The West Virginia Development Office invites you to participate in their Trade Mission to Monterrey, Mexico June 24 – 27, 2007. Since the implementation of NAFTA, Mexican imports from the U.S. have increased exponentially, totaling over $130 billion in 2006. West Virginia’s exports to Mexico have more than tripled in the past 5 years.
While Mexico is a large and very diverse economy, the industrial base of Monterrey is closely matched to the capabilities of West Virginia’s small and medium-sized companies.
Mission Details
The West Virginia Development Office will work closely with the U.S. Commercial Service to identify companies who have an interest in your product, and to arrange appointments with appropriate local agents, distributors, and other potential trading partners for your company. In addition to these meetings with pre-qualified business partners, they will organize the following:
- Networking reception
- Transportation to Business Meetings
- Mission brochure in Spanish
- Market briefing by U.S. Department of Commerce Staff
- Market promotion support
- Tour of Border Crossing at Nuevo Laredo
- Individual Meetings
Each company representative will meet with potential end-users, representatives, distributors or joint venture partners, depending on your needs in this market. These appointments are individual, pre-screened and pre-arranged, based on your product literature and responses to the Market Interest Questionnaire from the U.S. Department of Commerce. The goal is to provide each participant with up to 5 individual business appointments, held at the Mexican business location, to allow one-on-one contact with potential business partners. The information you gain during these meetings will be enhanced by published research on the Mexican market, provided to mission participants by the U.S. Department of Commerce and various trade associations.
Best Prospects
While all industries are encouraged to explore this market for potential business partners, the U.S. Department of Commerce indicates that the Mexican market offers excellent trade opportunities in the following sectors:
- Airports & Aviation
- Automotive Manufacturing Industry
- Building & Construction Materials
- Travel and Tourism Services
- Education & Training
- Energy Industry
- Environmental Technologies
- Hotels & Restaurants
- IT & Telecom Industry
Please note: to participate in this program, your product or service must meet one of the following criteria:
A. Products and services are manufactured or produced in the United States.
B. If manufactured or produced outside of the United States, the product or service must be marked under the name of a U.S. firm and have U.S. content representing at least 51 percent of the value of the finished good or service.
Border Crossing:
The World Trade Bridge opened in the spring of 2000, and handles only commercial traffic. It is the busiest crossing point between the US and Mexico. This border crossing utilizes US Customs' Automated Export System (AES), which has aided the movement of goods across the border. At the border, exporters will learn about custom clearance procedures, rules for cross border trucking and the new AES system.
Cost:
Participation fee of $250 includes business meeting arrangements, in-country transportation, interpreters, bi-lingual mission brochure, and receptions. Travel, lodging, and personal expenses are the responsibility of each company representative. The estimated total cost of the program will be as follows:
Participation fee………………………………..$250
Airfare………………………………………….…..$600
Hotel………………………………………….…….$400
Personal Expenses…………………….……….$150
TOTAL……………………….……….……...….$1,400
Additional Information and Registration:
If you are interested in this opportunity, please complete the Registration Form below and fax back by April 2, or you may contact Debra Martin at the following address:
Debra Martin
Manager, International Trade
West Virginia Development Office
1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East
Capitol Complex, Building 6
Charleston, WV 25305-0311
In addition, Debra Martin is available to meet with you at your convenience to discuss this and other export promotion opportunities in detail. In interested, please call 304-558-2234, or contact her via email at dmartin@wvdo.org with any questions.
