World Trade Center Savannah will hold a free seminar next week for companies interested in doing business with U.S. neighbors Canada and Mexico. The program will help businesses explore opportunities for international commerce and the services available through WTC and other organizations.
“It’s important to educate our region on the existing opportunities for trade with Canada and Mexico, as the two countries have consistently remained top markets for trade in the United States and Georgia, said Brynn Grant, WTC Savannah vice president.
“We are bringing presenters who are experts on this subject and we look forward to learning from their knowledge and first-hand experience.”
Leading the program will be Todd Gerken, director of the South Georgia U.S. Export Assistance Center of U.S. Commercial Service; Kathy Oxford, senior international trade manager for the Georgia Department of Economic Development and Georges Lemieux, Atlanta-based Consulate General of Canada and Senior Trade Commissioner.
Highlights of the program will include the status of trade and current opportunities between the U.S., Mexico and Canada, as well as between the state of Georgia, Mexico and Canada; trade promotion motion opportunities and services available to businesses; how to work with the Georgia Department of Economic Development to find partners; sourcing from Canadian companies, investing in Canada and developing science and technology/innovation partnerships with Canadian companies.
Canada is the largest export market for both the United States and Georgia, with exports totaling $302 billion and $6.3 billion respectively. Top merchandise exports from Georgia to Canada in 2013 were transportation equipment, machinery, chemicals and computer and electronic products.
Canada is the second largest import market for the U.S. and the sixth-largest for Georgia. Top imports to Canada to Georgia include plastics, heavy machinery, electrical machinery, mineral fuels and oils.
Mexico is the second largest export market for the U.S. and the third largest for Georgia, with the state’s top exports including chemicals, paper, transportation equipment and primary metal.
Mexico ranks fifth among Georgia’s top import nations, sending electrical machinery, motor vehicles and parts, refrigerators, air conditioners, lamps and optical devices our way.
At least 80 Georgia companies have operations in Canada, while there are 232 Canadian facilities — half of them manufacturing locations — in Georgia. Those Canadian operations employ approximately 9,500 Georgians.
There are 89 Mexican facilities — 46 of them manufacturing operations — in the state, employing more than 3,300 Georgians.
IF YOU GO
“Doing Business with Canada and Mexico” will be held from 9-11:30 a.m., Thursday, Aug. 14 at World Trade Center Savannah, 131 Hutchinson Island Road. The program is free but registration is required. To register, please visit wtcsavannah.org. For more information, contact Charisse Bruin at cbruin@seda.org or 912-447-9707.
