Oklahoma international trade bulletin.

              OKLAHOMA INTERNATIONAL TRADE BULLETIN
301 N.W. 63rd Street, Suite 330 700 N. Greenwood Ave., Suite 1400 900 N. Stiles Ave.
Oklahoma City, OK 73116 Tulsa, OK 74106 Oklahoma City, OK 73104
(405)608-5302 Fax: (405)608-5302 (918)581-7650 Fax: (918)581-6263 (405)815-6552 Fax: (405)815-5199
A joint newsletter of the Oklahoma Department of Commerce and the U.S. Department of Commerce
Volume XXVIII, Number 11 August 2011
Exporting 101: Basics of Exporting Workshop – October 20, 2011 – Tulsa, OK
The Oklahoma District Export Council, in conjunction with the Oklahoma U.S. Export Assistance Center and the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, will sponsor a full-day workshop in Tulsa on October 20, 2011, on Exporting 101 - Basics of Exporting. Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. The workshop will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The workshop will be located at OSU-Tulsa, North, Hall, Room 250, 700 North Greenwood Avenue, Tulsa. For a fee of only $50.00 participants will receive A Basic Guide to Exporting and nearly seven hours of expert advice on export assistance organizations, basic export market research, choosing direct/indirect exporting, choosing an export strategy, organizing an export operation, export pricing, establishing overseas markets, communications, evaluating overseas contacts, methods of payment and financing, and export quotations. Presenters will include international bankers, international attorneys, international business practitioners, and Oklahoma U.S. Export Assistance Center International Trade Specialists. Your registration fee will also include a networking luncheon.
Checks should be made payable to the Oklahoma District Export Council and mailed to 301 N.W. 63rd Street, Suite 330, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 73116. To pay by credit card, please contact Ashley Wilson at 800-TRYOKLA, extension 223 or 405-608-5302. For your convenience, a registration form is included below.
The cancellation policy for all workshops is a full refund up to 24 hours prior to the event. For a cancellation within 24 hours of the event, your registration fee will be applied to a future workshop of your choice or the amount that you paid will be applied to the cost of the annual Oklahoma World Trade Conference. For further information or registration call 918-581-7650, 405-608-5302 or 800-TRYOKLA, extension 223 or e-mail ashley.wilson@trade.gov.
Exporting 101: Shipping and Documentation Workshop – November 16, 2011 – Tulsa, OK
The Oklahoma District Export Council, in conjunction with the Oklahoma U. S. Export Assistance Center and the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, will sponsor a full-day workshop in Tulsa, on November 16, 2011, on Exporting 101 – Export Shipping and Documentation Workshop. The workshop will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The workshop will be located at OSU-Tulsa, North, Hall, Room 250, 700 North Greenwood Avenue, Tulsa. For a fee of only $50.00 participants will receive nearly seven hours of expert advice from freight forwarders and Oklahoma U. S. Export Assistance Center International Trade Specialists. The following subjects will be covered: export licensing; utilizing a freight forwarder; Incoterms; export quotations; shipping methods; export packing; export documentation; and insurance. This will be an excellent opportunity to have your questions answered by the experts. Your registration fee will also include a networking luncheon.
Checks should be made payable to the Oklahoma District Export Council and mailed to 301 N.W. 63rd Street, Suite 330; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 73116. To pay by credit card, please contact Ashley Wilson at 800-TRYOKLA, extension 223 or 405-608-5302. For your convenience, a registration form is included below.
The cancellation policy for all workshops is a full refund up to 24 hours prior to the event. For a cancellation within 24 hours of the event, your registration fee will be applied to a future workshop of your choice or the amount that you paid will be applied to the cost of the annual Oklahoma World Trade Conference. For further information or registration call 918-581-7650, 405-608-5302, or 800-TRYOKLA, extension 223 or e-mail ashley.wilson@trade.gov.
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Registration Form – Basics of Exporting/Shipping and Documentation Workshop
Please mail to: U.S. Department of Commerce, 301 N.W. 63rd Street, Suite 330, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73116
***Make check payable to Oklahoma District Export Council***
***For credit card payment, please contact Ashley Wilson at 800-TRYOKLA, extension 223 or 405-608-5302**
Name(s): _____________________________________Title:___________________________________
Company: ___________________________________________________________________________
Address: _______________________________City: _________________ State: ______ Zip: ________
Telephone: ________________________________ Fax: ______________________________________
E-mail: ____________________________________ Website: __________________________________
Basics of Exporting Workshop: ____________ Shipping and Documentation Workshop: _____________
Basics of Exporting and Shipping and Documentation Workshop: ________________________________
Number of Attendees: ______________ Amount Enclosed: $ ___________________________________
Doing Business in Australia
The United States is Australia’s third-largest trading partner as well as its largest source of foreign investment and the primary destination for Australian investment.
Australia is a sophisticated and modern economy that is a major exporter of primary resources (such as mineral and agricultural commodities) and an importer of high-end technology. Asian demand for minerals, metals, and energy resources has been an engine for growth nationally and in specific regions of the country. With many mining sites in the state of Queensland (the country’s largest coal exporting state) suffering temporary production delays due to the recent floods, liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects are moving forward, such as the contract signed between Australia and China to supply China with LNG for the next 20 years.
Although the economic crisis caused the Australian economy to contract slightly (for one quarter), the economy is strong, with massive levels of investment pouring into the resources sector and low unemployment (5%). However, there are some areas of concern. Retail sales remain sluggish. The Australian banking sector, which is highly dependent on offshore markets for funds, remains vulnerable to potential future turmoil in global financial markets. And the strong terms of trade resulting from soaring world prices for Australia’s major export items have contributed to a historically high Australian dollar, which in turn has negatively affected sectors such as tourism, international education, and manufacturing. Australia’s terms of trade have risen sharply, to be about 65 per cent above the 20th century average level due to rising world demand for commodities such as iron ore and coal.
American firms examining the Australian market should pay attention to macro measures of opportunity,
which give it more purchasing power relative to that in less- developed economies. Along with the Free
Trade Agreement, the case for entering or expanding in the Australian market is stronger than the
-2- population of 22.6 million might suggest, particularly with the strong Australian dollar stimulating greater demand for U.S. products and services. Australia’s relative market appeal remains convincing, with few
barriers to entry, a familiar legal and corporate framework, sophisticated consumer and industrial sectors, and a straightforward, English-speaking business culture. The Australia-U.S. Free Trade Agreement enhanced the long and successful trading relationship by eliminating tariffs on almost all U.S. manufactured and agricultural goods.
For further information about doing business in Australia, please click here.
China Biotech Trade Mission
The Commercial Service in the U.S. Department of Commerce is recruiting U.S. companies for a high level Biotech Life Sciences Trade Mission to China October 14-18, led by Under Secretary for International Trade Francisco Sanchez. During the Trade Mission, U.S. company participants will engage Chinese Government decision makers, meet with pre-screened and qualified potential partners, attend briefings by high ranking US Embassy officials and industry experts in the field of biotechnology, and partake in valuable networking opportunities.
Where?
Beijing and Hong Kong
When?
October 14-18, 2011
Why?
Quickly Emerging Biotech Industry with Strong Interest in U.S. Products and Services
U.S. biotech and life science firms often consider China the most important future market in terms of sales and clinical trial opportunities, and potential investment.
China’s enormous consumer base and impressive economic growth further reinforce the importance of the market for U.S. firms.
A Trade Mission led by the U.S. Department of Commerce offers an attractive entrée for U.S. biotech firms and associations given China’s relatively complex legal and regulatory landscape.
Hong Kong possesses excellent research facilities and business infrastructure, regulatory linkages into the mainland, and a strong venture capital community.
Hong Kong is also a leading center for bio-medical clinical trials in Asia.
Why Participate:
The goals of the China Biotech Trade Mission are to increase U.S. biotech sales to China and match make US biotech firms with needed partners such as investors, representatives, clinical research organizations and distributors.
During the mission, participants will receive:
-Briefings on the biotech market and how to protect intellectual property in China;
-Site visits to biotech research parks;
-One-on-one business meetings with prospective Chinese partners tailored to each firm's needs; and
-Meetings with local industry experts and government officials.
-3-
Fees:
Cost: $3,270 for large firms and $2,327 for a small or medium-sized enterprise with 500 employees or less. Expenses for travel, lodging, meals, and incidentals will be the responsibility of each mission participant.
More Information:
For more information contact Commercial Officer Douglas Wallace at douglas.wallace@trade.gov or (415) 705-1765.
Doing Business in Germany
The German economy is the world's fourth largest and, after the expansion of the EU, accounts for more than one-fifth of European Union GDP. Germany is the United States' largest European trading partner and is the sixth largest market for U.S. exports. Germany’s "social market" economy largely follows free-market principles, but with a considerable degree of government regulation and generous social welfare programs. Germany is the largest consumer market in the European Union with a population of over 82 million. However, the significance of the German marketplace goes well beyond its borders. An enormous volume of worldwide trade is conducted in Germany at some of the world’s largest trade events, such as MEDICA, Hannover Fair, Automechanika, and the ITB Tourism Show. The volume of trade, number of consumers, and Germany’s geographic location at the heart of a 27-member European Union make it a cornerstone around which many U.S. firms seek to build their European and worldwide expansion strategies. For more information about doing business in Germany, please click here.
Use of Electronic Commerce for International Business and Trade
Using the Internet to transact business in the global marketplace offers significant advantages to the small or medium-sized company seeking new outlets for its products and services. More than 1 billion people throughout the world have access to the Internet. This presence offers a tremendous potential customer base for the entrepreneur. At the same time, business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce has also surged. Corporations in Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America are increasingly migrating many of their marketing programs online to seek new business in regions and countries that they had previously thought to be beyond their resources. They also seek new supply sources and services to meet their internal needs and partners to share manufacturing and marketing responsibilities. Some companies, such as GE, have migrated all their sourcing and bidding processes to the Internet.
For certain industries, products, and services, going online reduces variable costs associated with international marketing. Handling tasks such as order processing, payment, after-sales service, marketing (direct e-mail), and advertising online may lower the international market development costs that an enterprise would incur had it used conventional “brick-and-mortar” market penetration strategies. Companies should be aware of one important caveat: although English is spoken in many countries, it is still important to consider using the languages prevalent in the countries targeted in your company’s e-business strategy. Websites should be designed to reach the widest audience in the languages of that audience. For further details about the use of electronic commerce for international business and trade, please click here.
October 2011 Calendar of Events
Date: Event: Contact:
October 4, 2011 Minority and Women’s Breakfast capcokc@coxinet.net
Metro Tech Economic Development Center, Oklahoma City
October 20, 2011 Basics of Exporting Workshop (918)581-7650, (405)608-5302
OSU-Tulsa, Tulsa ashley.wilson@trade.gov