Customs Volumes Grew to 2 Million at Manifests Ireland
The firm scaled its customs operations by integrating automation technology to handle higher declaration volume.
Updated on Oct. 1, 2026 in International Trade
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Manifests Ireland has scaled its annual customs declaration volume to 2 million, a significant increase from the 20,000 processed annually prior to 2020. This shift highlights how logistics operators are using software to manage surging cross-border compliance demands.
Why it matters
The transition to automated customs systems is essential for firms managing complex regulatory requirements between Ireland and the UK. Automation minimizes manual intervention, reducing the risk of costly errors while allowing companies to scale operations as trade volumes rise.
Manifests Ireland now processes 2 million customs declarations annually, up from 20,000 per year prior to 2020. This growth follows four decades of customs industry experience.
The players
Manifests Ireland
A Dublin-based customs services provider with 40 years of industry experience operating across Ireland and the UK.
Descartes Systems Group
A technology provider based in London and Atlanta that develops the Descartes Thyme customs platform.
The details
To handle this increased volume, the company integrated the Descartes Thyme platform into its workflows. The software automates the creation, submission, and tracking of declarations by integrating directly with the Automated Import System and Automated Export System. This mechanism replaces manual processing with bulk submission capabilities, enabling faster and more accurate documentation across the Ireland and UK markets.
Timeline
2020: Annual customs declarations totaled 20,000.
October 1, 2026: Annual customs declarations reached 2 million.
Market Landscape
The adoption of digital customs interfaces marks a shift toward automated compliance as trade routes face higher regulatory hurdles. This integration with the Automated Import System reflects a broader trend of logistics firms digitizing back-end processes to maintain speed in international markets.
Operators handling cross-border goods should evaluate whether their current customs software offers bulk submission capabilities to prevent manual bottlenecks during growth periods. Reducing reliance on manual entry through platform integration is now a prerequisite for scaling compliance operations.
The takeaway
Scalable operations require moving away from manual customs filings toward integrated automated platforms. Operators should monitor their own declaration-to-staff ratios to identify when manual processes begin to threaten margin stability.
Further reading
For broader trends in cross-border trade, visit our coverage of International Trade.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Kingston Whig-Standard.
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