World Tradewinds
August-September 2004 - Issue N. 124
A Publication of the Monterey Bay International Trade Association (MBITA)
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MBITA CORPORATE
SPONSORS:
MBITA PARTNERS & AFFILIATES:
UPCOMING
EVENTS:
Friday,
September 17 Thursday,
September 30 For more details on MBITA events, go to www.mbita.org/events/home.php President Vice President Members: Victor Cordell Marcelo Siero Jim Faith Staff: Lidia Thompson
725 Front St. Ste 104 If you would like to have an article published on this
newsletter please contact the editor by email.
This newsletter has been created by MBITA's editor MBITA Members and Corporate Sponsors' Newsletter
Links CalTrade Report |
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MBITA's UPDATE
On Septermber 17th in Anaheim, California at the Hyatt Regency – Orange County, the fourth seminar of the Certified Export Organic Program (COPES) will take place. Please go to the COPES seminar web page for details. Also, on December 2, 2004, the 2nd Annual Global California Conference will take place produced by MBITA & TradePort in partnership with the CalTrade Report. Please go to http://tradeport.org/news/gbl_ca1203.html for an article and video on last years’ conference.
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 would like to share with its members and affiliates the successful story of McGibben International (MI) in Soquel, Ca.
MI is a leading vendor of telecommunications products and services. MI subcontracts manufacturing of telecommunications hardware in Asia and sells the products in the Americas (outside the US) and Europe, providing high-quality customer premise equipment (CPE) solutions to the world's telecommunication companies.
The strength of MI's business is that with efficient investment in operational costs, the company optimizes its revenues by working with a global network of strategic partnerships. With Sales offices in the USA and Mexico, and partner companies in Canada, South America, and Europe, MI's global reach offers solutions to customers worldwide.
The best market opportunities are the countries where the national Post, Telephone and Telegraph administration (PTT) dropped their monopolies in providing telecommunication services in their respective countries. Telephone operating company markets continue to be deregulated globally and these emerging private-sector 'telcos' are MI's customers.
Currently MI's primary focus is in the Americas and the European Community where McGibben has former experience in the high-technology sector. MI offers a wide variety of CPE technology from corded and cordless CLASS telephones, Caller ID devices and even Internet Appliance and SMS terminal device equipment solutions. MI also provides support services to foreign 'telcos', such as evaluating their regional opportunities when establishing distribution strategies. MI also offers companies looking to develop technology business in the Americas the vehicle to evaluate regional opportunities.
McGibben received
his bachelor's degree in History, and later an MBA in International Marketing
from the University of Arizona. His employment has included several international
management positions with Fujitsu, Tekelec, CIDCO and CIDCO Communications.
A graduate of Soquel High, he makes his home in the Opal Cliffs area of
Santa Cruz.
Contact:
Kevin McGibben,
President
McGibben International (MI)
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U.S. Office: |
Tel (52) 55-5260-6288 |
MBITA
Member Success Story:
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MBITA
would like to share with its members and affiliates the successful story
of European Vegetable Specialties (EVS). Located in Salinas, California,
EVS is literally a "Two Guys From Italy" success story in
America. Partners Lucio Gomiero and Carlo Boscolo teamed up with Salinas
Valley growers John Tamagni and Dennis Johnson to create the world's
largest single producer of radicchio.
After
farming 5 years in the United States, EVS began formal operations in
1993. The Royal Rose label quickly became synonymous with Radicchio
in the United States. Both the Export market to Japan and the growth
of the salad industry created an opportunity for rapid growth for EVS.
Japan quickly emerged as a major market for the company. Additional
export markets include Korea and Singapore. The large number of Italian
restaurants, the popularity of Italian-style salads in the casual dining
segment and the emergence of salad processing in Japan stimulated demand
for radicchio. Most export opportunities are limited to the Asian market
as Italy and France supply most of the European market.
In order to serve its salad processing base the company has diversified
its growing operations from a strictly California based company to one
that farms in California, Florida, and Arizona. EVS also operates in
Chile and Quebec to supplement domestic production to ensure year-round
supply.
Lucio Gomiero has been widely recognized for his role for helping popularize
radicchio in the United States. Most recently the Italian Consulate
recognized his role in introducing radicchio to this country. He hopes
to focus on educating the American consumer on how to appreciate the
taste of radicchio. Most Americans are only familiar with radicchio
as a salad ingredient. Continued growth for EVS lies in educating the
consumer on the versatility of radicchio as both a salad and cooking
ingredient.
EVS continues to focus primarily on radicchio. The company is also the
largest frisee grower in the country and features other Italian specialties
including Treviso, Tuscan Cabbage and Mediterranean Hearts. Additional
company, product and recipe information can be found at www.radicchio.com.
Contact
Dennis
Donohue, President
European Vegetables Specialties (EVS)
Tel. 831-758-1957
email: dennisd@radicchio.com
Web: www.radicchio.com
NEW CALIFORNIA-SPAIN
TRADE INITIATIVE LAUNCHED
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SANTA
CRUZ -07/19/04 - TradePort.org
- an online resource for comprehensive information and links to
global trade assistance centers throughout California - has said it
will leverage the network and trade promotion services provided by
its member organizations to provide 'click & mortar' web tools
to increase exports from California to Spain.
Through a statewide network of trade promotion service organizations - TradePort will provide more than 120 industry-specific marketing reports at no charge through an agreement with the US Foreign Commercial Service (FCS) office at the US Embassy in Madrid, Spain.
"The reports provide detailed industry data and target growth strategies for companies wishing to do business in, or export goods and services to the Spanish market," said Tony Livoti, resident of the Monterey Bay International Trade Association (MBITA), the organization which manages TradePort.
In addition, he said, TradePort will provide 'on-the-ground' consulting and support services to California companies that need assistance and want to begin exporting to Spain.
Through the TradePort network, international trade consultants will be matched with companies in their region to further the economic growth and business opportunities between these two regions.
According to Livoti, the Spain export program is a pilot project with TradePort seriously considering similar initiatives to link California companies with other countries and regions "in the near future."
In addition to the new California-Spain export promotion program, TradePort also provides additional resources for online learning, collaboration and web-conferencing to assist California businesses and their partners with their global trade initiatives.
The statewide TradePort network was created in 1995 and is owned by the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce and the San Francisco-based Bay Area Economic Forum.
June 30, 2004 - U.S. Rep. Sam Farr, D-Carmel, says American attitudes
toward international trade agreements have become less favorable.
Farr
spoke before an audience of about 70 business leaders and others with
an interest in international business Tuesday at a luncheon presented
by the Monterey Bay International Trade Association
L-R: Congressman Sam Farr; Gary Hampsch, Intl Sales & Marketing
Manager, Raytek; Tony Livoti, President of MBITA
Every year Farr is invited to inform the local business community
about the developments in Congress regarding outsourcing, international
competition and agriculture industry expectations about exports. This
year, Farr spoke about international trade agreements, criticized
the Bush administration’s economic stimulus package, addressed
offshoring jobs and touched on his future priorities.
Farr said attitudes are shifting among the agricultural community with respect to trade agreements, using the example of the way inexpensive Chinese garlic has negatively affected the local garlic industry in Gilroy.
"You’re beginning to see a different attitude in America, particularly among the farmers, saying, ‘We’re not so sure we want you to enter into these trade agreements.’ Remember, these were the Cadillac lobbyists for trade, they’re the ones that said trade is great," he said. "But we’re getting a different opinion because now everyone’s going to ask before each trade agreement, ‘How does this affect me?’"
Farr said he doesn’t expect any international trade agreements to be struck before the end of this year. But he said Congress had concluded bilateral trade agreements with Chile and Singapore, had signed agreements with Central America, Australia, Morocco and Bahrain and was negotiating other agreements.
Farr said the Bush administration’s tax policy has not stimulated the economy as promised.
"There’s a direct correlation between interest rates going up and the so-called stimulus package, which I was adamantly opposed to," he said. "I didn’t hear one person say that the tax cuts we made have stimulated their business or them. The spending priorities of the federal government I think are inverse to stimulating growth."
Farr also criticized the Bush administration’s invasion of Iraq, saying the administration’s foreign policy has damaged the perception of America in the world market.
Farr suggested using technology to mitigate the stream of jobs moving offshore and said Congress’s biggest priorities should be investing in education and health care.
Also during the luncheon, MBITA presented Santa Cruz’s Raytek, a maker of temperature measurement devices, with the Export Achievement Certificate from the U.S. Department of Commerce, an award recognizing U.S. firms for their success in exporting. Farr also presented Raytek, which does business in more than 60 countries, with a Congressional certificate of special recognition.
Contact Gwen Mickelson at gmickelson@santacruzsentinel.com
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| Honorable Qiu Xuejun |
A representative of the China Consulate of San Francisco told a group of 50 business leaders Thursday that profound changes in the past 25 years have resulted in China becoming an important player in the economic and international trade arenas.
The Honorable Qiu Xuejun, deputy consul general of the China Consulate of San Francisco, was one of a number of speakers at the luncheon meeting of the Santa Cruz chapter of the Monterey Bay International Trade Association addressing exporting opportunities in Asia.
Xuejun said since the late 1970s, when leader Deng Xiaoping took power and opened the country to international trade and laid the foundation for rapid development, China has experienced massive growth.
"Twenty-five years ago," he said, "China’s gross domestic product was $147 billion; in 2003, it was $1.4 trillion, a tenfold increase."
China is now the world’s seventh largest economy. Foreign trade has increased dramatically, Xuejun said, going from close to $200 billion in 1997 to $850 billion last year, making it the fourth largest trading nation in the world.
With the United States being China’s third largest exporting market, the two countries are becoming increasingly important trade partners, Xuejun said. However, he said, there are outstanding issues, including the current trade imbalance in China’s favor.
Another speaker, Sheridan Tatsuno of Aptos-based Dreamscape Global, a provider of market research, business strategy and other services that has helped many companies expand into Japan and China, gave tips to breaking into the Japanese information technology market, which he said will reach $260 billion in 2009.
"Japan
is a hard market to crack if you’re not willing to do the homework,"
he said.
Specific tips included finding a Japanese partner or adviser, studying Japanese market trends and visiting Tokyo with a consultant.
Other speakers at the event gave overviews of the intellectual property regime in Hong Kong, high-tech marketing in Asian markets, consumer trends in China and corresponding marketing strategies.
Contact Gwen Mickelson at gmickelson@santacruzsentinel.com
Franz L.
Helbig, Partner