The Valley International Trade Association Newsletter

September 2009

VITA's mission is to promote the Greater San Fernando Valley as a leader in international trade by providing our members with valuable resources, informational programs, and referral assistance and networking opportunities.

VITA Global Networking Breakfast

"Foreign Trade Zones"

Date: Wednesday - September 16, 2009

Time: 7:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.

Location: The Valley Economic Alliance

5121 Van Nuys Blvd., 2nd Floor

BFG Board Room

Sherman Oaks, CA 91403

Our confirmed speakers are Mr. Masashi Morimoto, Assistant Director of Marketing, The Port of Los Angeles and Mr. David Harlow, President and CEO of ITC-Diligence, Inc. Mr. Morimoto and Mr. Harlow will provide an overview on the topic of Foreign Trade Zones and how your business can benefit. Register and find out more at our website www.vitainternational.org. For additional information, please call Darcy Winters at 818-379-7000 x109.

Member Price: $20.00

Non-Member Price: $25.00

2nd Annual Green Trade Network Summit

Sustainable Cities of the 21st Century Conference

Date: Fri. Sept 25, 2009
Time: 9:00am - 5:00pm
Location: Cocoanut Grove, 400 Beach Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060

Cost: $89.00

(ONLINE REGISTRATION at www.mbita.org/greentradenetwork/summit2009.html)
Multiple registration discounts available
At the door: $10 surcharge CASH OR CHECKS ONLY
RESERVATIONS REQUIRED - Call 831-335-4780
The 2nd Annual 'Green Trade Network Summit - Sustainable Cities of the 21st Century' conference to be held in Santa Cruz on September 25, 2009.

The groundbreaking efforts of Masdar City in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates and new eco-city efforts in China and other parts of the world are examples of projects that are establishing a worldwide trend of developing new sustainable cities of the 21st Century. Great opportunities exist for Green small to mid-sized enterprises to supply technologies, services and products for these historical undertakings.

The 2nd annual Green Trade Network Summit will feature panels, presentations and guest appearances from the leaders of break-through products and services in air and water purification, green construction, waste management and renewable energy and how they can be used in our existing infrastructures and for the new Sustainable Cities of the 21st Century.

Please go to http://www.mbita.org/greentradenetwork/summit2009.html for registration, agenda, speaker bios and sponsorship/exhibit information.

Be Part of California's Trade Mission to Chile

Date: September 26-30, 2009
Cost: $2,200.00

ProChile, The California Chamber of Commerce, The Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, the Centers for International Trade Development, and the U.S. Department of Commerce to take a delegation of California companies to Chile for a trade mission.

Why Chile?

Chile has one of the fastest growing economies in Latin America with many opportunities for California companies. Moreover, as one of the most promising markets in the region for a variety of U.S. goods and services, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce, Chile holds an important commercial influence in South America. Chile's market led reforms and an increasingly diversified economy offer a viable option for U.S. exporters operating in a wide range of industries.

The trade mission will also include:

Meetings with Chilean officials
Luncheon with Secretary Gary Locke of the U.S. Department of Commerce
Briefings on the Chilean economy and how to do business in Latin America
Customized business matchmaking meetings

Targeted California Business Sectors
Renewable Energy (solar, water, alternative fuels)

Agriculture
Tourism
Education
Infrastructure
Manufacturing

Businesses expanding their trade opportunities is a key component to economic recovery. It is for this reason, the State of California is partnering with an already open business climate between the two countries.

For more information please contact Eloisa Klementich, Assistant Deputy Secretary for Economic Development, State of California. Phone: 916-261-5034, E-mail: eklementich@bth.ca.gov.

South Africa Trade & Investment Development Conference

October 28 - 29, 2009

Gathers Strategies, Inc. seeks to identify and engage Valley International Trade Association (VITA) member companies and San Fernando Valley entrepreneurs that may wish to facilitate trade, investment and strategic partnerships in South Africa.

As a result of our long standing involvement and engagement in U.S. - Africa policy, trade and investment and our work on behalf of California companies seeking to develop new opportunities in South Africa, Gathers Strategies, Inc. has been selected to participate in an invite only trade and investment conference in Johannesburg, South Africa - The Africa Dialogue 2009 - taking place October 28- 29. This important conference will include discussions with the new government leadership in South Africa, the leadership of all nine provinces, and leading companies and business and trade organizations.

This trip is an opportunity to advance the interests of California companies seeking to identify and develop opportunities in South Africa and will leverage key relationships in South Africa to also undertake specific market research and business development on behalf of a select number of firms while there.

While the requirements for each project sponsor might differ, our goal is to deliver:

An update/overview of South Africa's current macro political and economic climate;
Relevant information on the status of certain economic sectors and specific opportunities that relate to the clients we are representing;
Identification of and meetings with relevant counterparts in the sectors relevant to the project issues of our clients;
A final report tailored to each client sponsor upon return from South Africa with recommended action plans.

For further information about this opportunity and to discuss your project need, and costs associated with this research and development trip, please contact Dwayne Gathers at 213-291-6199 (direct) or dgathers@gathersstrategies.com.

Armenia's Global High-Tech Industry Business Conference

Connect with Armenia's Emerging High-Tech Industry Explore Investment Opportunities

Date: November 5 - 8, 2009

Location: The Fairmont Hotel, San Jose, CA

Officially adopted by the Republic of Armenia as its global high-tech industry business conference and platform, ArmTech Congress is designed to further the success of Armenia's high-tech industry, a priority in the country's progressive economic development program. ArmTech Congress '09 strengthens the cooperation and collaboration among the high-tech and business communities in Armenia and Diaspora including, USA, Canada, Western Europe, S. America, Russia and Middle East, and examines the challenges and opportunities for the high-tech industry in a dynamic global economy.

ArmTech Congress '09 takes place in the heart of Silicon Valley, highlighting the synergy and connections between the region that is technology's acknowledged world leader and Armenia's drive to become a top high-tech destination.

The four-day conference program includes session tracks addressing critical high-tech industry and business topics, and renowned keynote speakers including:

The Honorable Tigran Sargsyan, Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia,The Honorable Nerses Yeritsyan, Minister of Economy of RA,Joe Simitian, California State Senator,Dr. Chi-Foon Chan, President and chief Operating Officer of Synopsys Inc.Daniel Mahoney, President & CEO, Renesas Technology America

How Can You Benefit from the Conference?

Network with global high- tech leaders & innovators
Learn from conference tracks & social events
Connect with peers from around the world
Enjoy Armenian culture and food
Experience the ArmTech awards program

For further information and registration, please visit www.armtechcongress.com.

India Insight

Executives and Entrepreneurs interested in foreign trade here in Southern California should look more closely at India for two good reasons.

First, on August 17, Steven Spielberg and colleagues were finally able to pull in their piece of financing so that Indian billionaire Anil Ambani can now invest $325 million into taking Dreamworks independent of Paramount Pictures. Ambani has placed his financial wizard, Amitabh Jhunjunwala, on the board of the new Dreamworks. Along with the earlier success of Slumdog Millionaire, this marks the beginning of a serious love affair between Hollywood and Bollywood (the moniker for India's entertainment business). Many more opportunities will follow, for agile Southern Californians.

Second,Boeing's defense systems group has won a $2.1 billion dollar order for the P-8 Orion surveillance aircraft from India. India is also buying helicopters, transport aircraft, radars, armored personnel carriers and much more. Raytheon, Boeing, Lockheed, Northrop and many other large companies are bidding. But equally important will be the opportunities for Tier 2 and 3 aerospace suppliers which dot Southern California's manufacturing landscape. India may spend over $50 billion on defense acquisitions in the next ten years.

If you need to do business with India, you must take time to understand the country and its business culture.

Article by Management Consultant and author Gunjan Bagla, Managing Director of Amritt Ventures, Inc.

Website With International Touch

By Ayse Oge

According to Silicon Valley marketing expert and author of "Jump Point," Tom Hayes, the number of Internet users around the world will reach three billion by the year 2011. While English is the predominant language on the web (used by 800 million people), InternetWorldStats.com indicates Japanese, French, German, Arabic, Portuguese, Korean and Italian make up of 78% of all users. Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East are at the forefront of tremendous growth in terms of internet usage and potential markets for your products and services.

Businesses aimed at crafting international websites should start with universal principles of providing value in their offerings and communicating a simple and acceptable message that resonates with global customers. An appealing and internationally user-friendly website includes the right and appropriate images, along with meaningful content and colors that are not offensive to its prospective clients around the world. Web globalization is a team effort in bringing together both the company executives and local markets and consumers to create a palatable message to the intended international audiences.

Here are some tips to consider in building a global website:

Be sensitive to cultural nuances, use metaphors, and develop a slogan that reflects your global outreach. Cisco's "Human Network Effect" is a great example of a powerful slogan.
Use pictures and stories to generate an emotional connection and capture both the heads and hearts of international web visitors.
Include testimonials from internationally known prominent people who use your products. If you have been written up in a well-known publication, include a short piece on your front page.
If you decide to use automated translation, make sure your web content is reviewed by local professionals.
Let your international customers know the duties and shipping procedures ahead of time. Include UPS and FedEx international shipping rates on your site in a drop-down box, so your clients don't get sticker shock when they check out.
Allow for hidden costs such as filling out custom forms, collecting payment and fraudulent practices on credit cards in different parts of the world.
Take into account different laws pertaining to intellectual property and consumer protection.
Seek advice and guidance from local representatives in selecting the right words and phrases to maximize your search engine optimization in the target region and country.
Utilize Web Site Translation services that will help your company to stand out in foreign markets. You need to shop around to find the best language service provider, given the needs and expectations of your international customers.

Creating a website that transcends borders and remains functional to global consumers is a rewarding undertaking, and it will pay off handsomely in contributing to the revenues of your firm.

Ayse Oge is President of Ultimate Trade, International Trade Consulting, Speaking and Training. She can be reached by oge@earthlink.net
www.goglobaltowin.com

Resources

U.S. Commercial Service

Founded in 1980, the U.S. Commercial Service is an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce, which assists U.S. companies, particularly small and medium-sized businesses with sales in international markets. Our network includes 107 U.S. Export Assistance Centers throughout the United States and more than 150 offices overseas in 87 countries. Visit the U.S. government's export portal at http://www.export.gov.

Buy USA E-Newsletter

The U.S. Department of Commerce Commercial Service has an excellent E-newsletter Asia Now eNews. Please refer to the following website to subscribe www.buyusa.gov/asianow/enews.html. Each month there is a detailed article on a featured country as well as reports on needs in various Asian countries for US products and services, and information about trade shows and events throughout the region.

GlobalCalifornia.com

On-line resource directory of public and private sector global trade related organizations. GlobalCalifornia.com is currently a simple online directory for California's dynamic trade promotion and investment community based on industry sectors, such as, legal, trade finance, marketing, educational, logistics and other sectors in global trade. Eventually, the website will employ a sophisticated searching mechanism through a natural language query interface to identify qualified online sources of information and solutions in California, combined with the ability for the user to summon on-demand online support in real time or offline through the California Trade Partners network.

VITA and MBITA are currently offering exclusive sponsorship opportunities for GlobalCalifornia.com. Please contact Tony Livoti at 831-335-4780 or by e-mail: tlivoti@mbita.org to get on the ground floor of California's premiere gateway to global trade.

TradePort

California's Gateway to Global Trade

TradePort is a cooperating partner of VITA and a repository of free information and resources for businesses that seek to conduct international trade to and from California. Created in 1996, TradePort is backed by an alliance of regional trade associations that assist California export and import businesses. Includes information on California Trade Statistics, TradePort Network, Export & Import Tutorials, Online Trade Services, Market Research, and a Trade Library. Go to www.tradeport.org.

CalTrade Report