We are one of a very small number of World Gold Council Chain of Supply Standard compliant exporters in Kenya able to export to countries with stringent compliance standards, such as Switzerland.
With the African raw gold industry having obtained a dubious reputation for reliability generally, and reports of low-integrity product having often made its way to jurisdictions with relatively low compliance standards such as the UAE, we are seeing a growing trend towards refineries preferring to import raw gold into Switzerland, where the trade is registered with, and guaranteed by, the authorities.
Lewin Africa Limited is almost unique amongst Kenyan gold exporters in that we are able to satisfy the regulatory and documentary demands of PolyReg, the Swiss Federal Customs Administration, and the financial institutions that typically support such transactions.
We invite relationships with reputable refineries registered with the competent AML authorities in their country of operation, and with a demonstrable track history of volume imports. We do not require Standby Letters of Credit (instruments that are regularly monetised by criminals) to initiate trades.
We provide a physical collateral deposit facility whereby prior to the buyer having to remit any funds, we are able to secure a 20%-equivalent physical deposit of product into the safekeeping of any Nairobi-based security facility of the buyer's choice, provided they are insured to secure value-cargo, and we arrange all requisite supporting documentation necessary for export, to include:
The above are produced prior to demand for initial deposit payment, which deposit will never exceed the net metal value of the physical deposit secured into the buyer's safekeeping with their Nairobi-based security agent.
All consignments are issued with a Kenyan Certificate of Origin. We supply unhallmarked Doré bars, typically with approximate dimensions of 8 x 4 x 1.7 centimetres, and weighing around 1kg per bar.
All consignments are composition-analysed with X-ray fluorescence and specific-gravity testing by the Ministry of Mining and Petroleum at Madini House, Nairobi, and are able immediately thereafter to be secured into sealed containers under the direct oversight of the buyer's appointed representative.
Additionally, we enjoy cooperation from the Inspectors of Mines such that the buyer's representative is able to supplement the laboratory's own analytical methods at the buyer's discretion, onsite, within the government laboratory at Madini House, with no requirement to transition the product elsewhere for such tests.
Payment of royalties, handling and packing costs, customs clearance within Kenya, and insurance and value-cargo freight costs from Kenya to the refinery's country of operation is at Lewin's expense. Clearing costs and import tariffs, duties and taxes payable in the destination country are the buyer's expense.
Once cleared and transferred to the buyer's assay, and assayed, outstanding payment must be transacted within 24 hours of determining net metal value (excluding weekends).
Lewin reserves the right to accompany all consignments in transit to the location at which product is assayed and transfer of ownership occurs.
We offer product at competitive discount with respect to current offers known to be accepted by leading high-volume processing refineries in Europe.