Trade Representatives from around the World Visit Milwaukee to Help Companies Grow Exports
Wisconsin’s trade representatives in 16 international markets are available for one-on-one meetings with companies seeking information on exporting
MADISON, WI. April 27, 2015 – Milwaukee-area companies interested in learning more about exporting are invited to attend a presentation and one-on-one meetings with Wisconsin’s trade representatives for 16 international markets.
On Thursday, May 7, the trade representatives will be available from 9:45 to 11:30 a.m. for one-on-one meetings with local businesspeople at the Wisconsin International Trade Conference, held at the Wisconsin Center, 400 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee.
The representatives will give a panel presentation, moderated by Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, about export trends in their home markets and worldwide from 2 to 4 p.m. the same day. The cost of registering for the conference is $179; however, companies may schedule one-on-one meetings with the trade representatives, free of charge, without registering for the conference.
These events, part of Wisconsin Export Growth Week 2015, are sponsored by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) and the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce’s World Trade Association.
Representatives covering the following markets will be in attendance:
· Benelux (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg)
· Brazil
· Canada
· China
· France
· Germany
· The Middle East (Gulf Cooperation Council countries)
· South Korea
· the United Kingdom
Companies can use the one-on-one meetings to gather market intelligence from the trade representatives, regardless of whether a company is already exporting its products into that market. If companies are already exporting into a given market, the trade representative can offer tips on expanding or solving problems in that market. Each participating company will also have the opportunity to sign up for a market assessment to determine whether a specific international market is a good fit for its products, or to sign up for a partner search that identifies suitable local partners in a market.
“This event will bring together Wisconsin’s trade representatives for 16 international markets, all in one place,” said Katy Sinnott, WEDC vice president for international business development. “It offers a rare opportunity for Wisconsin companies to obtain information about several markets in a short period of time, without traveling outside the state’s borders. The meetings and panel presentation provide a point of entry for companies to access the other services WEDC offers—such as market assessments, partner searches, trade missions and grant programs—to help companies grow their exports.”
Advance registration is recommended for both the meetings and the panel discussion. To sign up for a one-on-one meeting, contact Kelly Aschenbach at kelly.aschenbach@wedc.org or 608.210.6856. More information and a registration link for the panel discussion can be found at Inwisconsin.com/tradereps.
