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ATA Carnet Customer Close-Up: Cal-Rite Corporation
Friday, October 3, 2025
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At boomerang carnets®, we are grateful to all our customers and are excited to launch our Customer Close-Up series, spotlighting how businesses use ATA Carnets to expand globally, serve clients, and fuel growth.
Our first feature highlight is Cal-Rite Corporation, a veteran-owned and operated ISO/IEC 17025 accredited company based in Naperville, Illinois. Since 1994, Cal-Rite has been delivering quality, timely, and competitively priced field calibration services. What began in the Chicago area has grown into an impressive client base spanning 35 states and Mexico.
Why Use ATA Carnets?
The ATA Carnet, often called the “passport for goods,” allows companies, organizations, and individuals to temporarily import professional equipment, commercial samples, and goods for exhibitions across borders without paying import duties and taxes. ATA Carnets also serve as customs registration upon re-entry in the U.S. and U.K., reducing paperwork and additional costs.
They are widely used across many industries including aerospace, aviation, engineering, infrastructure, motorsports, submersible vehicles, and more. Cal-Rite serves the industries listed here and since 2022, have completed 10 ATA Carnets with us—all for hand-carry shipments to Mexico for industrial testing and calibration with shipment values between $5,000 and $25,000.
Cal-Rite Shares Their Experience Using ATA Carnets
- For what purpose do you use ATA Carnets?
The ATA Carnet is our “go to” for international business travel with equipment. - Do you find you are benefiting from their use in the way of savings or ease clearing foreign customs, or both?
We have found great value using ATA Carnets. The service is economical and, more importantly, the experience with foreign customs is a breeze. Our equipment is specialized and being able to keep it intact and untouched is essential. - Have you expanded (or are you expanding) into new foreign markets because of your use of ATA Carnets for your temporary exports?
After many years of the seamless process using ATA Carnets, we are confident as we pursue expanding our service to labs in Saudi Arabia. This takes any customs concerns away. - If you were to tell another business owner/person about your experience with ATA Carnets and boomerang carnets, what would you emphasize?
ATA Carnets give us peace of mind and are always ready when we need it. Boomerang carnets is easy to work with—with good service and good value. - Please share anything else you think is relevant to your use of ATA Carnets.
When our customers have an emergency, we have to get there fast. Boomerang carnets’ expedited service is phenomenal. We apply for a carnet and we book our flights because we know we are going to get it quickly. Since we have been using boomerang carnets, we have always made those flights and met/exceeded our customer's time frame.
A Gesture of Appreciation
As a thank you, Curt E.H. Wilson, President and CEO of boomerang carnets and long-time Chicago Bears season ticket holder, invited Cal-Rite to the Bears’ Monday Night Football season opener on September 8 for the Chicago Bears vs. the Minnesota Vikings game. Nathan Hathaway, President and General Manager, and Abelardo Garcia, Service Manager at Cal-Rite, gladly accepted and enjoyed two prime seats at Soldier Field.
After the game, Nathan Hathaway shared his appreciation:
“Thank you so much for sharing your Bears tickets with us. Abelardo and I had a fantastic time, even with the loss, and it was a pleasure to meet you and Chuck and share a few hours. We wish you all the best, and if there is ever anything that we can do for you, do not hesitate to ask. Have a fantastic evening! Go Bears!”
— Nathan Hathaway
ATA Carnets and the NFL
ATA Carnets aren’t just for industrial equipment—they also keep major sporting events moving across global borders. The NFL’s Global Markets Program is expanding its international reach with games in Dublin, London, Berlin, Madrid, and São Paulo this season. To compete abroad, teams move up to 35,000 lbs. of equipment worth as much as $1 million.
By using ATA Carnets, NFL teams save 25–35% in duties and taxes, amounting to $250,000–$350,000 per entry, while ensuring seamless customs clearance for timely arrival with the necessary equipment to compete in the game.
ATA Carnets are also utilized by the NFL for Film and TV Equipment for the international games. In the past three months, NFL Films secured 20 ATA Carnets with us for this purpose.
We are grateful to U.S. Navy veterans Nathan Hathaway and his wife, Juliet Hathaway, for their service and their company’s continued business, and to Abelardo Garcia for joining us—it was truly our pleasure.
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