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Export Services
We have discussed in other
issues of NOIBN the fact that not enough manufacturers are
exporting. We hear all
sorts of excuses for not exporting:
I don’t have time; I don’t know how; I’m too busy; I
have enough domestic business; I’m afraid of getting in trouble in
a foreign country; I don’t speak a foreign language; I don’t
know their culture. All of these are valid concerns, but none
of these is a good excuse.
We have good news for those
companies who are small or who have never exported before and would
like some help in getting started.
The U.S. Department of Commerce has always had a very good
network of International Trade Administration offices around our
country and offices around the world, as well as connections in most
or all U.S. Embassies in foreign countries.
They have always provided their services at low cost.
We, in the United States, have
always had a “do it yourself” mentality, and we want to save
money by doing our own thing. In
this case you’ll find that the low fees along with the time saving
and assistance in cutting through red tape will definitely give you
an advantage. And don’t forget, your tax dollars are helping to fund
these offices and these services.
Therefore it makes no sense not to take advantage of them.
The good news is, that on May
1, 2008, the U.S. Department of Commerce is implementing a new fee
schedule for services for small companies and companies that are new
to exporting. In a
recent letter from the Director General of the U.S. Department of
Commerce (Israel Hernandez) to District Export Council Members he
states the new fee schedule will:
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- Provide an incentive for certain NTE (New To
Exporting) companies to try CS (Commercial Service) services for
the first time by offering a first time discount
- Maintain fees for SMEs (Small and Medium Exporters) at
levels that preserve their access to CS export assistance
programs
- Adjust fees to full cost recovery levels for large
companies
For
more information call the U.S. Department of Commerce in Milwaukee
at 414-297-3473. They
can also give you a list of members of the Wisconsin District Export
Council. All District
Export Council Members are available to help with export assistance
at no cost. (Del Brahm is a WIDEC member and can be reached at
414-761-7166.)
Spring
With air temperatures beginning to moderate a little,
it is time for all young (and
old—and in-between) international traders’ fancies to turn to
services via the Port of Milwaukee.
Let’s see what the new season will bring.
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