Author: World Trade Center Harrisburg
WTC Greater Philadelphia Global Trade Summit
May 22, 2025Posted by Nathan Book
On May 21, the
World Trade Center Greater Philadelphia hosted the World Trade Centers
Association (WTCA) Global Trade Summit– entitled “Kickoff to 2026 – Seizing the
Global Spotlight”– at Temple University’s Alter Hall.
The event marked
approximately one year until the city of Philadelphia will host the WTCA Global
Business Forum from April 19-22 and brought together a variety of business
leaders from the greater Philadelphia area and key stakeholders in international trade
to hear about how the city’s businesses, organizations, and governmental
entities plan to showcase Philadelphia on a global scale through the Forum and
numerous other marquee events next summer. This vision was described in detail
by several speakers, all of whom emphasized the role businesses and individual
community members play in conveying optimism about Philadelphia’s future and
helping the city capitalize on this summer’s events.
The Global
Business Forum is an annual event hosted by the WTCA to bring together over
300 members and their business networks from around the world. The complete
list of WTCA members by continent can be found here.
As such, the purpose of the Global Business Forum is
not only to foster cross-cultural connection and collective exploration of key
trends and policy shifts impacting international business, but also to promote
shared innovation and growth in the process. Previously hosted by Bengaluru,
India in 2024 and Marseille, France in 2025, the 2026 event will cast
Philadelphia onto the global stage, enabling the city to build toward becoming
a leading global business hub and showcase its plan and vision for doing so.
The
Global Trade Summit serves as both a strategic planning forum and a means of
rallying the city’s regional and international business communities. Those in
attendance engaged in networking, breakout sessions, and presentations that
explored how Philadelphia can leverage its strengths to attract global
attention, an opportunity that is more apparent than ever this summer. Among
the strengths most emphasized were the following:
●
A strategic location as the second-largest city on the Eastern
Corridor with easy access to major U.S. markets like New York City and
Washington, D.C.
●
The presence of diverse industries thriving in the city
with potential for global appeal, including education, life sciences and
biotechnology, and healthcare
●
Intentional efforts for further international engagement on the
part of city government and active trade organizations, including World Trade
Center of Greater Philadelphia, Global Philadelphia Association, local Chambers of Commerce and partners such as World Trade Centers from Pittsburgh, Central Pennsylvania and Delaware among others.
●
A great capacity for growth, fueled by city-wide optimism, engagement, and
support to fully take advantage of this summer’s events
For attendees,
the event provided practical insights into how their businesses and
organizations can supplement larger city-wide efforts, showcasing innovation,
hospitality, and growth in a way that gains the attention and admiration of
those who visit Philadelphia this summer. In this way, the summit laid the
groundwork for a coordinated, region-wide effort to seize the many
opportunities presented by the Global Business Forum and related events.
The upcoming year
represents a once-in-a-generation showcase for Philadelphia as a result of the
many large-scale events the city will host. In addition to the Global Business
Forum, Philadelphia will be one of sixteen North American cities hosting FIFA World
Cup games, stimulating the city’s economy as people from all over the world
stay in hotels, eat at restaurants, and visit other attractions in Philadelphia
during their average three-week stays in the city as World Cup fans. Other
sporting events taking place in Philadelphia in 2026 include the MLB All-Star
Game, the PGA Championship, and certain games of the NCAA Men’s Basketball
Tournament (March Madness). Additionally, Philadelphia will celebrate America’s
semiquincentennial, commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the
Declaration of Independence. Thus, to say that 2026 is monumental for
Philadelphia would be a drastic understatement, and the Global Business Forum
plays a key role in this significant year for the city.
The fact that an
international trade event as significant as the Global Business Forum is being
hosted not just in our nation, but specifically in Philadelphia next year is
significant not only for the city itself, but also for businesses in Central
Pennsylvania just a short distance away. The forum offers companies the ability
to connect with individuals around the world and gain the opportunity to
enhance international trade and learn about trends and policy-related news that
directly impact their functioning as a business. For more information about the
event and how to leverage this opportunity as a business, visit the World Trade
Center Greater Philadelphia’s website here
or reach out to World Trade Center Harrisburg staff. More details regarding the
forum will be made available on the World Trade Center Harrisburg website as it
is released.
2025 International Trade Conference Recap
May 9, 2025
On May 6, World Trade Center Harrisburg hosted our annual 2025 International Trade Conference at the Eden Hotel in Lancaster, PA. We were honored to bring together global consulates, industry leaders, and professionals from across the Southcentral Pennsylvania region to discuss global issues that impact local businesses. This event served as a platform for networking, global collaboration, and discussion aimed at advancing international trade.
The
all-day event welcomed over 60 attendees that represented various industries
across Southcentral PA. The keynote presentation was presented by Matthew Brennan, CFA, of Fulton Private
Bank and Fulton Financial Advisors, and covered hot trade topics such as
tariffs and how businesses can financially plan for any upcoming changes.
Attendees
then joined several breakout sessions that covered subjects such as Harmonized
Tariff Codes, local Foreign Trade Zone 147, exporting and user destination, and
export financing. These breakout sessions were presented by experts from Team Worldwide, Campbell Trade Group Inc, EXIM
Bank, Fulton Financial Corporation,
and the US Small Business Administration.
The
luncheon panel discussion, moderated by David
Briel of BusinessPA, presented the opportunity for attendees to gain
valuable trade insight from some of the United States’ top trading partners. We
were honored to host a lineup of exceptional speakers who shared their
expertise and perspectives on the future of international trade:
●
Geoff Gartshore, Deputy Consul General of
Canada, New York, NY
●
Carlos Obrador, Head Consul of Mexico,
Philadelphia, PA
●
Jens Pohlmann, Counselor Trade Policy at the
Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, Washington, DC
event concluded with the recognition of Lancaster County based company, Ecore International Inc, for being one
of just twelve companies to receive EXIM Bank’s prestigious 2025 Exporter of
the Year Award. Anna Weidmayer and Kyle Harnish accepted the award
presented by Regina Gordin, Deputy
Managing Director of EXIM Bank.
We
are excited about the fruitful conversations and momentum this event has
created. Stay tuned for upcoming WTCH events including the Philadelphia Port
Tour, and trade shows such as the Paris Air Show and the Summer Fancy Food
Show.
you to all of our amazing speakers, attendees, members, partners, and sponsors
who made the 2025 International Trade Conference a success. We look forward to
hosting more trade events and discussions to shape economic growth in the
Southcentral Pennsylvania region.
 |
Thank
you again to our sponsors for your generous support!
FTZ 147: A Supply Chain Success Story
February 21, 2022
Thirty-five
years ago, The Reading Chamber of Commerce filed an application with the US
Foreign-Trade Zones Board resulting in the creation of Foreign-Trade Zone 147
(FTZ 147), the 147th such zone established in the US. For perspective, as of the end of 2020, there
were 298 FTZ’s in and around the various U.S. Customs Ports of Entry. The original Zone covered the land at the
Reading Municipal Airport.
FTZ 147 now
covers eleven counties in Southcentral Pennsylvania:
- Adams County
- Berks County
- Cumberland County
- Dauphin County
- Franklin County
- Fulton County
- Juniata County
- Lancaster County
- Lebanon County
- Perry County
- York County
FTZ
147 got off to a slow start. For various
reasons no zone activity occurred until 1996 when Baker Refractories began to
use the FTZ program to eliminate Customs Duties on imported magnesite. That use was short lived as the United States
eliminated the import duties on magnesite a year or so later. While the zone grew by expanding the service
area into additional counties, the use of the zone by companies
stalled until 2005 when Clarks’ Shoe Company began importing footwear using FTZ
procedures. The next 15 years saw the
explosion of zone use in FTZ 147. The amount of merchandise moving thru foreign-trade zones in FTZ 147 went
from $0.00 in 2005 to $14,073,059,437.00 in 2020.
In 2020, the most recent year statistics are available, FTZ 147 received over 10 times more merchandise in zone status than any other zone in Pennsylvania. FTZ 147 ranks 5th in the nation, and 2nd for an inland port, for receipts of merchandise into warehouses in Zone Status. FTZ 147 ranks 20th in the nation in terms of exports from warehouse zones. Remember, FTZ 147 was last in the nation in 2005, just 15 years ago.
Companies can use foreign-trade zones to maintain the cost competitiveness of their U.S.-based operations in relation to their foreign-based competitors. The fundamental benefit offered by the FTZ program to U.S.-based companies include:
- Deferral of Duties
- Reduction of Duties
- Elimination of Duties
For the U.S.-based companies involved in international trade, the FTZ program provides a means of improving their competitive position in relation to their counterparts abroad.
For
more information regarding U.S. Foreign-Trade Zones, please contact Randy P
Campbell at FTZ@CampbellTradeGroup.com
Trends in World Exports from Southcentral PA
August 1, 2019Posted by Sara Rilatt, Intern
These world regions are based on political, economic, and geographic groupings. This particular set of groups generally comprises 80-98% of world trade from the Southcentral region. However, not all countries are accounted for, so values cannot be summed to arrive at meaningful totals.
Event Recap: 20th Annual International Trade Conference
June 6, 2019posted by Arop Monywiir
This year WTC Harrisburg’s 20th International Trade Conference was held at the Eden Resort in Lancaster, PA. The conference started with a morning panel discussion regarding the United States-Mexico-Canada-Agreement (USMCA) and featured Alicia Kerber Palma, Consul General of Mexico in Philadelphia, Khawar Nasim, Deputy Consul General of Canada in New York, Alex Halper, Director of Government Affairs, PA Chamber of Business and Industry, Joe Monenegro, Government Affairs Counsel, PA Farm Bureau, and Bill Lane, Executive Director, Trade For America. The panel was moderated by Joe Burke, Deputy Secretary, PA DCED, Office of International Business Development.
The breakfast panel was followed by two tracks of breakout sessions:
A1: Why Your Small Business Should Care About GDPR, by Don Geiter, Barley Snyder
A2: Food Exports: Roundtable and Resources, by Haley Dack and Deborah Ingravallo, Food Export USA Northeast, Tom Mainzer, PA Department of Agriculture and Christa Mummau, PA DCED, Office of Int’l Business Development
And
B1: Identifying and Managing Distributors, by Tony Pu, U.S. Commercial Service, Philadelphia and Joshua Cohen, McNees Wallace & Nurick
B2: Export Finance Programs, Regina Gordin, EXIM Bank of USA, Theo Samuels-Hunte, Small Business Administration, Matt Blyth, Fulton Bank and Moderator Amy Sahm, Fulton Bank
The luncheon theme was celebrating export excellence and featured a panel of three local companies.
Karolyn Warfel of Woodstream, Bryan Muzyka of Advanced Cooling Technologies and Christopher Tarsa of C.L. Sturkey. The panel was moderated by Matt Buffington of UPS.
Thank you to our exhibitors and attendees; we hope to see you next year!
And a special thank you to our sponsors:
To view and download fact sheets on the United States-Mexico-Canada-Agreement (USMCA) and NAFTA’s impact on trade in southcentral Pennsylvania – Click Here
Translation for Global Trade: How to Choose a Language Partner
March 29, 2019by WTC Guest Blogger Myriam Siftar, President and CEO of MTM LinguaSoft
is an important ingredient for a successful export program. As your global
footprint grows, customers will expect content in their own language. In
addition to translation for supporting sales and marketing, you may need
packaging and labeling, safety information, manuals, regulatory documents, and
even mobile apps and machinery interfaces.
of very different options, and it can be difficult to decide where to
start.
subject domain, you could work directly with one or more freelance translators
on a contract basis. Screen freelancers carefully: translators face no official
licensing requirements in the US. You do not want to entrust a technical
translation project to someone who runs it through Google Translate and calls
it done.
Association directory. This professional organization tests and certifies
translators in most business language pairs, so ATA certification is good proof
of competency.
skills. Look for a technical translator with a graduate degree and/or
demonstrated experience in your area of expertise; check references to make
sure they have the right experience.
CAT (Computer Aided Translation) tools. CAT tools ensure consistency across
translations and create “translation memories” to cut the costs of future
updates. SDL Studio and MemoQ are
industry leaders, and most professionals have experience with one of these.
freelancers:
- If you are translating into more than one
language, the administrative work of managing multiple freelancers will increase
exponentially. - You are working with a technical translator and
you need marketing copy as well, one person might not be skilled in both. As
with technical vs. creative writers, translators tend to specialize in one or
the other. - You’ll need a back-up plan in case your
translator runs into trouble meeting a deadline. - If you need additional language-related services
like DTP, software localization, or subtitling/voiceovers you may need to
contract separately for these with someone else.
Partners (LSPs)
translators in many language pairs and subject domain specialties, with
in-house bilingual project managers and a dedicated vendor management function
for vetting and testing linguists. Because of the technical demands of digital
platforms, an LSP should have a strong information technology infrastructure
and knowledge base. They also tend to offer a variety of language related
services beyond translation.
LSP?
in the US, from SMEs to multinational corporations. If you search Google using “translation
services in Philadelphia,” you are likely to find the largest international
translation companies. The question you should ask yourself is whether the size
of your export program warrants top-shelf treatment from a company whose
clients include 3M, Northrop Grumman, and Toshiba.
guidance and consultation as you grow your export program. You might not find
them on the first page of the search listings, or even the second. Asking for
referrals from colleagues is a more effective search method if you are looking
for a partner who is familiar with your industry and will take the time to
understand your needs.
exist to help members share information.
Asking here would be a good first step. LinkedIn is also a resource for
finding out whether your business network connects to LSP personnel.
an LSP?
language and do a competent job on a translation project. The main
differentiator between LSPs is what they bring to their relationships with
their clients. Your expectations for an LSP should be similar to your
expectations for a creative agency or marketing firm. They should have an
established record of doing good work, and they should know your industry and
be eager to learn more about your export program and translation needs.
provide names and contact information of references in your general business
domain (law, manufacturing, pharma, etc.). If they refuse, or if their contacts
are less than enthusiastic, keep moving!
to localize a website or translate marketing content, you want to work with
project managers who can communicate clearly with your developer or creative
team. If you are localizing digital media like e-learning, software, websites,
and mobile apps, you’ll want a project manager with the relevant technical
expertise.
ask you?
establish the groundwork for an ongoing partnership, you should pay attention
to what the LSP asks you. Their questions should include:
- Who is the audience for the translated
materials? What is their level of technical sophistication? - Do you need translation for publication or will
it be used in-house? - Do you have previously translated materials that
can be used as references? - Do you plan to re-use content to publish on
different digital platforms? - Do you have a list of approved terminology for
your English language publications and a style guide? - What are your timelines?
client has different needs. During the first few translation projects, you
should expect a lot of requests for clarification from your project manager.
They’ll want to make sure the deliverables are exactly what you need, and
you’ll be educated on localization workflows. However, as time passes, your
language partner will understand your requirements and preferences and the
process will move smoothly.
Retaliatory Tariff Resources from the US Department of Commerce
October 26, 2018posted by Tina Weyant
Below is a listing of useful website links from the US Department of Commerce regarding foreign retaliatory actions to the U.S. Section 232 steel and aluminum tariffs as well as China’s responses to U.S. Section 301 tariffs.
General Information about Foreign Tariff Retaliations:
Details regarding additional duty rates and their effective dates and links to each country’s official announcements are included for the following countries:
- Canada
- China
- EU
- India
- Japan
- Mexico
- Russia
- Turkey
https://www.trade.gov/mas/ian/tradedisputes-enforcement/retaliations/tg_ian_002094.asp#P4_161
Section 232 Investigations Overview and Documents:
A great starting place is the website for Section 232 Investigations, where links for investigations, proclamations and dockets can be found via the steel and the aluminum page.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection website also has a useful information page regarding the Section 232 Tariffs, and a helpful list of FAQs.
Finding Objections, Rebuttals, and Surrebuttals for Section 232 Product Exclusion Requests:
The steel and aluminum rebuttal and surrebuttal files are uploaded daily to the Section 232 Investigations website as an Excel workbook. The files catalog each objection, rebuttal, and surrebuttal Identification Number associated with each Exclusion Request. Instructional guides as well as a video are available.
Contact Points for Questions Related to Section 232 Tariffs:
– Bureau of Industry and Security, U.S. Department of Commerce: Additional $16 Billion Trade Action:
- Steel: (202) 482-5642, Steel232@bis.doc.gov
- Aluminum: (202) 482-4757, Aluminum232@bis.doc.gov
– U.S. Customs and Border Protection:
- traderemedy@cbp.dhs.gov
Section 301 Investigations:
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative webpage regarding the Section 301 investigation provides links to the investigation documents, hearing and regulations.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection site includes a page dedicated to the Section 301 Trade Remedies. A downloadable Section 301 HTSUS Reference guide is available. This page also includes a link to FAQs
Section 301 Exclusion Process:
Here is a link to the Section 301 exclusion process, and the Section 301 Hotline: (202) 395-5725.
The exclusion request forms, along with detailed instructions as well as the list of products for the initial $34 Billion Trade Action and the additional $16 Billion Trade Action can be found on this page.
Contact Points for Questions Related to Section 301 Tariffs:
– U.S. Trade Representative, Section 301 Hotline: (202) 395-5725
– U.S. Customs and Border Protection: traderemedy@cbp.dhs.gov
Duty Drawback for Section 232 and Section 301:
- No drawback shall be available with respect to the Section 232 duties imposed on any aluminum or steel article
- Section 301 duties are eligible for duty drawback
Contact your local US Commercial Service office for more information.
US Commercial Service – Philadelphia
One Penn Center
1617 John F. Kennedy Blvd. Suite 1580
Philadelphia, PA 19103-1815
Office.Philadelphia@trade.gov
Telephone: (215) 597-6101
Fax: (215) 597-6123
Philadelphia Website
Bringing the World to PA 2018
September 27, 2018Posted by Katrina Chan
The World Trade Center Harrisburg in conjunction with the Pennsylvania’s Department of Community and Economic Development hosted the 19th annual Bringing the World to PA. Participants showed up as early as 8:30AM on Thursday, September 13, 2018 for their appointments with the Trade Representatives.
Appointments with PA’s Trade Offices:
PA’s authorized trade representatives had the opportunity to meet with local companies that represent a wide range of industries that manufacture unique products. Throughout the day, there were meetings held at the Cork Factory Hotel with companies to discuss international market opportunity to fit their respective businesses.
Pennsylvania’s Authorized Trade Representatives that were present include:
Lunch Reception:
Lunch was served at the Cork Factory Hotel, with various representatives from providers such as Fulton Financial, FTZ 147, and UPS coming on stage to present about the opportunities and services available for companies. After lunch and desert was a short networking session before the afternoon meetings commenced.
BTW2PA ended with a cocktail reception that was generously sponsored by Fulton Financial Corporation. Companies were able to network and interact with our Sponsors and Trade Representatives in an informal setting.
It was a great day, and we look foward to seeing you next year!
Special Thank You to our Sponsors
The World Trade Center would like to thank its sponsors and partners for their kind support for the Bringing the world to PA Annual Event.
Our Silver Level Sponsors:
UPS
Our Bronze Level Sponsors:
FTZ 147
Fulton Financial Cooperation
Strategic Partners:
MANTEC
PA’s Office of International Business Development
2018 Impact of Trade Key Findings
August 3, 2018Posted by Brynne Godfrey, Intern
During my summer Statistical Analysis and Economic Impact internship with the World Trade Center Harrisburg, I was in charge of compiling the Impact of Trade: An Analysis of Goods and Services Exported 2016 report. Export data by Pennsylvania county was provided by the Brookings institution in the form of nearly 123,000 NAICS codes. This dataset was unlike most due to its comprehensive nature; not only did it include merchandise export data, but data on services was incorporated as well. I was in charge of first cleaning the dataset and then began to analyze the statistics, constructing graphs and tables in order to examine the impact of trade in the eight counties within the Southcentral Pennsylvania region and compare them to the county as a whole. Analysis on the Southcentral region compared to the other regions and the entire state of Pennsylvania was also completed.
Analysis from this report is based on the years 2003-2016. This time period accounts for post-recession economic growth and a falling unemployment rate. Exporting and global trade played a significant role during this time period to help the economy prosper again as more and more companies continued to enter the global market. This report focuses on the impact of exports and how it bears on the economic well-being of Pennsylvania, specifically in the Southcentral region.
Key Findings
Many significant findings could be pulled from the data provided by the Brookings Institution. Some key findings were:
- From 2003 to 2016, the Southcentral Pennsylvania region experienced an overall real export increase of 50.72%.
- Southcentral PA is ranked second in terms of exported manufactured goods, exporting only about $600 million less than the Southeast region and exceeding the Southwest region by over $2.0 billion.
- The Southcentral region is ranked third in terms of real exports from all combined industries.
- Exports supported 69,344 jobs in the Southcentral region in 2016.
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Event Recap: 19th Annual International Trade Conference
May 2, 2018posted by Katrina Chan
This year marks the WTC Harrisburg’s 19th Annual International Trade Conference, held at Reading, PA. The conference theme was “Celebrating Export Excellence in Berks County!”, to recognize and showcase successful local exporters from across the region.
Every year, the WTC Harrisburg holds the International Trade Conference, because we recognize the importance for local exporters to establish the right connections, have easy access to available resources, and to have a clear understanding of the current state of our economy in relation to how that affects different industries.
The event started at 8.30am, with a total of 60 attendees. The morning session, “Agony or Ecstasy”, was presented by Dave Hanson of Fulton Financial Advisors who gave a lively overview of the state of our global economy and how that ties to the US economy.
The four breakout sessions that followed the morning keynote presentation were:
- Effective Strategies for Global Online Marketing
- Global Trends in Managing Trade Compliance Amid Today’s Changing Trade Policies
- GDPR: Are You Ready for the Most Important Change in Data Privacy Regulation in 20 Years?
- Fraud Detection and Prevention
The luncheon presentation that followed spotlighted 3 successful exporters from Berks county: Adhezion Biomedical, HemaPrep and Radius. Participants were able to ask the panelists questions and gain insight from the experience of these three companies.
The conference ended with a networking reception with an assortment of desserts.
We would like to thank the following:
Silver Sponsor:
UPS
Bronze Sponsors:
Fulton Financial
FTZ 147
Strategic Partners:
MANTEC
Greater Reading Chamber of Alliance
SBA
PA Department of Community and Economic Development
Thank you to our exhibitors and attendees! We hope to see you next year!