World Tradewinds
February-March 2004 - Issue N. 122
A Publication of the Monterey Bay International Trade Association (MBITA)
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MBITA CORPORATE
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or email info@mbita.org including
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 President Vice President Members: Victor Cordell Marcelo Siero Jim Faith Staff:
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MBITA's UPDATE
This World TradeWinds issue also has articles on two of MBITA’s prime projects, the Certified Organic Product Expert Strategy (COPES) and our Russian 2004 Initiative where a trade mission to the booming Russian Far East will occur in August of this year.
Looking forward to speaking with you about these projects and others. Please go to MBITA
newsletter archives to see MBITA Members profiles and visit MBITA's
Export Promotion Services.
President tlivoti@mbita.org
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MBITA Member Celebrates 25 Years of Doing Business on the Central Coast |
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member Laser Devices, Inc.
(LDI), a manufacturer of military and law enforcement aiming
lasers and lighting devices is proud to announce that it will celebrate
its 25th year in business on the Central Coast in February 2004. Currently
the company is located at 2 Harris Court, Suite A-4, in the Ryan Ranch
Industrial Park in Monterey. LDI was founded in 1979 by Heinz Thummel, an internationally recognized expert in the design of visible and infrared laser systems. |
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Early products developed
during the 1980’s included small Helium Neon (HeNe) lasers used in
military laser systems, medical devices, and as popular laboratory lasers.
During the 1980’s LDI’s products evolved to take advantage of
the development of low cost, efficient and highly reliable semiconductor
lasers. In the mid-1990’s the Company’s product line expanded
to include compact tactical flashlights and weapon mounted illumination
systems. Over the last five years the Company has developed an expertise
in designing and manufacturing state-of-the-art laser transmitters used
with law enforcement and military marksmanship and combat simulators.
Mr. Thummel continues to serve as Chairman of the Board and President
of LDI. He is actively engaged in the management of LDI’s day-to-day
operations and in the development of new military and law enforcement
illumination systems, aiming lasers and marksmanship training devices.
His focus on quality has fostered LDI’s reputation of supplying innovative
and reliable products that survive desert heat, alpine cold and submersion
in up to 20 meters of salt water. This reputation has resulted in LDI’s
consistent growth both as a supplier of its core products and as an Original
Equipment Manufacturer of laser systems used by other companies. LDI’s
key technology is protected by six U.S. patents covering components used
in both its laser and illumination products.
Recent Corporate milestones include receiving its ISO 9001:2000 certification in April 2003 as a manufacturer of laser and illumination systems. The implementation of this international quality standard has improved LDI’s overall manufacturing efficiency and is also proving to be critical to its ability to market and sell products in Europe and Asia. Also in April of 2003, LDI received the U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Commercial Service Export Achievement Certificate for Recent Achievements in the Global Market Place. This Certificate presented by Congressman Sam Farr recognized LDI’s long term effort to promote and sell its products globally.
Today, as LDI prepares
to start its second quarter century of manufacturing on the Central Coast,
its lasers and lights are in use in over 95 countries. From the deserts
of Iraq to the jungles of Columbia, LDI’ lasers, lights and training
systems continue to deliver the performance and reliability needed by
our armed forces and allies. Over the next 25 years the company looks
forward to continuing to enhance the lives of its employees, shareholders
and customers through the creation and application of its laser and illumination
technology.
Contact:
Joseph Hotz
VP Operations & International & Government Contracts
Laser Devices, Inc.
Ph: 831.373.0701
Fax: 831.373.0903
Web: www.laserdevices.com
E-Mail: jhotz@laserdevices.com
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California
Farmers Feeling the Crunch of China's Fruit and Vegetable Exports by Joni Zacharisen |
Rising fear of China’s growth in vegetable exports to Japan is not completely unfounded, especially here in California, the nation’s leading farm state which ships nearly 20% of its produce overseas. Hardest hit have been the fruit and vegetable farmers of California’s fertile central valley, where they have to contend with Chinese farmers who have reduced production of grain crops in favor of the more profitable fruit/vegetable crops.
Farmers have to contend with China’s exports to Asian markets and exports aimed at the U.S. as well. Less than a decade ago China’s exports of garlic grew 61 million pounds in one year, causing prices to collapse and forcing the U.S. to impose anti-dumping legislation.
Today, California garlic farmers are still feeling the effects, with considerable decreases in exports to foreign markets including Japan, Australia and Europe. It is in the foreign markets where U.S. farmers are feeling the real crunch, being unable to compete with the Chinese competitors. China’s produce exports are picking up due to low production costs and a close proximity to Asian markets.
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By 1996 China became Japan’s leading supplier of fresh vegetable imports and climbed to a 38% share in 2001, competing with U.S. exports of broccoli, onions and asparagus. Even in 2004 these percentages are only projected to rise as China’s production/packing techniques improve, along with innovations in ocean freight services and agricultural technologies. |
However, this all seems too ironic when noting that many of these new technologies have ultimately stemmed from the U.S. It was the April 1999 U.S./China agricultural agreement that drove technical cooperation and scientific exchange between the countries. This agreement provided China with a joint partnership in the development of biotechnology for disease/pest control and also provided support to other industries as well. The future of China in the global marketplace seems to be undetermined as of yet, however, for California farmers who have been affected by China’s exports the damage has already been done.
U.S. farmers are downsizing and decreasing their exports to Asian markets because China produces larger quantities of fruit and vegetable crops, which can be exported inexpensively to Asian markets.
With
the influx of new agricultural technology into China, U.S. farmers are
going to have to contend with even larger amounts of better quality
exports from China as well. It seems that California farmers fear of
China’s growth in agriculture exports is indeed an issue that is
surely going to keep reemerging in the 21st century.
Don't miss the next
MBITA luncheon on May 28th in Monterey. Congressman Farr will give an
overview on the latest anticipations and future decisions of Congress
in regards to this situation.
Contact
Joni Zacharisen
MBITA Staff
email: wonderwomanjz@yahoo.com
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MBITA
Trade Mission to the Russian Far East August 1-7, 2004 by Lidia Thompson, MBITA Eastern European Consultant |
The Russian Far
East currently represents one of the most desirable business opportunities
for entrepreneurs that would like to break into new untapped marketplaces.
MBITA will be conducting a trade mission with to Vladivostok and Khabarovsk
in the Russian Far East from August 1st to the 7th.
Vladivostok bathed by the Sea of Japan and 6000 miles east of the Central Government in Moscow, was once a "maritime fortress" under the czars' sovereignty and a self-sustainable "closed city" under the Soviets regime. Times have changed and now Vladivostok is open to the world, hungry for new business opportunities, friendly to tourists and open to foreign investors.
The Russian Far East represents "a unique European culture in the middle of Asia", remarks Tony Livoti, President of MBITA, who visited the Russian Far East three times in the last 3 years (read more about his trip in an article entitled "The Russian Far East An Emerging Region for Global Trade" in MBITA World TradeWinds newsletter). Through his visits many contacts and opportunities were identified and MBITA and the Monterey Export Assistance Center (EAC) of the U.S. Department of Commerce (USDOC) decided it's time to introduce California SMEs to the Russian Far East.
The trade mission to Vladivostok-Khabarovsk is planned this summer, August 1st-7th. The Monterey Export Assistance Center (EAC) of USDOC, the Far Eastern Center of Economic Development (FECED), the Foreign Commercial Service and Foreign Agriculture Service offices in Vladivostok and MBITA believe that this trade mission is important for the economic development of both the Russian Far East and California.
The
BISNIS
office in Washington D.C. provided MBITA with the Russian Far East's
top industry sectors for import and export opportunities.
1. Oil and Gas
2. Building/Construction/Infrastructure
3. Food Processing
4. Health Food products
5. Wine and Groceries
6. Wood Processing
7. Mining
8. Agriculture
9. Auto parts/Automobiles/Trucks/Automotive Products
10. Fish Processing
11. Ports/Shipyards
12. Financial Services/Mortgages
13. Tourism
14. Medical Industry/IT/Telecom
15. Beauty products
16. Apparel
17. Environmental Industry
18. Professional training companies including eLearning for engineering,
sales marketing, human resources and technology
One-on-one meetings for Trade Mission participants will be arranged with companies in any of the above industry sectors.
The
program will also include social events: a Welcome Dinner with the
Consul General and U.S Commercial Service staff at the US Embassy
in Vladivostok, Vladivostok City and Primorsky Krai Officials and
a Dinner hosted by Far East Center for Economic Development (FECED)
and Far East National University (FENU). Also included is an unforgettable
trip by train to Khabarovsk to meet with Russian businesses and government
offices capped with a social event/Dinner hosted by Khabarovsk Academy
of Economics and Law (KAEL).
Please contact the MBITA office for further details on this Trade Mission to the Russian Far East.
Contact:
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Tony
Livoti |
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After
the successful launch of the Certified
Organic Product Export Strategy (COPES) program last November
in Salinas, the Sacramento chapter of the COPES program on Feb. 6th
just reasserts the growing need for an educational, yet practical export
assistance program for the organic industry in California.
Having the good international marketing skills to sell in the global
marketplace is not enough when the international rules and regulations
to your market your product change from country to country and some
countries are more de-regulated in respect to other ones. The organic
industry has developed a growing market and demand worldwide. When the
ability to cater and expand your market where cultures accidentally
collide is even harder sometimes.
The
Sacramento seminar approached the expertise of exporting organic products
from all angles: the regulations for foreign country certification;
strategic planning, outreach and international trade issues related
to the National Organic Program (NOP); use of online technology to manage
export transactions efficiently; hands-on tips to market organic products
overseas when you deal with different cultures.
Presenters at this COPES seminar were the following:
Secretary
A. G. Kawamura, California Department
of Food and Agriculture (CDFA)
Keith Jones, Director Program Development National Organic Program -
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Brian Leahy, President - California Certified
Organic Farmers (CCOF) / COPES
Brian McElroy, Manager Certification Services - California
Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF)
Tony Livoti, President - Monterey Bay
International Trade association (MBITA) / COPES
John Taylor, VP - Taylor Brothers
Farms, Inc.
Tim O'Donnell, VP Marketing and Sales - Lundberg
Family Farms
Hal Shenson, President - Nature's
Sungrown Foods, Inc.
Don't
miss the next seminar on May 13 in Fresno.
For information about the next seminar, visit www.copes-ca.org
Contact
| Certified
Organic Products Export Strategy - California (COPES) c/o California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) 1115 Mission Street Santa Cruz, CA 95060 Phone: (831) 423-2263 Ext. 22 Web: www.copes-ca.org email: info@copes-ca.org |
Tony Livoti
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MBITA Monterey Chapter Luncheon: Exporting the Technology of the Monterey
Bay Crescent
March 23, 2004
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It's unusual to see that new emerging technologies and products have so much potential to be successful and to be of great use in the post dot.com era. On March 23rd MBITA and the Monterey Export Assistance Center (EAC) of the U.S. Department of Commerce (USDOC) conducted the MBITA Monterey Chapter luncheon at the Marina Technology Cluster, providing a forum for new high-tech start-ups to present their company's objectives to MBITA and the incubator's global and local networks of investors, entrepreneurs, technology managers and marketing strategists. MBITA also demonstrated new web-based services through TradePort.org on eLogistics for export/import. |
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Making presentations
as tenants of the Marina Technology Cluster were:
Global Protein Products (GPP) is a rapidly growing biotechnology company "on the cutting edge of produce™." GPP's all-natural products enhance the quality of fresh-cut lettuce, carrots, celery and whole berries. GPP also sells PM223, a potato seed treatment that protects against rot and enhances the yield and vigor of potato plants. GPP's products, which are made of a corn protein as well as other natural ingredients, are used in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
Digital-SchoolsSM Managed Service automates, integrates, and transforms all Human Resource operations for tracking and managing employees in public school districts. Digital-SchoolsSM delivers real-time reporting for all personnel activities while cutting waste out of school operations and delivers data driven decision making tools.
Defense
Research LLC develops emergency response software and advanced
information solutions for counter-terrorism and Homeland Security. One
of Defense Research's products is LIVE SAFE - The Citizens' Emergency
Planning and Response e-Guide to Counter-Terrorism" is a comprehensive,
single source, reference for individuals, families, businesses, and
volunteer first responders. The guide covers planning and emergency
response to chemical, biological, nuclear attacks and bombings, and
includes signs, symptoms, and treatment, emergency first aid, planning
checklists, as well as pet first aid.
The Marina Technology Cluster is a not-for-profit business accelerator
in close proximity to the more than 30 technology, science, research
and education institutions in the heart of the region's unparalleled,
year-round agricultural markets.
The
Marina Technology Cluster fosters collaboration with and alliances among
business and government providing a unique opportunity for entrepreneurs
in the Monterey Bay region to find business assistance, start-up support,
access to dynamic research.
