March 2011 News from the World Trade Center of Central PA

In remarks made recently by Commissioner Bersin before the U.S. House Appropriations Homeland Security Subcommittee, he stated that the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency will increase its focus on enforcement matters. This increased attention combined with the less-forgiving stance many ports have adopted in recent months when potential violations are identified, means that importers should take extra care to ensure that the internal controls they have in place over customs matters are working effectively.

U.S.-Korea FTA

The U.S.-Korea FTA was signed on June 30, 2007, but it has not yet been approved by the U.S. Congress. Since that time, Korea has successfully concluded a free trade agreement with the European Union and negotiations with Canada are in the advanced stages. Korea is PA's 10th largest trading partner and an important market for many of our region's small and medium sized manufacturers, whose competitiveness may be affected as Korea moves forward with preferential trade deals that do not include the US. If you are in favor of the U.S.-Korea FTA, please contact your congressional delegates.

Some Geography Fun:

Test Your Knowledge of European Geography with this Lufthansa game

Quick Links

Events

Trade FAQs

Trade Links

WTC Members

PA's Trade Program

US Department of Commerce

World Trade Centers Association

Follow WTC on Twitter

Follow WTC on Linked-In

March Newsletter

Meet Our Intern

Jarvis Hartfiel recently completed his degree in International Business from Messiah College. While job searching, he joined our team as a part-time intern assembling importing and exporting data from the PIERS Trade Intelligence database. Jarvis had the opportunity to study at Hokusei Gakuen University in Sapporo, Japan and is interested in pursuing a career in international finance and marketing. Last summer Jarvis participated in a 10 week international business program, where he studied in over 10 European countries.

Featured Upcoming Events

East Africa Business Opportunities Roundtable

Join us on March 30 as we host Dr. Christine Martey-Ochola, President of the USA-Kenya Chamber of Commerce, and Mr. Vuyo T. Dunjwa, the Chamber's Executive Chairman of the Board, to explore business opportunities in East Africa's vibrant industry sectors. The East African Community is a powerhouse trading block on the African continent encompassing Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi. There are excellent opportunities for American businesses in many industry sectors. We are also offering one-on-one appointments with our presenters

immediately following this program. Please contact us to schedule your individual meeting if you are interested in discussing specific details and next steps for your particular product or service.

Export Procedures and Documentation Seminar

We are again offering a full day seminar that will explain the technical aspects of an export transaction, including: understanding and using INCOterms, correctly classifying your products under the Harmonized Tariff System, an in-depth review of legal and commercial documentation, modes of transportation, and freight rates. Remember that if you want to be a successful exporter, the quality of your shipping documentation must match the quality of your product! Join us on April 4 for this comprehensive seminar.

For more event information and registration details, visit our website

PIERS Data a

New WTC Service

With support from the York County Economic Development Corporation, we were able to purchase a year long subscription to the PIERS database. PIERS is the most comprehensive database of U.S. waterborne trade activity and contains details from more than 15,000,000 bills of lading per year which translates into greater than 20,000,000 shipments annually. This database allows us to select individual company records, lists of importers or exporters based on commodity description, country of origin, port of entry/departure, or by geographic location. This data is great for competitive intelligence, market research and prospecting. We are offering our members one free search per year after which there is a fee for custom searches. For more details and to check out a sample company report from PIERS, visit our website.

Members in the News

WTC Members on South Africa Trade Mission

Two of our member companies traveled to South Africa last month as part of a trade mission organized by the Council of Great Lakes Governors and the PA Center for Trade Development. Fizika Group LLC, a Lancaster based company that offers "positive energy solutions" for physical education

and health is interested in identifying distribution channels and influencing new policies for physical education curriculum in South Africa. Zeigler Brothers Inc., an Adams County based manufacturer of specialty animal feeds and aquaculture nutrition and research, is looking for additional market opportunities in South Africa. Zeigler currently exports their products to over 50 countries worldwide.

Industrial Resources Centers Release New Manufacturing Study

Martha Our partner MANTEC, and its sister Industrial Resources Centers held a press conference at the Capitol Rotunda on February 15^th, to announce their newest study "Pennsylvania's True Commonwealth: State of Manufacturing - Challenges and Opportunities." This is the most current in-depth look at the complex and ever evolving industry of manufacturing and it is available at www.pamade.org. WTC member and MANTEC client Martha Husser, Operations Manager for Henry Molded Products was one of the featured speakers at the event.

Aerotek Named to "Best of Staffing" List

Aerotek, a leading provider of staffing services in the United States, was named to Inavero's 2011 Best of Staffing Client list through a survey competition presented by CareerBuilder. As the largest client satisfaction survey for the staffing industry, less than 1% of all staffing firms in North America are recognized. Congratulations to Aerotek!

Going to the Hannover Messe?

If you plan to visit the Hanover Industrial Fair in April, make sure to stop by Hall 13, Stand F42 and say hello to two of our member economic development corporations. The Berks Economic Partnership and York County EDC will be part of the US Pavilion, promoting the southcentral PA region as a great place to do business!

Member Spotlights Launched

As part of our 20th anniversary year we are recognizing and celebrating our members through "member spotlights". Our first two member spotlights include:

Elsner Engineering Works, a Hanover, PA based manufacturer of converting machinery and also one of our organization's founding members.

View the Elsner Engineering Spotlight

Wavelength B2B, a Lancaster, PA headquartered marketing firm that offers comprehensive business-to-business marketing services for domestic and foreign clients.

View the Wavelength B2B Spotlight

If you are interested in being featured as a"spotlight" you can find more information here.

WTC Passport Are Here!

Our WTC passports have arrived, and we already distributed over 75 copies. Anyone interested in participating in this year long activity can request a copy and start earning "stamps." Join in the fun and give us a call or email info@wtccentralpa.org to get your passport!

Upcoming Partner Events

Export-Import Bank of the United States Annual Conference

EXIM Bank's annual conference will be held from March 31 to April 1, 2011 in Washington, DC and features workshops focused on small business exporters, market and industry opportunities. This is one of the premiere venues for discussing trade policy and developing strategies to expand the role that exports play in the US economy. For more information please visit their website.

Trade Mission to Czech Republic and Slovakia

Pennsylvania's Center for Trade Development invites you to join a business development mission to the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The mission is scheduled from May 23 - 27 and includes stops in Prague and Bratislava. Cost for participation is $500 plus travel and lodging. For additional information and registration requirements please click here.

The World Trade Center of Central Pennsylvania is a licensed member of the World Trade Centers Association and one of 320 World Trade Centers located in 96 countries, connecting local companies with global opportunities. We promote global trade, deliver relevant educational programs, up-to-date trade information, practical trade assistance, and research & referral services for our members and clients to help them compete and prosper in a global economy.