U.S. Commercial Service of the Department of Commerce

Export.gov

The U.S. Commercial Service, the premier global business solutions provider of the U.S. Department of Commerce, is dedicated to helping U.S. companies succeed internationally. Through a global network of approximately 1,800 trade specialists working in 108 domestic offices and 149 posts in 80 countries, the USCS helps U.S. companies make international sales with world-class market research, trade events that promote their products or services to qualified buyers, introductions to qualified buyers and distributors, and counseling through every step of the export process.

95% of the world’s consumers live in other countries
and the benefits of exporting are enormous.

Learn how to export in our Export Basics section or register to access market research and trade leads. Trade Specialists are also available in your area to help plan your international business. Call 1-800- USA-TRAD(E) to find a trade specialist and get answers to your export questions.

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The Library Includes:

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• Industry/Regional Reports*

http://www.globalspeak.com/html/export-gov/webcasts.asp

* These market research reports are available only to U.S. companies that are registered with Export.gov.

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http://www.export.gov/mrktresearch/index.asp

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http://tse.export.gov/

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U.S. Commercial Service
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Article Resource:

Looking to Export? U.S. Commercial Service Provides Matchmaking Service for Companies

When J.D. Streett & Company was looking to expand its export sales, the automotive lubricant manufacturer found a partner with the U.S. Commercial Service. A long-term client of the St. Louis U.S. Export Assistance Center, the 120 year-old company has benefited from export counseling, trade leads, and other services to make export sales. Using the Gold Key Service that provides for pre-arranged business appointments abroad, the firm made almost immediate new-to-market sales to Panama and thus facilitated its exponential sales growth throughout Central America-with the company's export sales doubling to the region last year. J.D. Streett also utilized the Commercial Service's International Buyer Program to aggressively pursue new leads in Korea, China, and Mexico; and BUYUSA.com to make sales to Vietnam.

J.D. Streett is just one of the thousands of American businesses across the country that that are cashing-in on new export sales by taking advantage of U.S. Commercial Service export programs and services, including those designed to match U.S. firms with overseas agents and distributors. Among the most popular of these is the Gold Key Service program that arranges pre-screened business appointments abroad for U.S. firms with qualified potential partners.

U.S. Commercial Service

The mission of the U.S. Commercial Service is to help U.S. companies export and to look out for American business interests abroad. We have a seamless network of offices in 109 U.S. cities and at U.S. embassies and consulates in 80 countries. Our 1,700 trade specialists around the world have expertise in a variety of industries and have excellent contacts that enable them to facilitate export sales. We provide just about everything from export counseling and market research to international partner searches, trade events, advocacy, and pre-arranged business appointments abroad through our Gold Key program. We also participate in many trade shows and our International Buyer Program recruits and brings to many of these shows foreign buyer delegations looking to buy from U.S. show exhibitors. For more information, visit your nearest U.S. Export Assistance Center at www.export.gov

Why should U.S. companies consider exporting if they aren't already?

There are several reasons why U.S. companies should consider exporting or expanding their export sales if they aren't already:

• " Ninety-five percent of the world's consumers are outside of the United States-and more than 70 percent of the world's purchasing power is beyond U.S. borders-so if a U.S. business is only selling domestically, they are reaching just a small share of potential customers.
  
• " There has never been a better time to export. With the growing number of free trade agreements, the Internet, ease of transportation, and government export resources available-exporting is now easier than ever.
• " Exporting helps small companies grow and become more competitive in all their markets. If a company is not exporting, it's highly likely its competitors are or will be selling internationally.

We recently checked in with some of our business clients to profile their export successes.

Astec Underground

American Augers, Inc., of West Salem, Ohio, a unit of Astec Underground, of Loudon, Tenn. is a manufacturer of construction equipment such as horizontal augers and trenchers. The company is a long-term client of the Commercial Service's Cleveland U.S. Export Assistance Center, having benefited from a variety of export services. In 2004, Dan Sharpe, Astec Underground's International Sales Manager, sought assistance in locating potential buyers in India. The U.S. Commercial Service in Cleveland and New Delhi, India, made arrangements for Astec Underground to participate in the Commercial Service Gold Key Matching Service program. The Gold Key provides for pre-arranged overseas business appointments with potential foreign distributors and agents, all pre-screened and set up by the Commercial Service. The Commercial Service posts in India then arranged appointments in New Delhi and three other Indian cities. Mr. Sharpe then flew out to India to meet with the prospective business partners (a total of 28 legitimate dealer distributors). As a result of these Gold Key Service meetings, Mr. Sharpe reported his company's first export sales to India, and has since signed up a distributor, and is now expanding his firm's sales to India. Altogether, Astec Underground has now sold 20 machines to India, and has another six on order. Astec has also sold around $8 million in parts since signing its dealer in India. Mr. Sharpe credits the Gold Key for the successes.

"The U.S. Commercial Service saved us valuable time and resources in locating potential buyers, and it would have taken much longer on our own," says Sharpe, "They understand the local business environment, culture, and ways of doing business, and our company has really made a lot of headway in India as a result."

"As a result of our export sales to India, we have added new jobs at our factory in West Salem, Ohio," Sharpe says, "India has been an excellent market for our company."

JQ American

Founded in 1998 by Jamal Qureshi, JQ American of Hayward, California, specializes in the supply and distribution of products and services to oil, laboratory, medical, pharmaceutical, and chemical institutions. The firm utilized the U.S. Commercial Service's Oakland U.S. Export Assistance Center and overseas posts for export counseling, market research, and pre-arranged business appointments abroad through the Gold Key Service.

Together, with the collaboration of financing agencies such as the U.S. Export-Import Bank, JQ American was able to make new-to-market sales to North Africa, Morocco, Algeria and Egypt. With Commercial Service assistance, the firm also landed a contract with the United Nations in Kosovo to outfit a hospital with medical supplies in 2003, and sold medical and laboratory equipment to Iraq and its Ministry of Health. Exports now account for nearly 90 percent of JQ American's total sales and include more than 15 countries. The firm has since expanded its employees and has been recognized with the President's "E' Award for exporting. JQ American also recently signed a multi-million agreement to supply medical equipment to a new hospital in Bhopal, India.

"My business is heavily export-driven, and if it weren't for the U.S. Commercial Service, I wouldn't have achieved the success I have today," says Qureshi. "My advice to other companies is to take advantage of this invaluable government service."

These business clients export success stories are just a few examples of how the U.S. Commercial Service is working everyday to help U.S. companies export their goods and services around the world.

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