost and the risk of loss or damage pass to the buyer. The ones seen most often in motor exports are:

• EXW (Ex Works): the buyer collects from the seller's warehouse and handles loading, export clearance and transport. It suits buyers with their own forwarder and customs broker, but whose name the export declaration goes under must be agreed first.
• FCA (Free Carrier): the seller clears the goods for export and hands them to the carrier the buyer nominates. A balanced split for road freight.
• CPT / CIP: the seller pays carriage to the named place, while risk passes to the buyer when the goods are handed to the first carrier. Under CIP the seller also arranges insurance.
• DAP (Delivered at Place): the seller brings the motors to an address in the buyer's country; import clearance and duties stay with the buyer.

Whatever the rule, the quotation must state which delivery point the price refers to. Reading a quote line by line is covered in reading a motor proforma and quotation.

The document set and who prepares it

A large share of border delays come from small inconsistencies between documents. A typical motor export needs:

1. Proforma invoice, the basis for payment and the production or dispatch plan.
2. Commercial invoice with the motor description, quantity, unit price, Incoterm and customs tariff code.
3. Packing list giving each package or pallet number, contents, net and gross weight and dimensions.
4. Transport document: a CMR for road freight, a bill of lading for sea freight.
5. Any additional documents the destination country asks for, such as a declaration of conformity, technical data sheet or country-specific certificates.

The buyer's own customs broker knows best which documents their customs will require. Passing that list to the shipper at order stage means the paperwork is ready before dispatch. Check too that the product description on the invoice, on the packing list and on the package markings is identical. HEM Motor's catalogue lists conformity frameworks such as CE, EAC and ISO 9001; which document applies to a given model is shared on request. What a CE declaration covers is explained in CE marking and the declaration of conformity.

Packaging for a journey with many stops

A domestic shipment is handled once or twice. A cross-border one is loaded and unloaded more often: warehouse, customs yard, perhaps a transfer depot, then the buyer's store, and customs may open the packaging for inspection. So:

• Motors should be secured to pallets, and heavy frames protected by crates.
• If sea freight or long waiting times are possible, ask for moisture protection such as desiccant and sealed wrapping.
• Package numbers, weights and lifting points should be clearly marked, using the same numbering as the packing list.
• Packaging that can be closed again after inspection keeps the motor protected for the rest of the trip.

How to specify packaging for a given route is covered in preparing a motor for shipment.

If something goes wrong on site

With a border between buyer and seller, agreeing in advance how faults are reported saves time. A fault report should include a clear photo of the nameplate, the order and invoice numbers, the application and starting method, the symptom and, if possible, insulation resistance and phase current readings. With that information a first assessment can often be made without shipping the motor back. For critical applications at remote sites, it can make sense to plan a spare motor or bearing set with the first order.

Bottom line

Supplying motors to neighbouring countries becomes predictable once everything sits in one file: a motor that suits the destination supply, clearly stated delivery terms, the document set the destination country requires, packaging fit for several handling points and an agreed way to report faults. Lead time depends on stock status and on the chosen transport and customs route, and is stated separately in the quotation. You can prepare an export order for three-phase electric motors from 0.25 to 355 kW together with our technical team.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the motor still be used if the destination supply voltage is different?

The nameplate voltage and connection must suit the local network. On a 400 V supply a 230/400 V motor runs in star and a 400/690 V motor in delta; for any other network, discuss a suitable winding option with the technical team before ordering.

Which Incoterm is best for an export motor order?

If the buyer has their own forwarder and customs broker, EXW or FCA can be practical. If the buyer wants the shipper to handle transport, CPT, CIP or DAP are common; what matters is that the quotation states clearly which point the price refers to.

Why do motors get held at customs?

The most common reason is that the invoice, packing list and package markings do not match each other. A missing supporting document or a mismatched tariff code also causes delays, so get the document list from the buyer's customs broker at order stage.

What is the first step when a motor fails at a site abroad?

Send the supplier a nameplate photo, the order number, details of the application and a description of the fault. If insulation resistance and phase current readings are added, a first assessment can usually be made without returning the motor.