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February 15, 2025Anjali Rao20 min readTrade Partnerships

Trade Partnerships: Global Collaborations

TL;DR:Partnerships that work look boring on the outside: clear splits, shared KPIs, and fast escalations. Here’s how to structure them so trade actually speeds up.

#Partnerships#Collaborations#Global Trade

From tech-transfer to distribution alliances, the best collaborations share data, decisions, and incentives—and keep the paperwork simple.

Pick the right model for the job

ModelUse whenSplit of workShared KPIs
Tech transferScale complex productsIP holder trains; partner runs linesFirst-pass rate, release lead time
Co-manufactureAdd resilient capacityBoth run steps; shared QAOTIF, deviation closures
DistributionSpeed market accessPartner runs last mileDwell, claims rate
Data/analyticsImprove pricing/lane choicesShared feeds + modelsQuote-win rate, dwell, first-pass

Make shared KPIs real

KPIThresholdStretch
OTIF (joint lanes)≥94%≥96%
First-pass approvals (shared packets)≥90%≥93%
Dwell time (priority hubs)<36h<24h
Deviation/CAPA closures<14 days<10 days

Regions and roles

Export Performance by Region

1United States
$8.2B25% tariffHigh
2European Union
$6.8B0% tariffMedium
3Asia-Pacific
$4.5B5% tariffLow
4Middle East
$2.1B0% tariffMedium
5Africa
$1.8B0% tariffLow
  • EU: partner leads last-mile + compliance audits
  • US: originator leads documentation depth
  • APAC/Middle East: shared buffer planning + alternates

Escalation without drama

  • Named owners per KPI, weekly huddles
  • One-page playbooks for common exceptions
  • 30/60/90 escalation ladder with contacts