PA Offering In-State Businesses Opportunity to Gauge, Enter Growing Chinese Market

Meetings with International Trade Rep Latest Effort to Boost Successful Business Development Program

HARRISBURG, Pa., April 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Pennsylvania companies will have an opportunity to explore business opportunities in the fast-growing Chinese market through April 23, when the commonwealth's trade representatives from Beijing and Shanghai will visit the state for a series of regional meetings.

"China, with its approximately 1.5 billion people, is widely considered to be the world's largest and fastest-growing emerging market and it represents a huge opportunity for Pennsylvania manufacturers and service providers," said Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary George Cornelius. "These one-on-one business meetings and briefings are a terrific opportunity for Pennsylvania's businesses to determine the potential market for their goods and services in China, and to establish contacts with a network of trade experts."

The meetings are hosted by DCED's Center for Trade Development and its regional export network partners. DCED contracts with 24 overseas trade representatives to provide in-country assistance and market intelligence. They help to identify overseas partners for Pennsylvania companies, and offer knowledge and technical assistance which may be outside their experience or resources, including market intelligence, export counseling, compliance support, business contacts and trade promotion programs.

China is Pennsylvania's third largest export market, with $1.54 billion in exports in 2009, including machinery, chemicals, computers/electronic products and primary metal products.

"By helping to forge new relationships, we are providing Pennsylvania companies with opportunities to move into new markets that often result in new jobs," Cornelius said. "These in-state meetings will make it even easier for small and mid-sized companies to get information and technical assistance about a potentially huge new market."

DCED's Office of International Business Development helped to increase the commonwealth's exports at a significantly faster rate than the national average, prior to the recession: Pennsylvania's exports in 2002 totaled $15.3 billion; in 2008 they were $34 billion, 18 percent higher than in 2007.  

In the fiscal year that ended June 30, the office directly facilitated $455 million worth of exports, a 25 percent increase over the previous year. Last year, the office directly assisted more than 1,200 companies.

The commonwealth is now working with its trade representatives on the Envoy program, created to provide ongoing services overseas to Pennsylvania companies beyond what is already offered at no cost by DCED.

Pennsylvania's trade center in China has entered into 17 Envoy contracts since the program's inception in 2007. While each contract is different and customized, the Envoy service has been used in two primary ways: to provide executive office services for an in-country company representative or to offer a turnkey solution, essentially outsourcing a company's China development to a team built and managed by the trade center.

The program has proven beneficial for two Pennsylvania-based companies now doing business in China. West Chester-based Weston Solutions used the Pennsylvania business center in Shanghai to quickly establish its China headquarters -- a wholly-owned entity staffed by a Weston executive. Reading-based Carpenter Technology made use of the Envoy program in 2008 to establish its presence and conduct initial business affairs as its formal office was being prepared.

For more information on Pennsylvania's successful international business development efforts, visit www.newpa.com.

Editor's Note: The itinerary for the meetings with Pennsylvania's trade representatives from Beijing and Shanghai follows. Interested companies should call the contact listed below to reserve a spot.

April 13 – State College

Chamber of Business and Industry of Centre County

200 Innovation Blvd.

Suite 150

State College, PA 16803

DCED regional partner: Susquehanna Economic Development Association

Contact: Noelle Long, 570-524-4491

April 15 – Bethlehem

Lehigh University

621 Taylor St.

Bethlehem, PA 18015

DCED regional partner: Lehigh University Small Business Development Center, Lehigh Export Network

Contact: Cora Landis, 610-758-4350

April 16 – York

Four Points Sheraton

1650 Toronita St.

York, PA 17402

DCED regional partner: World Trade Center of Central Pennsylvania

Contact: Tina Weyant, 717-843-1090

April 19 - Latrobe

St. Vincent College

300 Fraser Purchase Road

Latrobe, PA 15650

DCED regional partner: Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission

Contact: Rena Liu-Belshe, 412-391-5590

April 20 – Grove City

Carnegie Alumni Center

Grove City College

100 Campus Drive

Grove City, PA 16127

DCED regional partner: Northwest PA Regional Planning and Development Commission

Contact: Dorte Heffernan, 814-677-4800

April 21 – (North Central PA)

Site visits TBD

DCED regional partner: North Central PA Regional Planning and Development Commission

Contact: Christine Perneski, 814-773-3162

April 23 – Philadelphia

World Trade Center of Greater Philadelphia

Two Penn Center

1500 JFK Blvd.

Suite 305

Philadelphia, PA 19102-1733

DCED regional partner: World Trade Center of Greater Philadelphia

Contact:  Dino Ramos, 215-586-4246

For more information, call 1-866-466-3972 or visit www.newpa.com.

Media contact: Steve Weitzman, 717-783-1132

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development