KWTC News :

India trade mission a success

Trade mission delegates gather with Abdul Kalam, Former President of India (2002-2007). From left: Connie Lawson, Mayor of Richmond, KY; Jas Sekhon, President of Bluegrass Industrial Foundation; President Kalam; Russ Meyer, Mayor of Nicholasville, KY; and Craig McAnelly, Executive Director of Global Opportunities for Kentucky.

A delegation of 13 members led by Ying Juan Rogers, VP of the KWTC, recently returned from their trade mission to India. Delegates visited government and business leaders in New Delhi, Mumbai, and Ahmedabad. Among high-level government officials, the group met with the Former President of India, Abdul Kalam, who visited Kentucky last March; the Joint Secretary of the Indian Ministry of Commerce, Mr. Anil Mukim; the governor of Maharashtra, Governor: S C Jamir; the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Minister Narendra Modi; and the Mayor of Mumbai, Dr. Sheba Raul.

Among business contacts, the delegation met with the Essar Group, a huge conglomerate based in Mumbai; the US-India Business Council; the Confederation of Indian Industry; and chambers of commerce in several cities.  This trip was also scheduled in conjunction with the ITM expo, the largest technology innovation trade show in the region. The Kentucky World Trade Center shared a booth with the Kentucky delegation members, where they met over two thousand contacts during the three days of events.

The Kentucky delegation was the first group in recent years to visit India, and the delegation members made efforts to promote Kentucky and its products. They received a warm welcome from all the business and government leaders in India.  Business was also fruitful. Patrick Guenthner, VP of International Sales of Stored Value Solutions, believes that this trip will likely be the basis for future successful business relationships with India. The company is hoping to market and distribute retailer gift cards to the Indian market.

KWTC Vice President Ying Juan Rogers and R.P. Swami, Secretary General of the Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, commemorate the organizations' newly-signed partnership agreement.

Overall, it was evident that the India is interested in fostering long term relationships with Kentucky. While in New Delhi, KWTC signed a partnership agreement with the Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The agreement intends to promote and create new business opportunities, and increase trade, investment, and commercial cooperation between Kentucky and India.

You can read more information on the recent trade mission by going to Joel DiGirolamo's blog, posted in Business Lexington. Joel was a mission participant and heads Turbocharged Leadership, a consulting firm based in Lexington.

International Trade News :

USTR sets March 23 deadline for comments on GSP eligibility of imported goods
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative has issued a notice announcing the availability of full calendar year 2008 import statistics relating to competitive need limitations under the Generalized System of Preferences. These statistics will be used in determining whether changes will be made to the GSP eligibility of certain goods. More...

House food safety bill imposes new requirements on imports
Reps. Adam Putnam, R-Fla., and Jim Costa, D-Calif., introduced March 5 legislation that would establish new food safety requirements for imported and domestically-produced food. The Safe Food Enforcement, Assessment, Standards and Targeting Act appears to be similar to a measure introduced in the Senate March 3. According to a fact sheet, the House bill includes the following provisions. More...

CBP ready to launch test of ACE entry summary processing capabilities
U.S. Customs and Border Protection will begin as early as March 15 a test of the Automated Commercial Environment’s entry summary, accounts and revenue (ESAR II) capabilities. These new capabilities will include functionality specific to the filing and processing of formal consumption (type 01) entries and informal (type 11) entries, including Automated Broker Interface Census warning overrides, the issuance of requests for information and notices of action through the ACE Portal, enhanced portal account management and ACE Secure Data Portal reporting. More...

ASEAN signs FTA with Australia, New Zealand
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations signed a free trade agreement Feb. 27 with Australia and New Zealand. More...

Peru-Chile FTA to take effect March 1
A free trade agreement between Peru and Chile is slated to enter into force March 1. More...

Country of Origin labeling rule to take effect March 16
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Feb. 20 that the USDA’s Jan. 15 final rule on mandatory country of origin labeling will go into effect as scheduled March 16. Under the COOL regulation muscle cuts and ground beef, pork, lamb, goat, and chicken, wild and farm-raised fish and shellfish, fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables, peanuts, pecans, macadamia nuts and ginseng must be labeled at retail to indicate their country of origin. More...

China draws nearer
On an average weekday afternoon, the showroom in Bangkok for Huawei, China’s mobile telephone giant, seems less like a store and more like a subway at rush hour. Crowds of Thai teenagers in crisp-pressed school uniforms huddle over showcases of the latest-model phones, oohing and aahing over each function. Young professionals in slick suits debate how they can boost their salaries to trade up for better cells. More...

Featured Trade Lead :

Buyer seeking large volume of mining belts

World Trade Center Nashville has a buyer seeking a large volume of coal mining belts.

HTS code: 4010.12.9000, CONVEYOR BELTS/BELTING,OF VULCANIZED RUBBER, REINFORCED ONLY WITH TEXTILE MATERIALS.

For details and product specifications please contact:

Mark Condon
843 670 4243
mark@centradex.com

Did you know?
KWTC members have access to a full database of trade leads, available at wtca.org. For questions, contact marie.davis@kwtc.org.

Featured Events :

Complying with the ITAR

Thursday, March 26
8:30am-3:00pm

Speakers:
Jan de Beer, Frost Brown Todd LLC
Greg Mitchell, Frost Brown Todd LLC

Frost Brown Todd
Aegon Tower, 32nd floor
400 West Market Street
Louisville, KY 40202

$125 for KWTC members
$175 nonmembers
(lunch provided)

REGISTER NOW

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Sponsored by Frost Brown Todd

Secrets of Influence for
Business Executives

Presented by Sutherland & Associates

Special Executive
Breakfast Briefing in Louisville

Comprehensive One-Day Seminar for Business Executives in Louisville

Special Executive Lunch Briefing in Lexington

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Phishing for Fraud:
Don't Let Your Company Get Hooked

A webinar presented by
BB&T Risk Management

Wednesday, March 18
2:00pm-3:00pm

Speakers:
Rachel Floars, BB&T
Joe Potuzak, BB&T

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For all KWTC event registration or for more information,
please contact Marie Davis at
859-258-3139 or
marie.davis@kwtc.org.

Check out our
Calendar of Events!

Member News :

ISCO acquires Ohio company

Louisville-based ISCO Industries, one of the nation’s largest distributors and suppliers of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) piping products, has acquired Wright Water & Waste, a company headquartered in Solon, Ohio. ISCO President Jimmy Kirchdorfer said that the addition of Wright gives ISCO the expertise to supply additional items and offer a complete package to its current customer base.

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Trade Corner :

Getting it Right: A Guide to Buying Translations

The following guide, published by the American Translators Association, is a useful tool for those that need or anticipate needing the assistance of a translator or interpreter.

Getting it Right

For KWTC's translation and interpretation needs, we turn to Louisville-based In Every Language. Contact CEO Terena Bell for more information.

terenabell@ineverylanguage.com
502-213-0317 

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