Planning & Development
Read about upcoming Export events!
[ About ]
[ Services ]
[ Partners ]
[ 2010 Activities ] [ Why Export? ] [ Success Story ]
[ Testimonialsl ]
[ Market Access Grant ] [ Authorized Trade Representatives ]
[ Pennsylvania International Trade Guide ]
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Export Development Expo hosted by SPC, 2011 |
About Export Development
The goal of SPC’s Export Development Program is to provide assistance and create opportunities for Southwestern Pennsylvania companies to expand their business internationally, thereby increasing export sales and employment prospects in the region. SPC’s Export Development staff offers consultative services to small- and mid-sized businesses located throughout Southwestern Pennsylvania. SPC’s Export Development Program also sponsors and co-sponsors educational seminars and training programs designed for exporters and potential exporters in the region.
Services
Our services include:
- Export-readiness assessment
- Market identification and access strategies
- International market and industry research
- Trade show and event preparation
- Market Access Grant (MAG)
- Business etiquette and negotiation tactics
- Export documentation and other technical assistance
- Virtual Trade Advisor
Studies indicate that increased exports contribute significantly
to economic growth, yet most small- and mid-sized firms don’t
consider international business opportunities because they
lack trained personnel or have limited access to international
marketing resources. Publicly-funded export programs—like
SPC’s Export Development Program—provide assistance and
afford these companies the opportunity to be internationally
successful while contributing to our region’s economic growth.
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Export Development Expo hosted by SPC, 2011
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Partners
As the region’s Local Development District, SPC partners
with various state- and federally-funded organizations related
to international business development including:
• Duquesne University Small Business Development Center
• Department of Community and Economic Development,
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
• Saint Vincent College SBDC, Center for
Global Competitiveness
• U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Commercial Service
• U.S. Appalachian Regional Commission
In addition, SPC works with a global network of Authorized Trade Representatives representing the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania. These representatives provide market research
and other services from countries in Europe, Asia, Africa,
Australia, the Middle East, and North and South America.
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2010 Activities
As the nation undertakes efforts to double U.S. exports in the next five years, the growth of Pennsylvania exports during the first half of 2010 outpaced national exports by more than five percent. For Southwestern Pennsylvania, in the second half of 2010, reported export sales from SPC’s clients have increased over 20% from the same period last year. According to a study conducted by the Office of International Business Development of the PA Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED), Pennsylvania’s export development program has created or retained10,261 jobs and generated $53.3 million tax revenue for the Commonwealth in the past two years statewide. SPC’s Export Development program has contributed about 14% of that achievement. The program has been acknowledged as having one of the highest return-on-investment ratios in DCED.
In 2010, SPC’s Export Development program continued to meet the high demand for export assistance services from businesses in the region, many of which are now depending on international sales more than ever before. SPC’s Export Development program and the hands-on services it offers were vital to the exporters in this region for identifying their export markets and finding overseas distributors. SPC’s Export Development program served 219 companies including 27 new clients by completing over 300 export-related service requests. In 2010, staff assisted local companies in attending trade events, meeting overseas prospects, and receiving export development grants. SPC worked closely with our local export network partners to provide various export-related seminars and training events in the region to introduce companies to the export process. In 2010, client businesses reported $51.3 million export sales attributable to SPC’s Export Development services.
SPC export development staff & PA overseas trade representatives at PIW, September 2010
With limited resources, SPC’s Export Development program successfully hosted a large-scale PA International Week (PIW) in our region in September 2010. PIW is a signature annual event of DCED to promote Pennsylvania’s exports to the world by bringing overseas trade representatives from 21 countries to provide business counseling services to local companies that are interested in selling their products and services overseas. The event provided 220 appointments for agents from 53 local firms to meet one-on-one with PA trade representatives to discuss their export market potentials and opportunities. Many event attendees told SPC how valuable this program was in terms of assisting their export development needs.
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Export Development Expo hosted by SPC, 2011
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Why Export?
- Many studies and statistics show that exports contribute and often lead to economic growth. Although the Southwestern Pennsylvania region has substantial potential to export, the volume of the region's exports is significantly below the nation's average. As a result, export development has become an essential component of the region's economic growth.
- The average company in Southwestern Pennsylvania employs 16 people. Small firms often overlook international business opportunities because they lack trained personnel and international marketing knowledge. Publicly-funded export development programs provide assistance and opportunities to these small businesses, while increasing their chance for success.
- Southwestern Pennsylvania has witnessed a shift in industry, from traditional manufacturing to advanced manufacturing, technology and services. Export development is a crucial component for growth in these new clusters. Our program offers the necessary resources to companies in these industries, many of whom lack in-house international representation.
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Success Story
Randall Industries LLC, a small, veteran-owned chemical producer, is a new-to-export company. Although the company had over 20 years of production experience, the new owner didn’t have much experience in exporting and ran into difficulties with their pre-existing arrangement in Asia. After the company was referred to SPC by a Small Business Development Center, Export Development staff worked with PA trade offices in Asia to help Randall to establish a reliable distribution channel to Asian markets. After many meetings, conference calls, and emails, SPC staff helped Randall’s executives travel to Asia by obtaining a Market Access Grant from DCED to support the small company’s export development effort. The service helped not only to make Randall’s first trip to Asia easier, but also provided valuable assistance in terms of understanding the market, customers, business culture and practices in Asia.
Although the trip was less than a week, the result of the trip was significant to the company. During the trip in May 2010, Randall executives had opportunities to meet with several potential distributors and obtained first-hand information about the complex business relationships between new and existing partnerships. By July 2010, two months after the trip, the company awarded the exclusive distributorship to a carefully selected partner in Asia. In September 2010, Randall’s first export shipment arrived in Asia.
“This arrangement (exporting to Asia) will lead to additional jobs and opportunities here in Western Pennsylvania. We are looking to purchase new equipment and hiring additional plant workers and engaging contractors.” –Greg Spencer, President, Randall Industries LLC
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Testimonials
“SPC is always my first call for export questions and support. Staff are very quick to respond and always helpful.” - James Burd, Preservation Technologies, - Butler County
“Outstanding and invaluable service during tough economic times.” – Ashok Mathur, Pittsburgh Iron Oxides, LLC – Beaver County
“(SPC staff) reach out and do great job assisting us with our distributor search and overall export business.” – Tony Todaro, Arch International Steel Building – Allegheny County
“(SPC staff) have been invaluable in helping us expand our technology company internationally. It would have not happened without their support and help.” -
Ria David, Cybergenentics Corp. – Allegheny County
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Market Access Grant
This program is designed to enhance the capability of small and mid-sized Pennsylvania companies to increase export sales. The PA Market Access Grant (MAG) is a valuable tool available to export ready companies seeking financial assistance and foreign market entry support. Through this matching grant program with a maximum annual award of $3,000 provided by the PA Department of Community and Economic Development’s Office of International Business Development (OIBD), the grant can offset a portion of the qualifying expenses associated with international marketing initiatives. For more information and application on the MAG, please contact export@spcregion.org.
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Authorized Trade Representatives
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AUSTRALIA (New Zealand) |
NORTH & SOUTH AMERICA |
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CANADA |
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MEXICO |
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BRAZIL |
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CHILE |
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SOUTH AFRICA |
MIDDLE EAST |
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SAUDI ARABIA |
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UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Yemen) |
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ISRAEL (Egypt, Greece, Jordan, Turkey) |
EUROPE |
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CZECH REPUBLIC (Hungary, Poland, Slovakia) |
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FRANCE |
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GERMANY (Italy, Switzerland, Austria) |
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THE NETHERLANDS (Belgium) |
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SPAIN |
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UNITED KINGDOM (Ireland, Scandinavia) |
ASIA |
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CHINA |
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INDIA |
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JAPAN |
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SINGAPORE (Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines) |
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SOUTH KOREA |
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TAIWAN |
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VIETNAM |
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Pennsylvania International Trade Guide
The site provides export tutorials, frequently asked questions, an Export Readiness Assessment, a statewide calendar of export-related events,
and an easy way to get in contact with your Regional Export Network (REN) representative designated by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s
Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED).
This site was funded by a grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Department of Community and Economic Development
and developed by the World Trade Center of Greater Philadelphia.
www.exportingPA.org.
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For more information on the Export Development
Program, contact Rena Liu-Belshe, Manager, at (412) 391-5590
x320 or e-mail export@spcregion.org.
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