2008-05-14 11:15 AM
TRADE WINDS EUROPE CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS
Interesting statistics and information about Trade Winds Europe 2008.
US Company Highlights:
▪ 150 conference participants
▪ 67 US companies, 97 total company representatives from 25 states
▪ 50 companies with Gold Key appointments
▪ 610 US company consultations with Senior Commercial Officers
▪ 400 US company appointments with Turkish businesses
▪ 20,000 copies of the Commercial New USA magazine (Trade Winds Europe Edition) featuring ads of US companies that participated in Trade Winds were mailed across Europe
Primary Industries Represented
▪ Building and Construction
▪ Defense and Aerospace
▪ Safety and Security
▪ Energy (Renewables and Power)
▪ Environmental
▪ Information and Communication Technology
▪ Medical and Pharmaceutical
▪ Services (Education, Professional Services and Franchising)
▪ General Industrial
TPCC and other US Government Agencies
▪ OPIC
▪ USTDA
▪ EXIM
▪ Department of State
▪ DOC – National Institutes of Standards and Technology
▪ Senator Byrd’s Appalachian-Turkish Trade Projects was represented by 13 Appalachian rural clients and supported by Appalachian Regional Commission
TRADE WINDS EUROPE MARKETING PARTNERS
Platinum
▪ FedEx
▪ Garanti Bank
Silver
▪ Dilworth Paxson/Mid-Atlantic District Export Council (DEC)
▪ UPS Capital
Bronze
▪ Deutsche Messe/Hanover Fairs
▪ Holalnd Industrial Development Council
▪ M&T Bank
▪ NTG/BDP Logistics
▪ State of New Hampshire
Partner
▪ Appalachian Regional Commission
▪ World Business Capital
In-Kind
▪ American Business Forum in Turkey (ABFT) – Hosted reception on Sunday
▪ Business Council for International Understanding (BCIU) – Hosted reception on Monday
▪ Turkish Businessmen and Industrialists Confederation (TUSKON) - Hosted dinner reception on Tuesday
2008-05-14 10:38 AM
Trade Winds Day Three: Business Matchmaking with Turkish Companies
Day Three marks the final day of Trade Winds. On this last day, participants had the opportunity to meet with Turkish counterparts to discuss business opportunities and strategic alliances. This was the day that participants had been looking forward to and had traveled a long distance for – the chance to negotiate business deals in Turkey and to leverage the many economic opportunities this incredible market has to offer. Day Three was definitely the highlight of Trade Winds and to cap off this amazing trip, participants were invited to a dinner cruise on the Bospohorus hosted by the Turkish American Business Association (TABA).
2008-04-25 04:35 PM
Trade Winds Day Two: Meetings With Senior Commercial Officers
Day Two of Trade Winds began with an overview and market briefing on Turkey. Turkey’s strategic location as the crossroads of Europe, Asia and the Middle East was discussed and information about Turkey’s economic prosperity and booming sectors was presented.
In addition to learning about the Turkish market, participants also had ample opportunity to learn about doing business in various European countries. Throughout the day, participants had one-on-one meetings with the Senior Commercial Officers (SCOs) from 26 European countries plus the European Union, as well as the SCO liaison for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). During these meetings, SCOs provided information about the countries they represented, such as growing industries, market entry strategies and business tips, and participants had the chance to ask the SCOs specific questions about different European markets.
The second day of Trade Winds concluded with a dinner reception hosted by the Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists of Turkey (TUSKON) at the Grand Cevahir Hotel in Istanbul.
2008-04-25 03:15 PM
Trade Winds Day One: Pan-European Business Conference
Trade Winds Day One began with a welcome address by James Fluker, Senior Commercial Officer at the U.S. Commercial Service in Turkey and a keynote address by Consul General, Sharon Anderholm Wiener. Following these opening remarks, the Trade Winds agenda commenced with a full day of presentations on various issues pertinent to doing business in Europe (please see below). After the presentations ended, Trade Winds participants had the opportunity to attend informal roundtable discussions focused on specific industries and regional markets. Day One of Trade Winds concluded with a reception hosted by the Business Council for International Understanding (BCIU).
Defining the Regions of Europe
Moderator: Stuart Schaag, Senior Commercial Officer, CS Kazakhstan
Speakers :
Eastern Europe: John McCaslin, Senior Commercial Officer, CS Poland
Eurasia: Beryl Blecher, Senior Commercial Officer, CS Russia
Western Europe: Thomas Moore, Senior Commercial Officer, CS Italy
Legal Issues: Margaret Gatti, Esq., Dilworth Paxon LLP
Session Overview:
This session provided an overview on the regions of Europe. Speakers discussed the following issues: what defines these regions and how these regions are changing; how to conduct business and key characteristics in each region; common misconceptions and characteristics of successful market entry strategies. Additionally, the following legal issues were addressed: the main legal differences between the regions; distribution contracts; IPR and common legal mistakes.
European Customs, Logistics and Value Chain in Europe
Moderator: Steve Alley, Senior Commercial Officer, CS Greece
Speakers:
Ranald Hahn, Prologis
Maher Hasbinie, FedEx
Session Overview:
In this session, speakers addressed supply chain and distribution issues in Europe: getting your product to market (e.g.: effective ways to reduce costs such as knowing your freight forwarder, tariffs, VATs and local taxes); understanding local customs laws; compliance and proper classification; managing your supply chain (e.g.: how to work smarter and optimize the effectiveness of your supply chain; geographic diversification throughout Europe.
European Union – Regulatory Challenges
Speaker: Jonathan Bensky, Senior Commercial Officer, CS European Union
Session Overview:
An estimated three quarters of all new business-related legislation in Europe comes from the European Union. Mr. Bensky discussed the EU’s regulatory regime and the EU’s standards system, and highlighted several recent laws with the potential to impact significant amounts of US exports to Europe.
Trade Financing
Moderator: Gregory Taevs, Principal Commercial Officer, CS Istanbul
Speakers:
Scott Greenip, US Trade & Development Agency (USTDA)
Brian Sant Angelo, Export-Import Bank (ExIm)
Peter Ballinger, Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC)
Sanford Owens, Senior Commercial Officer, EBRD
Clemment Miller, M&T Bank
Ilter Karkullukcu, UPS Capital
Session Overview:
This session’s topics covered the resources available to finance international business transactions, how to leverage project financing and how to compete in the major markets of Europe. The panel reviewed programs targeted at mitigating the financial and political risks of overseas projects and investments, and discussed effective strategies for working with the private sector financing arms of the Export-Import Bank (ExIm) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
How to Effectively Utilize European Trade Shows
Moderator: George Ruffner, Senior Commercial Officer, CS Germany
Speakers:
Glenn Ensor, PennWell Corporation
Ufuk Altintop, Hannover Messe International, Istanbul
Session Overview:
This session covered the following topics: how to prepare for a trade show; how to develop effective marketing campaigns before, during and after the show; and how to follow-up to get the most out of your trade leads.
Roundtable Discussions Focused on Specific Industry and Regional Markets
Trade Winds participants were given the opportunity to select one of several roundtable discussions to attend. The roundtable discussions were moderated by Senior Commercial Officers and organized as informal dialogues focused on specific industries and regions. The goal of these informal sessions was to provide an opportunity for companies to learn about specific industries in Europe, as well as to ask questions and discuss their experiences with peers and Senior Commercial Officers. The roundtable discussions were grouped as follows:
- Information Technology/Telecommunication
- Medical & Pharmaceutical
- Energy
- Environmental
- Aerospace/Defense/Safety & Security
- Building & Construction
- Services Industry (Management Consulting & Legal Services)
- Romania & Bulgaria in the EU
- Nordic Region
December 21, 2007
International Trade Mission to Turkey Scheduled
Please check back on April 23, 2008 to read all about the Trade Winds Europe trade mission.
PORTSMOUTH, NH – New Hampshire businesses seeking inroads into the vast Pan-European market are encouraged to sign up for a New Hampshire International Trade Resource Center (NHITRC) sponsored trade mission to Trade Winds Europe, a U.S. Dept. of Commerce conference, scheduled for April 14 through 16, 2008.
The mission’s destination – Istanbul, Turkey – is strategically positioned at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and the Middle East. As part of this event, New Hampshire companies will be able to take part in a Pan-European Business Conference featuring leading industry experts from the private sector and key U.S. government officials on issues as wide-ranging as industry trends and EU standards and regulations.
One particular highlight of the mission will be private consultations with Senior Commercial Officers from 27 US embassies in Europe, wherein New Hampshire companies can receive advice on market strategies for their products and services. Other highlights include a day of customized meetings with potential partners in Turkey, a number of networking luncheons and receptions, and a ¼ page ad in Commercial News (CNUSA).
Space on the trade mission is extremely limited and the registration deadline is set at January 4th. To learn more, contact Kathryn Lee at 334-6074 or via e-mail at .
Administered by the Division of Economic Development’s Office of International Commerce (OIC), the NHITRC plans, develops and administers programs for international trade promotion and foreign market development. OIC works to enhance the efforts of the New Hampshire business community to perform competitively in the global marketplace.