Free Workshops Introduce Local Companies To Trade Opportunities In Chile
July 18, 2014
Top commercial experts present benefits of doing business in Florida’s fourth largest export market.
TAMPA, Fla. / The Tampa Bay Export Alliance, a partnership of the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation and Pinellas County Economic Development, will present a series of free informational workshops for local companies interested in exploring trade opportunities in Chile. Featuring top commercial specialists from the U.S. Embassy in Santiago and the U.S. International Trade Administration in Washington, D.C., the briefings offer a detailed look at the benefits of doing business in Florida’s fourth largest export market.
Chile is one of the most open, stable and prosperous markets in Latin America. A successful Free Trade Agreement currently allows 90 percent of U.S. exports to enter the country duty free, with remaining tariffs scheduled for a phased elimination by 2015. With no healthcare registration requirements for most medical devices, and a new Visa waiver enacted this year, entering Chile is an easy way for Tampa Bay companies to expand market reach and increase international sales.
Top export sectors for Tampa Bay businesses include: construction, infrastructure, electric power equipment, renewable energy equipment and supplies, healthcare and medical equipment and devices, safety and security equipment, irrigation and water resource technology, food processing and packaging equipment, agricultural machinery and equipment, mining equipment, auto parts, consumer goods and telecommunications.
The 90-minute workshops will be held on July 29 at 8:30 a.m. at the Small Business Development Center in Tampa, and on July 30 at 8:30 a.m. at the EpiCenter in Clearwater.
Guest speakers include Isabel Margarita Valenzuela, Senior Commercial Specialist at the U.S. Embassy in Santiago, Chile, and Laura Beth Ebert, Chile Desk Officer, Office of South America at the U.S. International Trade Administration in Washington, D.C.
The Tampa Bay Export Alliance will lead a trade mission to Santiago on December 1-5, 2014, with a limited number of Tampa Bay area companies eligible to participate in one-on-one business appointments through the U.S. Commercial Service Gold Key matchmaking program. Registration will open later this month.
For more information, contact Lorrie Belovich, Director of International Business Development for the Tampa Hillsborough EDC, at (813) 518-2654 or lbelovich@tampabayedc.com.
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About the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation;
The Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation is the lead economic development agency for Hillsborough County and the cities of Tampa, Plant City and Temple Terrace. Established in 2009 as a partnership between the public sector and private corporate investors, the EDC works to develop and sustain a thriving local economy through the attraction, retention and expansion of high-wage jobs and capital investment within targeted industry sectors. Working with C-level executives, site selection consultants, commercial real estate professionals and other influential decision-makers, the EDC provides customized, confidential relocation services to domestic and international companies interested in growing within Hillsborough County. Locally, the EDC helps existing businesses access the tools and resources they need to succeed, now and in the future.
About Pinellas County Economic Development:
Pinellas County Economic Development (PCED) works with existing businesses to encourage expansion and seeks to attract new companies with high-wage careers to our community. Through investment tools, business classes, professional consulting services, trade missions to open new markets, and strategic partnerships, PCED fosters a pro-business environment and promotes the Ideal Business Climate of Pinellas County, Florida.
