AIS DEVELOPMENT - International Markets Event

The Taos News 05/03/2007, Page B09

FAR EAST COMING TO TAOS FOR MAY 10 TRADE SEMINAR

By Sam Richardson
The Taos News

The Taos business community is invited to explore the Japanese as well as other international markets, Thursday (May 10) from 9:30 a.m. to noon at the Kit Carson Electric Meeting Room. Entrepreneurs and businesses — anyone with goods and services they might like to market abroad — is invited to attend the seminar.
One of the keynote speakers will be Mr. Kojiro Abe (pronounced ah-bay) of Tokyo. Abe is the New Mexico-Japan trade representative work?ing through the Economic Development Department of the state (NM-EDD) and AISD, an Arroyo Seco-based marketing firm. He is pro?moting the Focus Japan pro?gram designed to develop entry-level marketing oppor?tunities for New Mexico com?panies into Japan. Abe will be available for individual con?sultation and to discuss how companies can find Japanese investors, partners, import?ers/ distributors and sales agents.
Other speakers at the event, including Mathew Woodlee, director of International Trade for NM-EDD, will explain what NM-EDD does and give an overview of U.S. commercial services abroad. They will talk about the Middle East and Japanese markets, and list a number of upcoming overseas events and trade missions.
Karl Halpert of Private Labels Select, a firm that manufactures lip products in Taos, will discuss an NM-EDD trade mission to Singapore and Hong Kong he was involved in last December. “We had a lot of one-on-one contact and generated inter?est in our products,” Halpert said. “We’re looking for an agency and distributors, now.”
Halpert said there’s an emerging middle class in many Asian markets and specific interest in organic products. “China is a big competitor, but many peo?ple in Asia are starting to equate the label ‘Made in China’ with cheap products and the term ‘Made in the U.S.A’ with quality prod?ucts.”
Focus Japan will be sponsoring a trade mis?sion to Japan September 3?7 designed to match New Mexico companies with opportunity. On trade mis?sions, one-on-one business meetings with company profiles and market research availability are arranged, in?country briefings with local businesses are conduct?ed, and logistical support including transportation to and from airports and accommodations are taken care of.
The Taos seminar is part of World Trade Week. Trade representatives from Japan and other countries will be in New Mexico the entire week.
The Taos leg of the week-long promotion is being organized by AISD Development working in concert with NM-EDD and the Taos Chamber of Commerce. The event is open to the public and there is no admission charge.
Cecilia Ciepiela, presi?dent of AISD, said, “This seminar is not just a cultur?al exchange. This is about business.”