MWTC E-News July 25, 2007

1. Trade Center Mission Set for South America

2. Lean Manufacturing Workshop, 7/26, Bozeman, Montana

3. TRAINING: Import/Export Basics (International Trade Alliance – SPOKANE)

4. TRAINING: REACH – Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals (International Trade Alliance – SPOKANE)

5. Bresnan’s Business Incubator: YOU COULD QUALIFY FOR A $10,000 ADVERTISING GRANT

6. The U.S. Small Business Administration announces the SBA’s Patriot Express Pilot Loan Initiative for veterans and members of the military

7. EcoStar Montana Pollution Prevention Program

8. Department of Defense (DoD) TechMatch: A web-based portal designed to provide industry and academia a Department of Defense-sponsored solution

9. Missoula Area Business and Expansion or BEAR Project (see attachment for more information)

10. Missoula Children’s Theatre (MCT) International Tour Documentary

11. Standards and Product Certification in the European Union (USCS e-market express)

12. SEARCH FOR TRADE SHOWS AT BIZTRADESHOWS (compliments of FITA newsletter)

13. DOING BUSINESS IN THE EUROPEAN UNION SUCCESSFULLY (compliments of FITA newsletter)

14. U.S. Exporters Urged to Aggressively Market to Sub-Saharan Africa (EXIM BANK)

15. The Export Yellow Pages (EXIM Bank newsletter)

16. Trade Finance Guide (EXIM newsletter)

17. Small Business Portal & Interactive CD (EXIM newsletter)

18. Small Business Exporter Resource Guide (EXIM newsletter)

19. Small Business Specialists Directory (New!)(EXIM newsletter)

20. Need a Trade Finance Consultant at No Cost? (EXIM newsletter)

July 23, 2007

Contact: Megan Harrington, Montana World Trade Center, 406-243-6982.

1. TRADE CENTER MISSION SET FOR SOUTH AMERICA

MISSOULA –

The Montana World Trade Center at The University of Montana and U.S. Rep. Denny Rehberg will lead a trade mission to South America Aug. 11-18. Stops are planned for Buenos Aires, Argentina; Sao Paulo, Brazil; and Santiago, Chile.

The mission will help Montana business cultivate new markets and develop stronger relationships with existing clients through prearranged one-on-one meetings.

MWTC Executive Director Arnie Sherman believes the mission should result in more products and services exported to South America.

“I expect great success for Montana businesses in these key markets and appreciate Congressman Rehberg’s willingness to lead our delegation,” he said. “The level of meetings and access to decision-makers is greatly enhanced when a member of the congressional delegation is an active participant.”

Rehberg will be available to attend business meetings with companies on the trip. He also will meet with government and industry officials interested in forging business ties with Montana.

Montana companies and groups involved in the mission are MSE Technology Applications, Globalization Partners International, Corporate Air, TowHaul/Smith Equipment, Evergreen International Inc., Corvallis Feed and Seed/Commercial Machine Services, Wood’s Powr-Grip, bioLytical Laboratories, TSI Health Sciences, the Montana Environmental and Engineering Consortium, the Montana Manufacturing Extension Center, the UM Legal Counsel and the Montana Export Assistance Center.

MWTC is a UM program operating in cooperation with universities throughout Montana. It helps state businesses establish or strengthen their international commercial capabilities.

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MH/cbs

Local, dailies

072307mwtc

2. Lean Manufacturing Workshop, 7/26, Bozeman, MT
8:00 AM
MMEC home office, 2310 University Way, building 2

The Montana Manufacturing Extension Center (MMEC) at Montana State University is offering a one-day workshop on Lean Manufacturing to be held in Bozeman on Thursday, July 26. The training, "Play the Lean Game," is designed for owners, operations and production supervisors, product engineers and other lead employees.

The workshop will be held at the MMEC home office, 2310 University Way, building 2, in the business complex south of the MSU stadium. The workshop cost is $150 and pre-registration is required. Lunch with peers is provided.

The training combines interactive classroom presentation and discussion with a live, simulated factory application of Lean concepts. The course will be taught by certified Lean trainer, Mark Shyne, an MMEC field engineer.

Follow-up assistance on implementing Lean techniques is available through MMEC, a statewide outreach center in the MSU College of Engineering.

For more information, call MMEC at 406-994-3812 or click the "training" link at http://www.mtmanufacturingcenter.com for course details and online registration.

Contact: Deborah S. Nash, Montana Manufacturing Extension Center, 406-994-3812, or [email protected]

http://www.montana.edu/cpa/news/nwview.php?article=4960

Contact: 406-994-3812 or click the "training" link at http://www.mtmanufacturingcenter.com

3. TRAINING: Import/Export Basics (International Trade Alliance – SPOKANE):

August 16, 9 AM – 2 PM, SRBC, 801 W. Riverside. This program will focus on transportation and customs brokerage issues. Go to http://www.intrade.org/intrade/uploads/pdf%20files_new/import%20basics%20flyer.pdf for all of the details.

4. TRAINING: REACH – Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals (International Trade Alliance – SPOKANE):

August 23, 8 AM – 12 PM, SRBC, 801 W. Riverside. Any company that exports products or is a supplier to the European Union market must comply with these new regulations. Go to http://www.intrade.org/intrade/uploads/pdf%20files_new/reach%20flyer.pdf for all of the details.

5. Bresnan’s Business Incubator: YOU COULD QUALIFY FOR A $10,000 ADVERTISING GRANT

Do you have an idea for a new business that won’t go away? Do you see yourself building a new and different life? Maybe all you need is someone to give you a hand. Maybe all you need is someone who believes you can do it. Maybe all you need is a mentor. That’s what the Bresnan Business Incubator is all about. Our company believes in the power of entrepreneurship. We know what it means to start small and move forward. We know the important contributions even the smallest of businesses can make to the life of a community. We know because we started that way ourselves. Now we’d like to help you do the same.

Working in partnership with Montana’s regional economic development organizations and your community’s Small Business Development Center, Bresnan will provide grants and other financial incentives to help you turn that idea into a business. With our proven skills in communications, advertising and marketing, we will help you promote your fledgling business and provide a boost during its crucial early stage. We will share our knowledge and experience and add a big dose of encouragement along the way. Let the Bresnan Business Incubator transform your idea into a success story. With the State of Montana and Bresnan behind you, you’ll be off to a flying start.

http://www.bresnanbusinessincubator.com/

6. The U.S. Small Business Administration announces the SBA’s Patriot Express Pilot Loan Initiative for veterans and members of the military

The U.S. Small Business Administration has announced the SBA’s Patriot Express Pilot Loan Initiative for veterans and members of the military community wanting to establish or expand small businesses.

Eligible military community members include:

· Veterans

· Service-disabled veterans

· Active-duty service members eligible for the military’s Transition Assistance Program

· Reservists and National Guard members

· Current spouses of any of the above

· The widowed spouse of a service member or veteran who died during service or of a service-connected disability

· The SBA and its resource partners are focusing additional efforts on counseling and training to augment this loan initiative.

To learn more about the Patriot Express Initiative go to http://www.sba.gov/patriotexpress/index.html

7. EcoStar Montana Pollution Prevention Program

Is your small business/organization taking environmentally friendly steps to reduce waste, maximize efficiency and create a safer work environment? The EcoStar Awards Program can give you the public recognition you deserve! Go to http://www.mtp2.org/ecostar.shtml to learn more.

8. Department of Defense (DoD) TechMatch: A web-based portal designed to provide industry and academia a Department of Defense-sponsored solution
DoD TechMatch is a web-based portal designed to provide industry and academia a Department of Defense-sponsored solution to find Research & Development Opportunities, Licensable Patents, and information on approximately 120 DoD Labs located across the United States. Registered users will receive a daily e-mail taking them to their matching R&D opportunities from FedBizOpps, Grants.gov, and SBIR/STTR solicitations; Calendar events; and Licensable Patents relevant to your business. To learn more visit http://www.dodtechmatch.com/DOD/index.aspx

9. Missoula Area Business and Expansion or BEAR Project (see attachment for more information)

Missoula downtown businesses can benefit from the Missoula Area Business and Expansion or BEAR Project.

The program provides existing business with cost free advice and information while also expediting access to a variety of business resources and tools. “This type of service can be especially beneficial to downtown businesses, the majority of which are relatively small enterprises”, explained BEAR Program Manager, Tom Gorman, who is a Business Consultant with the Missoula Job Services Workforce Center. These are business owners, he explained, who don’t typically have extra time to wade through the economic development system searching for the services which match up with the opportunities they see for their business.

“What we’ve done is bring those services under one tent,” Gorman said. “We bring the system to the business rather than having the business wander around in the system”

The BEAR Advisory Team is composed of volunteer experts from throughout the economic development, education, business and workforce communities and includes the Missoula Downtown Association. These volunteers take turns in conducting face to face interviews with business owners to determine their particular desire for information, advice or access to business programs. They also collect information about business owner’s thoughts on issues such as infrastructure, business climate, and municipal services. All individual business information is held in strict confidentiality.

“Paying attention to the health and prosperity of our existing businesses is the most important economic development policy we can adopt.”, said Gorman. “There’s great things happening in Missoula’s downtown community and we need to make sure that our business partners there have the tools to capitalize on every opportunity.”

By TYLER CHRISTENSEN of the Missoulian
A new program designed to give local businesses a boost is now available in Missoula as part of a statewide economic development network called the Montana Business Expansion and Retention, or BEAR, Project.
The program provides existing businesses with advice, information and access to other resources through a group of volunteer experts, explained Tom Gorman, program manager for the Missoula Area BEAR Program.
This type of service is especially helpful in a state like Montana, where the majority of businesses are small ones. In Missoula, he said, roughly 90 percent of businesses are small enterprises with eight or fewer employees, and small businesses don’t typically have extra time to wade through the economic development system searching for the services that match their needs.
“What we’ve done is bring those services under one tent,” Gorman said. “We bring the system to them, rather than have them wander around in the system.”
The program sends a couple of interviewers to each business to take stock of its particular needs and collect information about Missoula’s economic climate, he explained. That general data will be compiled and used to help give the business community a voice, he added, but information about particular businesses and their activities is held in strict confidentially.
So far, volunteers from 18 local organizations have stepped forward to provide assistance and advice, he said. The Missoula program has already completed eight interviews and has five more in the works. It’s one-year goal, Gorman said, is to conduct 60 interviews.
The businesses they’ve worked with range in size from two employees to 350, and cut across a number of industries, including the nonprofit, manufacturing and retail sectors.
While the program’s ability to provide substantial guidance to large, national businesses is questionable, Gorman said, the program is open to any and all businesses, and input from every business is valuable. The difference between BEAR and many other economic development tools, he said, is that it doesn’t just ask questions. It also provides answers.
The BEAR Program has already been tested in Billings, Kalispell, Great Falls and Butte, and this week the Governor’s Office of Economic Development, Montana Department of Commerce and the Montana Economic Developers Association (MEDA) announced communities across the state would be privy to the program.
Previously, each community in Montana had to pay up to $10,000 a year to use the program and its software, which is provided by a North American firm called ExecutivePulse. The state agreed to pay $65,000 for the first year and $25,000 a year for the next three years in order to make the program available to communities across the state.
The statewide effort will be managed by the Montana Economic Development Association, which created a working group devoted to the program, explained Pamela Haxby-Cote, senior economic development specialist with the Governor’s Office of Economic Development in Helena.
“It’s really a good program,” she said. “It’s good to be out there knocking on business’s doors and asking them what they think is important to them, and see if there’s any way we can help.”
Billings became the first community in Montana to use the program in 2001, explained Linda Beck, director of business outreach and recruitment for Big Sky Economic Development Corporation. Her team heads the Billings BEAR Program.
The Billings program has since interviewed about 200 different businesses, Beck said.
The Missoula team aims to complete 60 interviews within one year, Gorman said.
The basic idea is to complement efforts to recruit new businesses to Montana with a program that supports existing businesses and helps them grow, said Anne Iverson, a program administrator for BEAR and director of the Small Business Development Center at the Montana Community Development Corporation.
“There’s so much that’s going right,” Iverson said. “Let’s capitalize on that and keep the momentum going. I think that’s what BEAR is going to do.”

For information about the Missoula Area Business Extension and Retention Program, contact program manager Tom Gorman at 406.542.5768 or [email protected] or Jessica Winn at 406.728.9234 or [email protected].

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10. Missoula Children’s Theatre (MCT) International Tour Documentary

Greetings from Missoula!

We are very excited to tell you that a documentary is in the works about the Missoula Children’s Theatre International Tour! The independent film company of Tree & Sky Media has been working on this for over a year and they are in the final stages of editing. I invite you to visit the website http://www.thelittleredtruck.com where you can learn about the filmmakers, the plans for distribution and view the 4-minute trailer they have prepared. It is not the final version of a made-for-the-big-screen trailer, but it offers a good look at the project.

Thank you for allowing me to share this with you and please feel free to share this with any and all of your friends and colleagues!

Best regards,

Terri

Ms. Terri Elander
International & Public Relations Director
Missoula Children’s Theatre
200 North Adams Street
Missoula, MT 59802
[email protected]
http://www.mctinc.org
ph/ 406-728-1911, ext 232
fax/ 406-721-0637
cell/ 406-360-1143

Visit http://www.thelittleredtruck.com for information on the soon-to-be-released documentary film about MCT’s International Tour!

11. Standards and Product Certification in the European Union (USCS e-market express)

http://buyusainfo.net/docs/x_4446172.pdf

12. SEARCH FOR TRADE SHOWS AT BIZTRADESHOWS (compliments of FITA newsletter)
Trade Show Directory

http://www.biztradeshows.com

Early in my career I worked for an advertising industry magazine, and I went to several trade shows. I came home with sore feet from standing so much, a pocket full of business cards, and a feeling that I had met almost every important person in the industry. Trade shows are crucial for making contact with customers, prospects, buyers, sellers, and a host of other people who may be important to your business, and they’re even more important for international trade. A great way to find out about upcoming trade shows worldwide is to visit BizTradeShows (http://www.biztradeshows.com ). You can browse shows by industry, city, country, date, or by the name of the trade show organizer. When you find a show you’re interested in, you can read the details about it, contact the organizer, or send inquiries about signing up to be an exhibitor or attendee. This is definitely a site to bookmark if you’re interested in trade shows.

13. DOING BUSINESS IN THE EUROPEAN UNION SUCCESSFULLY (compliments of FITA newsletter)
EU Business Guide

http://www.buyusa.gov/europeanunion

The European Union is second only to the United States in GDP (purchasing power parity) and imports, and it leads the world in exports. Speaking of imports, there are 500 million consumers in the EU, and that’s a market you simply can’t ignore. If you want to learn more about the EU, you’ll find a lot of helpful resources at the U.S. Commercial Service Doing Business In The European Union ( http://www.buyusa.gov/europeanunion ) site. There are links to: EU standards & regulations; where to find EU grants, tenders & financing; reports on various sectors of the EU market; trade documents; lists of businesses who can provide services to companies wishing to enter the EU market; the latest news & information. This is an important site for anyone who wants to do business in the EU.

14. U.S. Exporters Urged to Aggressively Market to Sub-Saharan Africa (EXIM BANK)

JUNE 11, 2007
Contact: Marianna Ohe, (202) 565-3200

U.S. EXPORTERS URGED TO AGGRESSIVELY MARKET TO SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Members of the sub-Saharan Africa Advisory Committee (SAAC) of the Export-Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) called on U.S. companies to sell more aggressively to sub-Saharan markets. The recommendation was made during the group’s quarterly meeting at Ex-Im Bank headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Ex-Im Bank Chairman and President James H. Lambright said the Bank is committed to financing U.S. exports to sub-Saharan Africa, but "the first requirement is for U.S. companies to successfully sell into the region." Lambright noted frequent remarks by potential African buyers who want American companies to be more aggressive in their markets.

Exports to Africa from the United States in 2006 totaled $12.2 billion, an increase of almost $2.8 billion over the previous year. In 2006, Ex-Im Bank financed $532 million in U.S. exports to Africa through 145 transactions. While the United States remains Africa’s largest trading partner, China’s trade with Africa has grown 66% from 2004 to 2006 according to Sherry-Lee Singh, Director of Market Research and Member Services at the Corporate Council on Africa.

Singh said U.S. companies seeking to do business in Africa enjoy a number of strengths, including U.S. technological leadership in information and communication technology (ICT), oil and natural gas exploration and production, heavy equipment and other sectors. She said Americans enjoy brand positioning and are the preferred business partner for a number of African countries who value technology transfer, training and project expertise.

John W. Rauber, Jr., John Deere & Company’s director of international affairs, discussed his company’s strategy in assessing the critical factors to determine market emphasis. Is the market sustainable? Is there scale? Does the company have the right product offerings and the right distribution channels? Is there adequate financing as well as workforce quality and skills in the host country?

In Africa since 1962, using both dealer and distributor models, John Deere has been very successful in the African market, Rauber said. He expressed his optimism that John Deere’s on-going strategic review of the market will result in an even more aggressive marketing initiative over the next several years.

Diane Willkens, president and CEO of Development Finance International, Inc., suggested American companies need to include in their marketing strategies the investments being made by the World Bank and the African Development Bank in the region.

Willkens outlined the factors her company takes into account when recommending to a client that they should focus on any particular market: strength of the banking sector; the macro-economy of the country and per capita GDP; funding ranking and risk exposure level by the international financial institutions; the corruption index; quality of the basic infrastructure in the country; the specific product focus of the client and the percentage of the GDP for that product’s sector.

Last year, for the third year in a row, sub-Saharan Africa recorded growth in the 5 to 6 percent range. Growth this year is expected to increase by 6 to 7 percent. The World Resource Institute and the International Finance Corporation identified sector requirements in Africa as: Housing $42.9 billion, Energy $26.6 billion, Transportation $24.5 billion, Health $18 billion, ICT $4.4 billion, Water $5.7 billion and Food (seed, fertilizers, pesticides, farming equipment, irrigation systems, etc.) $215.1 billion.

Senior Vice President Fred Berger of The Louis Berger Group, the largest U.S. design engineering firm on the continent, said that American firms are often dissuaded by the relatively small size of projects in Africa, especially when it comes to consulting opportunities, but added that the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) is doing its job. Ms. Singh earlier said that AGOA trade has grown threefold to $44.2 billion since 2003. Non-oil AGOA growth has been much more moderate, increasing by just 3.6%. Berger expressed his industry’s view that U.S. companies’ being involved in the early project planning and design phase of projects places U.S. manufacturers in a competitive position at the procurement point.

Participants in the meeting concluded by reaffirming their belief that more U.S. companies need to become acquainted with business opportunities in sub-Saharan Africa. Ex-Im Bank Board member Joe Grandmaison said the U.S. government’s efforts are important – be it Ex-Im Bank’s willingness to accept additional risk or the Department of Commerce’s information and assistance becoming more transactional. However, Grandmaison stressed, "The first and most necessary step is the decision by U.S. corporate decision makers to commit themselves to the world’s last emerging market before it is too late."

Ex-Im Bank, an independent federal government agency, this year marks its 72nd year of helping finance the sale of U.S. exports, primarily to emerging markets throughout the world. The Bank last year authorized over $12.1 billion in export financing, including $3.8 billion to back U.S. small business exporters. Ex-Im Bank works with commercial lenders to help U.S. companies increase export sales and American jobs and minimize risk by accessing the Bank’s financing and export credit insurance.

Additional information on Ex-Im Bank is available on its web site – http://www.exim.gov – and companies interested specifically in the African market are encouraged to sign up on the web site for the periodic "Africa Update."

15. The Export Yellow Pages (EXIM Bank newsletter)

Is an easy first step to establish trade contacts, develop trade relationships, and conduct global business. U.S. companies are encouraged to register their business at The Export Yellow Pages (free) to start taking advantage of international trade opportunities today! Visit http://www.exportyellowpages.com

16. Trade Finance Guide (EXIM newsletter)

A quick-reference for U.S. exporters to help U.S. companies, especially small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), go to U.S. Departmnet of Commerce’s

Trade_Finance_Guide (pdf) at http://trade.gov/media/publications/pdf/trade_finance_guide2007.pdf.

17. Small Business Portal & Interactive CD (EXIM newsletter)

Designed to assist the non-financial manager in finding the trade finance solution that addresses his or her business

challenges. Visit the SmBizPortal at http://www.exim.gov/smallbiz/index.html. Order the free CD by e-mailing [email protected].

18. Small Business Exporter Resource Guide (EXIM newsletter)

A one-page flyer with active links to online government trade information available to exporters. To peruse, go to Small Business Resources at

http://www.exim.gov/smallbiz/docs/FLY-SBE-01.pdf.

19. Small Business Specialists Directory (New!)(EXIM newsletter)

A one-page directory with contact names, phone numbers and areas of expertise. Go to Small Business Specialists at http://www.exim.gov/contact/SmBizSpecialists.cfm.

20. Need a Trade Finance Consultant at No Cost? (EXIM newsletter)

Ex-Im Bank has trade-finance specialists in your region to assist with your particular export-finance challenges. Simply complete the ExporterResponse Form at http://www.exim.gov/marketing/enewsresponse.cfm.