Archives

Febrauary 2010     March 2010      April 2010 

WORLD TRADE PA – INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS HEADLINES – FEBRUARY 2010

These monthly headlines will provide you with a few highlights of the Commonwealth’s World Trade PA program, managed by DCED’s Office of International Business Development. For more information: check out http://www.newpa.com or call 717/720-7469.

TRADE: GALAXY BRUSHES FROM MOOSIC, PA CITES “INVALUABLE ASSISTANCE” FROM WORLD TRADE PA PROGRAM AS MAIN DRIVER FOR INTERNATIONAL SUCCESS

Galaxy Brushes, based in Moosic in Northeastern Pennsylvania, specializes in pipeline and well bore brushes. The company’s international adventure all started when the Northeastern PA Alliance, DCED’s Regional Export Network partner, helped the company obtain a Market Access Grant (MAG) from the World Trade PA program to help fund a business development trip to Aberdeen, Scotland. According to Doug Batzel, President of Galaxy Brushes, “this trip was the catalyst for all the other trips to the Middle East”. Today, Galaxy is providing all of the brushes for BP in Egypt. Batzel: “The brushes have 100% Pennsylvania content. We also provide brushes in Saudi Arabia, UAE, South Africa, Norway, Germany and the UK. That is a pretty good return on the small investment of the MAG grant. We probably wouldn’t be doing so well over there, if at all, without the support of the World Trade PA program.”  

INVESTMENT: TWO AUSTRALIAN COMPANIES BRINGING JOBS TO SOUTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA

ide+, an Australian product design/technology commercialization company from Sydney, has opened its first North American offices at the Hershey Center for Applied Research in Dauphin County, relocating three staff members from Australia to Hershey.   ide+ works closely with Unilife, another Australian Company, and helped design Unilife’s safety syringe. Unilife recently announced the opening of its new global headquarters in Conewago Township, York County. The company will build a 165,000 square foot, $26 million office and production facility and expects to employ more than 250 people by the end of 2012. Both ide+ and Unilife worked closely with Pennsylvania’s trade and investment representative in Australia, Ms. Angela Foley and staff at the Center for Direct Investment (funded by the World Trade PA program) before opening operations in Pennsylvania. For more information on Unilife please go to http://www.newpa.com/newsroom/news-detail?nid=424.

TRADE: 8 PENNSYLVANIA HEALTHCARE COMPANIES EXPLORING NEW BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES IN MIDDLE EAST

Arab Health Exhibition & Congress is the largest healthcare exhibition in the Middle East, and the second largest in the world. Established 35 years ago, it provides a platform for the world’s leading manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors to meet the medical and scientific community in the Middle East and beyond. Thanks to the World Trade PA program, Pennsylvania was able to host eight companies at the Pennsylvania pavilion at the show held in Dubai from January 25-28, 2010. Preliminary reaction to the show indicates Pennsylvania companies received very strong interest for their products from Arab buyers at the show.

In 2009, nine Pennsylvania companies concluded successful export deals as a direct result of their participation. Sales of more than $11 million have been realized by Pennsylvania companies who have participated in the show with the Commonwealth since 2007.

2010 participating Pennsylvania companies included Devon Medical, Inc. from Montgomery County, ETC Biomedical Systems Group, Gentell and Key Instruments from Bucks County, Precision Medical from Northampton County, UE Life Sciences from Philadelphia, United Metal Fabricators, Inc. from Cambria County, and Xodus Medical from Westmoreland County. Based on our positive experience the two previous years, we plan to return to Arab Health in Dubai in 2011.

Tim Clark, Vice President of Global Sales & Marketing for Precision Medical, Northampton, Pennsylvania is greeted by HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, at the 2010 Arab Health Exhibition and Congress.

PORTS: SHIPBUILDING IN ERIE IS BACK  - NJ SHIPPING COMPANY DONJON MARINE ACQUIRING ERIE SHIPBUILDING, CREATING 150 JOBS

Hillside, New Jersey-based shipping company Donjon Marine has officially acquired Erie Shipbuilding, opening a shipbuilding and ship repair facility (Donjon Shipbuilding and Repair, LLC or DSR) which will create 150-160 jobs by the end of 2010 in Erie, hiring back the 100 employees laid off last year.

It will operate from the Erie, Pa. shipyard through an agreement with the Erie-Western Pennsylvania Port Authority for the acquisition of the assets of the former Erie Shipbuilding, LLC.  PennPorts and the Erie-Western Pennsylvania Port Authority facilitated the location of DSR at the old 44-acre site on the Bayfront, Lake Erie, Pennsylvania to re-open shipbuilding and repair.

The acquisition adds shipbuilding and repair to Donjon's existing spectrum of marine services, including dredging, salvage, heavy lift and towing.

DSR's facility, equipped with a 1,250 feet by 120 feet by 22 feet dry dock, is the largest shipyard of its kind on the Great Lakes. The facility includes 4,000 feet of pier space and more than 200,000 square feet of production area, with fully enclosed fabrication and assembly buildings housing fully automated cutting, fabrication and coating equipment sufficient to build and maintain everything from deck barges to ocean-going ships.

Donjon President and CEO Mr. J. Arnold Witte remarked, "Donjon is pleased that our expansion into shipbuilding in Erie will bring additional jobs to the area and we look forward to share our continued growth and success through DSR."

INVESTMENT: DCED TO SUPPORT TARGETED, REGIONAL BUSINESS ATTRACTION EFFORTS ACROSS PENNSYLVANIA THROUGH WORLD TRADE PA REGIONAL INVESTMENT MARKETING GRANT PROGRAM

The mission of the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) is to promote economic growth throughout the commonwealth. In today’s global economy, economic growth is marked by intense competition at the state, national and international level. DCED seeks to foster and increase the competitiveness of Pennsylvania business, industry and labor through targeted growth initiatives designed to produce high impact results and distinguish Pennsylvania from national and international competitors. The Regional Investment Marketing (RIM) Grant (the Program) is part of the World Trade PA program and is intended to: (1) reinforce the linkages between state and regional efforts to promote business expansion and to attract new investment to Pennsylvania; and (2) focus regional economic development efforts on industries and industry sub-sectors where the likelihood of success is greatest. More specifically, the Program is designed to foster a shared vision of the importance of marketing the commonwealth as a whole as a destination of choice for investment and promoting the attributes and assets of individual regions within that context. In addition, the Program is designed to advance an investor-oriented and data-driven approach of marketing to attract investment, including the use of regional marketing areas as an organizing principle in structuring marketing initiatives.

Grants of up to $15,000 are available under the Program to support and encourage Pennsylvania’s economic development partners to adopt a proactive regional approach of investment attraction consistent with these goals and objectives.

Copies of program Guidelines can be obtained by contacting the DCED Customer Service Center at 800-379-7448 or 717-787-3405 or email: ra-dced@state.pa.us. Applicants must file applications electronically through the Single Application for Assistance located at newPA.com. Paper applications will not be accepted. Completed applications will be reviewed until June 30, 2010 or the date on which Program funds for the fiscal year have been allocated, whichever occurs first. Program inquiries should be directed to:

Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development
Economic Development Marketing Center
Commonwealth Keystone Building
400 North Street, 4th Floor
Harrisburg, PA 17120-0225

Applicants will be invited to make a brief presentation of their proposal to the DCED application review team.

TRADE: INDIA TRADE MISSION OPENING UP NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR 6 PENNSYLVANIA COMPANIES

Six Pennsylvania companies participated in the Commonwealth’s India trade mission last December: Ross Technology, Gamma Sports, Advanced Workstations in Education, Bacharach , Accuweather, and PNC Bank. For 5 of the 6 companies this was their first World Trade PA-sponsored trade event. They traveled to Mumbai and Bangalore; several companies also traveled to New Delhi. Eighty-four appointments were set for these companies and 2 networking events occurred with over 100 participants attending. Three mission delegates were interviewed by popular Indian business newspapers. Mike Swink of Advanced Workstations in Education, said, “The level of professionalism of Pennsylvania’s trade representative in India, Sushama, and her follow up on all of the complicated aspects of a series of meetings like this, is extremely impressive. I consider my participation in the India Trade Mission a great success for AWE, laying excellent groundwork for our future exports to India. Many thanks to you and your office for sponsoring the India Trade Mission.”

UNIVERSITIES: PENN STATE UNIVERSITY HOSTING ITS FIRST INTERNATIONAL ALUMNI EVENT IN SAUDI ARABIA

The Pennsylvania State University and its University Office of Global Programs (UOGP) recently hosted an alumni dinner in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia. President Graham Spanier and Michael Adewumi, Vice Provost for Global Programs, networked with 50 alumni members of the PSU Saudi Alumni Club.  The World Trade PA program awarded UOGP a Global Alumni grant that enables DCED’s Office of International Business Development to partner with PSU to connect with their international alumni for the purposes of increasing Pennsylvania’s trade exports and investment opportunities.

PARTNERS: TEAM PA FOUNDATION LAUNCHES STATEWIDE SPONSORSHIP CAMPAIGN TO SUPPORT INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND INVESTMENT EFFORTS

In order to actively support the growth of Pennsylvania’s exports and foreign direct investment, the TeamPA Foundation has launched a sponsorship campaign to help raise funding from the private sector. Any funding collected through this campaign will be used to support the Commonwealth’s export assistance program and international business attraction efforts and will help offset costs of its events and activities and enable the World Trade PA program, through the Office of International Business Development, to continue to provide high quality service to its clients. If you are interested in learning more about sponsorship opportunities, please contact Matt Zieger at the TeamPA Foundation at info@teampa.com or (717)233-1375.

If you have questions regarding the above articles, please contact:

peoneill@state.pa.us for TRADE related articles; dbriel@state.pa.us. for INVESTMENT related articles and hpacker@state.pa.us for PORT related articles.

WORLD TRADE PA – INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS HEADLINES – MARCH 2010

These monthly headlines will provide you with a few highlights of the Commonwealth’s World Trade PA program, managed by DCED’s Office of International Business Development. For more information:  check out http://www.newpa.com or call 717/720-7469. To unsubscribe, please click.

TRADE: TITAN TOOL (ERIE) AND 16 OTHER PA COMPANIES USING PA OFFICE IN SHANGHAI TO SUCCEED IN CHINA MARKET

Pennsylvania’s Trade Representative Office in Shanghai has signed up its 17th firm under the Envoy Program. Envoy is a fee-for-service program designed to provide Pennsylvania businesses with a low-risk alternative to setting up their own office and hiring their own employees in the Chinese market. While each Envoy scope of work is customized according to the client’s specific needs, there are two primary ways Pennsylvania companies have been utilizing the Envoy service:  As a physical office solution (business center) to house an in-country company representative, or as a turn-key solution in which the client outsources their China development to a team built and managed by the Pennsylvania office staff. PA industries utilizing Envoy range widely, from technical publications, industrial machinery, to universities and construction management.

A representative of Envoy subscriber, Titan Tool in Erie, explains, “Titan first explored the China market in the fall of 2007 as participants on the DCED Trade Mission led by then Secretary Dennis Yablonsky. Through the connections and relationships we made during that trip, it became clear that we had an opportunity in China. Our business is a niche business and the volume is consistent, but not massive - so opening an office was not a feasible economic option but we needed someone we could trust to develop the incredible potential of the market. After exploring available channels and opportunities, it became clear to us that partnering with the Pennsylvania trade representative in Shanghai and enrolling in the Envoy program would be the best way to move forward. We now have a developed customer base that continues to expand, and better yet, are seeing repeat orders. We are confident that our decision to use this vehicle (Envoy) for Titan's market presence was the right one and are very happy with the Shanghai office’s effort on Titan's behalf. Titan's business in China is off to a great start and the future looks very promising."

INVESTMENT: BRITISH TECHNOLOGY COMPANY CHOOSES PHILADELPHIA FOR ITS U.S. HEADQUARTERS

UK ICT/Software and multimedia company WebAnywhere Ltd. announced that it has selected Philadelphia over Richmond, Virginia and Orlando, Florida as the location for its US headquarters. The company first contacted DCED’s Center for Direct Investment, through its UK-based investment representative, Richard Kilner, in November 2007 and over the last two years has been steadily developing the US market. Founded in 2002, WebAnywhere employs 70 in the UK specializing in the provision of internet learning resources and the design of elementary and high-school websites. WebAnywhere has over 2,000 schools as clients in the UK. Critical factors in the choice of Philadelphia were its strategic location on the Boston-Washington corridor, the testimonial of other UK firms with a US subsidiary in Philadelphia and not least Select Greater Philadelphia's key involvement in the identification of the candidate now hired to head up the US operations. WebAnywhere expect to employ at least 3 staff in 2010 and likely to expand to 25 over a three-year period if the US market develops as anticipated.

TRADE: WORLD TRADE PA TRADE MISSION TO SOUTH AFRICA BRINGS SUBSTANTIAL EXPORT SALES TO BEDFORD PLASTICS COMPANY

Bedford Reinforced Plastics, Inc. (BRP) boasts 35 years of manufacturing experience in the production of Custom & Standard Pultruded Fiberglass Products. BRP has continuously expanded its capacity over the last 35 years to provide its clientele, in over 13 industries, with the service required for the rapidly expanding composite market. As a result of the company’s participation in the June 2008 South Africa Power & Energy Trade Mission, Bedford Reinforced Plastics signed an agreement with an Original Equipment Manufacturer located in Johannesburg. To date, BRP has done $2 million worth of business with the South African company.

Jerry Miller, International Trade Manager, states: “BRP is well pleased with the results of our company’s participation in the 2008 trade mission with the state. We are going to take a much closer look at participating in other state sponsored trade missions as a result of our success in the power and energy mission. The level of service and expertise offered through this program was outstanding.”

PORTS: NEW, DIRECT CONTAINER SERVICE TO NORTHERN EUROPEAN PORTS MAKING PORT OF PHILADELPHIA MORE COMPETITIVE

The Philadelphia Regional Ports Authority (PRPA) and Greenwich Terminals, LLC, celebrated the arrival of the MSC Natalia, the first ship to call for a new Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) service from Philadelphia to North Europe. This important container service gives the Port of Philadelphia a direct, weekly connection with the key north European ports of Bremerhaven (Germany), Felixstowe (UK), Antwerp (Belgium), and LeHavre (France). MSC service will call at the Port’s Packer Avenue Marine Terminal.   The MSC Natalia can handle approximately 3,000 twenty-foot equivalent units, or almost 1,500 standard tractor trailer loads. The ship has a gross tonnage of 40,177 lbs. and capacity for refrigerated containers. This new service gives exporters and importers in Pennsylvania, as well as companies throughout the Eastern USA and Canada, direct access to the European marketplace.

This new agreement among PRPA, Greenwich Terminals and MSC provides direct access from Philadelphia to Europe. It will make the Port of Philadelphia more competitive and offer more choices for backhaul cargo and exports.

TRADE: STATE AGENCIES PARTNERING TO BRING NEW EXPORT OPPORTUNITIES TO PENNSYLVANIA FOREST PRODUCTS INDUSTRY

The synergy between the Pennsylvania Hardwoods Development Council (HDC) in the Department of Agriculture and the Office of International Business Development (OIBD)  in the Department of Community and Economic Development has worked successfully to bring business to the forest products industry.

The HDC was created by the General Assembly in 1988 to support timber access issues on private and public land, provide economic development to the industry, do international and domestic marketing on behalf of the industry, and to support public education about the needs and issues related to the industry.

In 2000, when the American furniture industry largely moved to China and Pacific-Rim nations, the HDC and OIBD coordinated the first of many trade shows to reach the furniture manufacturers in China. Since that time, the HDC and OIBD have assisted over 120 Pennsylvania lumber suppliers to enter new markets in different regions of China, South Korea, Vietnam, India and the Middle East.   

The strong relationship between the HDC and the OIBD has enabled these efforts to be very successful. By sharing the resources of the international trade representatives and the Regional Export Network, the HDC has been directly able to assist hardwood companies to export lumber. By not only sharing the resources but also the results, the HDC and OIBD together, can claim over $150 million in export sales associated with our assistance.

In addition to helping Pennsylvania companies enter new markets abroad, together, the overseas trade representatives and Regional Export Network have hosted many in-bound International Hardwoods Buyers’ Missions bringing qualified international hardwood buyers to Pennsylvania. During 3-5 day events, buyers network and meet many suppliers of lumber, logs, dimension, flooring, veneer, moulding and other secondary wood products. These opportunities have strengthened Pennsylvania hardwood suppliers and made them more competitive in the world market.

Currently, the HDC and OIBD are cooperatively planning for a Buyers Mission in Pennsylvania with 15 new international buyers, May 9-14. We are planning for a USA/PA pavilion at ForMóbile wood supply trade show in Brazil, July 27-30, 2010. There will also be a Turkey/Egypt trade mission, October 12-19, 2010. In 2011, there are preliminary plans to co-host a mission to India and Pakistan, a trade show in Vietnam, and host another International Buyers Mission to Pennsylvania.

INVESTMENT: INTERNATIONAL REPORTERS COMING TO PENNSYLVANIA TO LEARN ABOUT GROWING CREATIVE INDUSTRIES SECTOR

Over the past three years, DCED’s Office of International Business Development has partnered with the Team PA Foundation to bring groups of international reporters to the Commonwealth with the purpose of getting the word out about our major industry clusters (such as life sciences, defense, plastics and clean technology) thus attracting the interest of potential international investors. The next press tour is focused on our growing creative industries sector and will take place from March 22-25. It will highlight the growing number of interactive digital media companies throughout Pennsylvania. OIBD and the Team PA Foundation are organizing the program with a variety of partners including Carnegie Mellon University, the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance, the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University, Select Greater Philadelphia, the Videogame Growth Initiative-Philadelphia, and a selection of cutting-edge digital design and video game studios in Pennsylvania. Journalists from Australia, Canada, France, Germany and The Netherlands are planning to participate in the tour, ensuring global coverage of Pennsylvania’s strengths in these industries.

TRADE: PENNSYLVANIA REMAINS TOP 10 EXPORTING STATE DESPITE GLOBAL TRADE DECLINE IN 2009

Pennsylvania’s exporters shipped goods worth $28.2 billion in 2009----a 17.8% drop from the $34.4 billion in goods shipped a year earlier, as reported by the World Institute for Strategic Economic Research.  Pennsylvania exports had been riding a strong growth curve for the previous 6 years but the global economic downturn and its impact on international trade brought about the commonwealth’s first decrease in exports since 2002. If there is any good news to glean from this, Pennsylvania’s drop was not as steep as the national average----18.7%----and not as severe as larger exporting states such as NY (-28%), Michigan (-27.5%), and Washington (-22.6%). Pennsylvania remains the 10th largest exporting state in the country.

Industry sectors leading the decline in 2009 were railway stock (- 40.3%), iron and steel (-38.3%), organic chemicals and plastics, each down 36%). Bucking the trend were exports of pharmaceutical products, up 94%, valued at $2.69 billion.

Among Pennsylvania’s top export markets, sales of goods to Brazil (-50%), Belgium (-39.9%) and Ireland (-59.5%) showed the steepest declines while sales to Switzerland rose 108% during the same period. Sales to Gibraltar hold the record for the largest one-year increase in PA exports for 2009---up an astounding 201,000% to$34 million.

(Source: WISER, 2010)

PORTS: US DISTRICT COURT RULING ALLOWS DEEPENING OF DELAWARE RIVER TO BEGIN IMMEDIATELY

The United States District Court for the District of Delaware, early this month, refused to block the critically needed deepening of the Delaware River to 45 feet. In a decision signed by Judge Sue L. Robinson, the Court ruled the project could proceed, but that it expected the Army Corps of Engineers to work closely with impacted states on future stages of the project. In her decision, the Judge wrote, “the public holds a vested interest in the nation's environmental preservation efforts,” but that “the public holds an equally compelling stake in the continued economic vitality of the Delaware River ports.”  She noted, “Congress has made the determination that it is in the public interest to proceed with the Deepening Project.”   The combined ports of the Delaware River currently support an estimated 75,000 jobs, generating billions of dollars of economic activity and payroll wages, and contributing more than $150 million in state and local taxes. The deepening, first proposed almost two decades ago, is projected to directly create more than 8,000 new jobs and is critical to the long-term economic prospects of Philadelphia-area ports.   Chairman of the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority (PRPA), John H. Estey, the lead local sponsor of the project, said “PRPA looks forward to moving quickly to begin the project, protect current jobs and, hopefully, foster the creation of new ones.”

TRADE: CENTRE DAILY TIMES ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS HOME GROWN EXPORTERS SUCCESSES

Centre County companies are featured in an article highlighting recent export successes of area companies, Restek, Minitab, Sound Technology. In some cases, small firms follow customers and clients into foreign markets; in other cases, companies take the initiative and obtain export assistance from Pennsylvania’s trade development program available through SEDA-COG’s offices based in Lewisburg.

If you have questions regarding the above articles, please contact:

peoneill@state.pa.us for TRADE related articles; dbriel@state.pa.us for INVESTMENT related articles; hpacker@state.pa.us for PORT related articles; lwalter@state.pa.us for UNIVERSITY/ALUMNI related articles and azecha@state.pa.us for TEAM PA Sponsorship Campaign.

WORLD TRADE PA – INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS HEADLINES – APRIL 2010

These monthly headlines will provide you with a few highlights of the Commonwealth’s World Trade PA program, managed by DCED’s Office of International Business Development. For more information:  check out http://www.newpa.com or call 717/720-7469. To unsubscribe, please click.

Click Trade Event Calendar to view upcoming trade events.

TRADE: Penn Pallet (Elk County) helps Haiti – 5,000 heat-treated pallets shipped as part of relief effort

Penn Pallet, Saint Mary’s, Pennsylvania, was approached by a manufacturer of processed milk products planning to ship 10 container loads to Haiti as part of the relief effort. Penn manufactures heat- and borate-treated and recycled pallets certified for export. Approximately 5,000 reconditioned heat-treated pallets will be donated by Penn Pallet for the project.  Penn Pallet is a North Central REN client and has utilized World Trade PA resources for export certification and regulation process for their pallets.  Penn Pallet has also worked with Pennsylvania’s trade representatives in Germany, Mexico, and the UAE for market research regarding pallet recycling.

INVESTMENT: DeeTag from Canada brings jobs to Shippensburg

Dee Tag, U.S.A., Inc., a subsidiary of DeeTag, Ltd., a Canadian-based manufacturer of hydraulic hoses and pneumatic system components serving in-plant and mobile applications, will locate its US operations in the Cumberland Valley Industrial Park in Shippensburg, Franklin County. A preferred supplier to Volvo Construction Equipment Company, DeeTag’s decision to locate in Shippensburg was predicated on Volvo’s decision to close its facility in Gederich, Canada and relocate its production to Shippensburg. The new location will allow the company to maintain its supplier relationship with Volvo.  DeeTag expects to create a minimum of 10 new jobs at the project site within three years.

TRADE: W.R. Case & Sons’ (Bradford, PA) New Hawk Bill Pruner earns IWA International Knife Award

Case manufactures pocketknives, sporting/hunting knives, commemoratives and collectibles sold at hardware stores, cutlery shops, sporting goods stores and select retail chains across the country. Based in Bradford, PA, Case has been part of the Zippo Manufacturing Company since 1993. Case’s new “Hawk Bill Pruner” was selected as the winner of the coveted International Knife Award given by IWA 2010 & Outdoor Classics in Nuremburg, Germany’s Exhibition Center. The contest judges knives “according to strict criteria of functionality and quality, plus innovation, design and material combination.” 

TRADE: Fluid Engineering (Erie County) exports fluid pipeline strainers to Kuwait

This company designs and manufactures fluid handling pipeline strainers and automatic self-cleaning strainers. Recently, the PA trade representative in the Eastern Mediterranean office, Mr. Seth Vogelman, provided the company with three leads in Egypt, Jorda