| West Virginia World Trader |
September 2004 |
| Council News | In This Issue Click on sponsor links to learn more
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| Message
from the Chairman September started off with good news for West Virginia exports. Once again, our state is a national leader in exporting. You can read all about it in our State Notes section. Also this month, my company FCX Systems was featured in a Washington Times story on the topic of exporting by small and medium sized American companies. We’ve included the full text so you can read more. Our Exporter Profile features Dyna-Tech Adhesives. The company recently received the Governor's Commendation for International Market Entry. If your company has recently entered a new market, please fill out the online form we’ve provided in the Exporter Profile section to participate. The National District Export Council Conference in Memphis this October is coming up fast so if you’re planning to attend but have not yet registered to attend, please use the online registration form for an easy sign-up by clicking here. |
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| State Notes |  |
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WEST VIRGINIA Exports Grow More Than Three Times The National Average West Virginia's exports showed a 46 percent increase during the first half of 2004 over the same period last year, according to U.S. Department of Commerce figures. West Virginia exported $1.75 billion in products during the first six months of 2004 compared to $1.2 billion in exports during the first six months of 2003. This 46.79 percent increase exceeded the U.S. growth of 13.6 percent during the same period. Only four other states experienced a higher growth rate than West Virginia. The export growth spanned a variety of industrial sectors and geographic regions. Export of electrical machinery, automotive components, aircraft parts and other manufactured products showed significant improvement. The export of West Virginia's commodities such as coal, chemicals, plastic resins, hardwoods and steel also demonstrated impressive gains. Of West Virginia's top 10 markets, Mexico, Brazil, Japan, Italy and Taiwan showed the most dramatic growth. Local companies sell to the world Don Gallion always knew his company would have to look beyond West Virginia’s borders to prosper, but he quickly learned that it would have to look beyond the U.S. borders as well. Read more... |
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| Federal Update |  |
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| Oil and Gas Equipment and Services Trade Mission to Southeast Asia, December 6-14, 2004 - Pre-screened business appointments, strategic meetings with government and industry decision makers, and ground support from the U.S. Embassy will position your company to maximize opportunities in Asia's fast-growing markets for oil and gas equipment and services. Participants in this timely Commercial Service Trade Mission to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Singapore, and Hanoi, Vietnam, will also benefit from a bonus company promotion at the USA Pavilion at OSEA, 2004, the leading oil and gas trade show for the Asia/Pacific region. Spaces are filling up fast. Contact: Matthew Wright: 202-482-2567 or email: matthew.wright@mail.doc.gov CENTRAL & EASTERN EUROPE AND THE NIS: 2004 SABIT GRANT PROGRAM - $1.5 million in Grant funding is available to U.S. companies and organizations. SABIT offers competitive grants to cover a share of the costs of hosting mid- to-senior level Eurasian managers and scientists for three to six months of hands-on professional training in U.S. business, research, and technology development practices. The SABIT Grants Program encourages U.S. exports and investment into Eurasia and assists economic restructuring by facilitating public-private partnerships between the U.S. and Eurasian scientific and business communities. Applications will be available the first week in February. For further information please contact Patrick Brennan at 202.482.2077 or at Patrick_Brennan@ita.doc.gov Office of Global Trade Programs' Trade Events List:
AFGHANISTAN and IRAQ: Reconstruction Opportunities:
For further information please contact the Iraq Investment and Reconstruction Task Force (IIRTF) with any questions at (202) 482-3011 or online at www.export.gov/iraq
Nominations are being sought for Small Business Person of the Year, Entrepreneurial Success, SBA Family-Owned Small Business, SBA Young Entrepreneur (under age 30), Financial Services Advocate, Home-based Business Advocate, Minority Small Business Advocate, Small Business Exporter, Small Business Journalist, Veteran Small Business Advocate, and Women in Business Advocate Awards. Advocates are individuals who have fulfilled a commitment to the advancement of small business opportunities for their respective groups through their professional activities. If you would like to nominate a deserving small business owner or advocate that fits one of the above categories or need additional information, contact the SBA at (304) 623-5631 or 1-800-767-8052 ext. 8 and ask for a nomination form and information on Small Business Week 2005. You can also request information by email at wvinfo@sba.gov or download a nomination package at the West Virginia District Office’s web site at www.sba.gov/wv. Completed forms must be received in the West Virginia District Office by the close of business on Friday, December 10, 2004. |
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| Exporter Profile | |||||||
Richard Oldack, President of Dyna-Tech Adhesives, accepted an award from the West Virginia Development Office recently in recognition of the company’s first export sales to Thailand. Pictured are (from left) Leslie Drake, Deputy Director, International Division, of the Development Office; David Allen, Jenny Weaver, and Richard Oldack. – photo by Roseann Hurst GRAFTON – Leslie Drake, Deputy Director, International Division, of the West Virginia Development Office in Charleston, visited Dyna-Tech Adhesives Friday morning, Sept. 3, to present an award to the company. Richard Oldack, President of Dyna-Tech Adhesives, accepted the Governor’s Commendation for International Market Entry award recognizing the company for its first export sales to Thailand. “Dyna-Tech is being recognized for their first sale to Thailand,” said Drake. “They’d had no previous export sales there.” The award, which was initially awarded last September, contains a piece of Thai currency in recognition of Dyna-Tech’s initial export of products to that country. “This program began in 2002 to recognize a company’s effort in expanding international sales,” noted Drake. “This helps aid the job market with export sales to new countries.” “We’d love to see Dyna-Tech have a whole wall of these awards.” If your company has recently entered a new market, we’d like you to participate in an upcoming official award ceremony. Just fill out your online form and submit it to the West Virginia Development Office of International Trade by clicking here. |
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| Featured Market | |||||||
WV companies can participate in a privately sponsored mission in which Florida companies are involved. This mission is being organized by former WV legislator, Kelly Given. For details and information on signing up: Click Here |
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| Global Roundup |  |
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| Foreign Corrupt Practices Act – U.S. Firms seeking to do business in foreign markets must be familiar with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). The FCPA prohibits U.S. companies from making corrupt payments to foreign officials for the purpose of obtaining or keeping business. Criminal or civil penalties may be imposed for violations of the FCPA’s anti-bribery provisions. In addition, a person or firm found in violation may be barred from doing business with the Federal government and may be ruled ineligible to receive export licenses. For more information, visit www.bisnis.doc... Intellectual Property Rights in China - The U.S. Embassy in China recently launched the “IPR Tool Kit” to guide American companies, particularly small and medium-size, on the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights in China. Included in the guide are chapters on Intellectual Property Rights, Copyrights, Patents, Trademarks, and Industry Specific Issues. To view, click here.
The program provides importers expedited release for qualifying low-risk commercial shipments. FAST cuts truck-wait times from an average of two hours down to approximately 20 minutes. Companies may apply for participation in the program by proving that their facilities are secure and that their shipments are low-risk. For details, log on to the U.S. Customs & Border Protection website. Export Alert! Service - This “Free” web-based service provides U.S. industry with the opportunity to review and comment on proposed foreign technical regulations that can affect your businesses. Members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) are required under the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT Agreement) to report proposed technical regulations that may affect trade to the WTO Secretariat, who in turn distributes them to all WTO Members. You may register by going to: http://ts.nist.gov/... |
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| West
Virginia World Trader produced by Capitol City Communications. |
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Beijing 2008 Olympics Hot Sheet – Games-related Trade Leads Available - The U.S. Department of Commerce in Beijing publishes an electronic newsletter highlighting business opportunities relating to the 2008 Olympic Games as news becomes available. U.S.-based companies interested in this mailing list should send an email with full contact information and business scope to 
Promote Your Products/Services for Free to Eurasian Companies – BISNIS’ ExpoLink Eurasia (ELE) enables U.S. companies to promote goods and services to Russian-speaking clients throughout Eurasia, post a company profile and product information on the BISNIS Russian-language web site at no cost, and be part of the ELE online searchable database, which receives up to 300,000 hits per month. For more information, go to:
SBA - The U.S. Small Business Administration’s West Virginia District Office is soliciting nominations for Small Business Week 2005. The nomination deadline is Friday, December 10, 2004.
Dyna-Tech recognized for first export sales to Thailand 
India 
Mexican Border Clearance