Category: Past Blogs

International Trade Conference 2017 Recap

June 6, 2017

Posted by Emilie Smetak, Intern


This year marked our 18th annual trade
conference, All Bets Are Off: Navigating
a Changing Global Environment! The
conference was hosted on May 25th in York, and speakers included
government officials, finance advisors, business leaders and policy directors.
Recaps of the presentations are provided below. We hope to see you next year!
“Making Trade Agreements Work For You!”
Policy Director Brian Woodward, Office of Trade AgreementsNegotiations and Compliance (TANC), and president of Klinge Corporation Allan
Klinge spoke on the many services provided by TANC and the ability for businesses
to tap into these resources. Woodward described TANC’s expertise in areas
relating to competition, import licensing, government procurement and
state-owned enterprises, as well as the diplomatic/advocacy tools available. Klinge detailed how his refrigeration company reached
out to TANC when faced with trading concerns and was impressed with the speed
in which they received help. Woodward and Klinge encouraged companies to
utilize TANC’s programs and expertise in ensuring optimization of trade
potential and avoidance of legal issues. 
Thomas Moul kickstarts the conference by co-presenting
“The Lifecycle of Going Global”




“The Lifecycle of Going
Global”
Stambaugh Ness Employees
Thomas Moul, Principal/Director of Strategic Tax, Jennifer Nelson, Principal
and Tax Practice Director, and Lynn Knepp, Member of CFO Advisory Group, discussed several tax policies and practices relating to international trade.
The presenters stressed the importance of understanding issues such as tax
duration, social security and pensions, as well as the different regulations
for long and short-term assignments. The presentation concluded with an
overview of the financial technicalities relating to international interns and
employees, tax regulations for establishing a business internationally,
and the importance of seeking assistance from trading experts. 







“Spotting and Avoiding Export (Legal) Pitfalls in a Fast-Changing International Business Environment” 

Timothy Charlesworth leads discussion on legal pitfalls

Attorney and shareholder Timothy Charlesworth, Fitzpatrick Lentz & Bubba, P.C., spoke on the many legal issues facing exporters today. Although warning exporters of the risks associated with bribery and poorly written trade agreements, he provided tools for steering clear of these legal traps. He recommended doing your homework in understanding your consumer, keeping records for a minimum of 5-7 years, talking to local legal help, and committing time to international trading partners. Charlesworth encouraged exporters that although legal  measures may seem constraining and enigmatic, many businesses and government agencies are explicitly designed to support exporters in this pivotal aspect of trade.
“Export Finance Tools to Mitigate Risk”
Aerek Stephens, Export Finance Manager at Export-Import Bank of the United States, and Kirk Elken, Securitas Global Risk Solutions, provided a statistical overview of Pennsylvania’s trading performance, as well as the resources available at Export-Import Bank of the U.S. (Ex-Im Bank). Stephens began by discussing Ex-Im Bank’s commitment to helping exporters minimize the risks of trade and support industries such as manufacturing, mining, renewable energy and agribusiness. Drawing from PA export statistics, Elken discussed the advantages afforded from Ex-Im Bank like enhancing primary sources of repayment and creating more working capital.
                                                                         

                                                                        
David Hanson presenting his economic forecast

“Economic Update: Emotion trumps Model” 
CEO of Fulton Financial Advisors and Clermont Wealth Strategies David Hanson presented a forecast on our nation’s current economic and political conditions. Despite the U.S.’s rocky economic landscape, Hanson reminded that the U.S. boasts a surging GDP per capita and is currently witnessing a small business optimism that increased 38% post-election. Hanson suggested that such an unprecedented increase in GDP per capita is largely bolstered by risk-taking, innovation, and the U.S.’s ability to attract businessmen worldwide. Hanson concluded that although Trump’s economic strategy remains ambitious, economic success hinges on the president’s ability to harness this surging business optimism, as well as businessmen’s capability to transform this confidence into increased investment and employment opportunities.
“All Bets Are Off: Navigating a Changing Global Environment”  
UPS employees Mike, Leslie, Nyja, and Craig after Leslie’s keynote speech
Leslie Griffin, Senior VP of International Public Policy at UPS, spoke on the Trump administration’s stance towards trade deals and how exporters can succeed within this changing political era. Griffin discussed the direct correlation between trade deals and increased export revenue, as well as this administration’s support of individual country partnerships instead of multi-country agreements like TPP and NAFTA. She spoke heavily on the current NAFTA negotiations, affirmed the importance of trade partnerships with Canada and Mexico, and argued the importance of quick trade negotiations as the Mexican election approaches. Griffin reminded that although much uncertainty remained in regards to the U.S.’s stance on trade, current negotiations could prove useful in re-structuring decade long trade agreements and require active input from local exporters. 
We want to give a big thank
you to our sponsors who helped make this event possible! Silver Level:
Stambaugh Ness,UPS  and The York County Economic Alliance. Bronze Level:
Foreign Trade Zone 147, Fulton Financial Corporation and The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. Strategic Partners: MANTEC.
Thank you!

Attendees network over breakfast before the breakout sessions

The Impact of Foreign Direct Investment

February 16, 2017

Posted by Jillian McCue, Intern


Have you ever wondered
how much Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has been invested in the Southcentral
PA region? In 2016, our region had 898 foreign owned companies operating in the
area who employed 71,519 employees!
We were able to pull
together regional level as well as county level data for both, number of
foreign owned companies and the number of personnel employed by those foreign
owned companies, from recent data from Dun & Bradstreet.

The report focuses in
detail on the impact of FDI for our region’s eight counties, as well as how our
region compares to the others within the state.
  • Adams
  • Berks
  • Cumberland
  • Dauphin
  • Franklin
  • Lancaster
  • Lebanon
  • York

Employees of Foreign Owned Companies





 


    Foreign Owned Companies


  • Southcentral was the third highest-ranking region based on number of foreign owned companies and number of employees of foreign owned companies (behind Southeast which has the Philadelphia metropolitan area, and Southwest which has the Pittsburgh
    metropolitan area)
  • The number of employees of foreign owned companies in Southcentral grew from 53,423 people in 2015 to 71,519 people in 2016
  • Southcentral had two of the top ten counties based on number of foreign owned firms
  • Southcentral had three of the top ten counties based on number of employees of foreign owned firms
  • Dauphin County had 141% growth in the number of citizens employed by foreign owned companies from 2015 to 2016

Southcentral Foreign Owned Company Employees

Read the full report here

Southcentral PA’s 2015 MSA Report

January 31, 2017

Posted by Brittany Fleisher, Intern

Each
year following the International Trade Administrations’ release of their
“Metropolitan Export Series” data, we summarize the information for our region.
The southcentral region of Pennsylvania encompasses
seven Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs). These seven MSAs grew their
exports by $2.3 billion since 2010, reaching a total of $8.8 billion in 2015
that accounted for 22.4% of the total share of Pennsylvania’s exports. Since
2005, export sales for our region have increased by over 159%. 
Metropolitan
Statistical Area
2005
Ranking out of 371 U.S. MSA’s
2005
Total
Export Sales
2014
Ranking out of 386 U.S. MSA’s
2014
Total Export Sales
2015
Ranking out of 386 U.S. MSA’s
2015
Total
Export Sales
Harrisburg-Carlisle
127
$824.1 M
79
$3.053 B
78
$2.926 B
York-Hanover
95
$1.288 B
102
$2.024 B
95
$2.076 B
Reading
151
$605.5 M
114
$1.743 B
108
$1.778 B
Lancaster
150
$605.6 M
165
$974.3 M
165
$901.3 M
Lebanon
316
$85.05 M
205
$579.8 M
194
$606.6 M
Chambersburg Waynesboro*
n/a
n/a
200
$659.2 M
218
$475.3 M
Gettysburg*
n/a
n/a
361
$63.74 M
362
$55.69 M
Pennsylvania’s
top 5 export destinations are shown below. Most notably, the United Kingdom
experienced the largest percentage increase of PA exports at 25%; surpassing
Germany to enter the top five export countries. 
Pennsylvania’s Top 5 Export
Destinations
Rank
Country
2014
Exports
2015
Exports
%
Change
1
Canada
$12.30
B
$11.60
B
6%
Decrease
2
Mexico
$3.73
B
$4.18
B
12%
Increase
3
United
Kingdom
$1.85
B
$2.33
B
25%
Increase
4
China
$2.40
B
$2.06
B
14%
Decrease
5
Japan
$1.58
B
$1.67
B
5%
Increase
Additional
information in the report include Pennsylvania’s state merchandise export
totals, other Pennsylvania MSA rankings, top 10 export industries, and the balance
of trade. National data includes the top 15 U.S. exporting states-which
Pennsylvania ranks 10th-and the entire United States’ balance of
trade to further our comparison.

Checkout the complete report!
All
data included in this report is public information from the following
databases:
International Trade Administration, MSA Data
International Trade Administration, State and National Export/Import Data
U.S. Commercial Service, PA’s Top Export Destinations and Top Export Industries

Normal
0

false
false
false

EN-US
JA
X-NONE

/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:”Table Normal”;
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:””;
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
table.MsoTableGrid
{mso-style-name:”Table Grid”;
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-priority:59;
mso-style-unhide:no;
border:solid windowtext 1.0pt;
mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-border-insideh:.5pt solid windowtext;
mso-border-insidev:.5pt solid windowtext;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}

17th annual Bringing the World to PA!

September 23, 2016

posted by Hannah Copenheaver

Governor Tom Wolf with Pennsylvania’s Authorized Trade Representatives



In conjunction with the
Pennsylvania’s Department of Community and Economic Development, we hosted the 17th
annual Bringing the World to PA on Monday, September 19, 2016.


Meetings with PA’s Trade Offices:

The event brought 14 of
PA’s authorized trade representatives to meet one on one with local
manufacturers and colleges to discuss their international business strategies. These
representatives cover 46 different international markets for Pennsylvania. The list of Pennsylvania’s Authorized Trade Representatives in attendance included: 
  • Australia (Australia, New Zealand)    
      • Sarath Menon (Singapore) and May Abrera (Philippines)
    • Ms. Angela Foley
  • Canada           
    • Mr. Chris Leslie
  • Central & Eastern
    Europe (Belarus, Bulgaria, Croatia,
    Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Russia,
    Serbia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Ukraine)
    • Ms.
      Pavlina Becvarova
  • Germany (Austria, Germany, Italy, Switzerland)
    • Ms. Franziska Wegerich
  • India
    • Ms.
      Supriya Kanetkar
  • Indonesia
    • Ms.
      Mary Veronika
  • Mexico
      • Chris Leslie (Canada)
    • Mr. Efren Flores
  • Middle East (Egypt, Greece, Israel, Jordan, Turkey)
    • Mr. Seth Vogelman
  • Netherlands (Belgium, Netherlands)
    • Ms. Nora van der Horst
  • Saudi Arabia
    • Ms. Wiam Alwazir
  • Singapore (Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam)
    • Mr. Sarath Menon & Ms. Carma May Abrera
  • South Korea
    • Mr.
      Steve Shin
  • Taiwan
    • Ms. Irene Tsai & Ms. Amy Pan
  • United Kingdom (Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Norway, Sweden,
    United Kingdom)
    • Mr. Martin Lewis

Each year, the event
seems to attract more and more companies – and we hit a record number! Companies
represented the southcentral Pennsylvania area, which encompasses Adams, Berks,
Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon and York counties. Here are
this year’s event numbers:
  • 14 authorized trade representatives
  • 87 attendees for meetings
  • 41 different companies, 15 of which were new to the event
  • 150 meetings between companies and trade representatives

This year
also presented a new opportunity for us to showcase the export program in front
of Governor Tom Wolf and First Lady Frances Wolf, as they kindly opened the
Governor’s Residence to host the event.
  
Evening Reception:
Governor Tom Wolf
The day
ended with a networking reception in the Governor’s Rose Garden. The 129 reception
attendees included state and federal government officials, the Philadelphia
consular corps members, World Trade Center Harrisburg members, event sponsors, and
local manufacturers and trade service providers. Guests of
Honor during the reception included:

PENNSYLVANIA
STATE GOVERNMENT         
  • Governor Tom Wolf
  • First Lady Frances Wolf
  • Department of Agriculture      
    • Secretary Russell Redding
    • Deputy Secretary Hannah Smith-Brubaker
  • Department of Community and Economic Development  
    • Secretary Dennis Davin
    • Deputy Secretary Joseph Burke
      • DCED Secretary Dennis Davin
    • Deputy Secretary Carol Kilko
  • Department of Education
    • Secretary Pedro Rivera
  • Department of Labor &
    Industry
    • Secretary Kathy Manderino
  • Department of State   
    • Secretary Pedro Cortés
PHILADELPHIA
CONSULAR CORPS     
  • Germany: Honorary Consul Ralf D. Weidemann
  • Flanders: Representative Daisy van den Hooff-Mertens
  • France: Honorary Consul Michael E. Scullin
  • Mexico: Consul Alicia Kerber
  • Pakistan: Honorary Consul Inayat H. Kathio
  • Peru: Consul General Vitaliano Gallardo
  • Switzerland: Honorary Consul Christine Pfister
  • Uruguay: Honorary Consul Peter Longstreth

WTC Executive Director Tina Weyant
So, why do we hold this event?
We wanted to showcase just how large the southcentral Pennsylvania export economy is and why it is important to our state’s growth. Studies show that manufactures who export show increased and faster profits, which in turn leads to more jobs and higher paid workers. According to the latest merchandise export trade statistics for US Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA’s), which were released on September 8, 2016, the seven MSA’s of southcentral Pennsylvania exported a total of $8,818,824,663 in 2015. This represents 22.4% of the total Pennsylvania state exports!  These figures demonstrate just how vast and mighty this region truly is.

Thank you to our event sponsors!

We would like to extend a special ‘thank you’ to Team Pennsylvania, the
event’s signature sponsor, for all of their gracious support. At the silver
level, we had the support of UPS and the York County Economic Alliance,
York’s chamber of commerce and economic development corporation. At the bronze
level, CAM Innovation (a York-county manufacturer), Fulton Bank’s international
group, K&L Gates, Klinge Corporation (also a York-county manufacturer), and
Stambaugh Ness provided additional financial support. Furthermore, the program
would not have been possible without our partnership with MANTEC.  

Pictures: Click here to view more pictures on our Facebook album.

Steve Shin (Korea), Franziska Wengerich (Germany), and Nora van der Horst (Netherlands)

A Look at the Trans-Pacific Partnership

July 20, 2016
Posted by Ian McGinnis, Intern

The Trans-Pacific Partnership is a free trade agreement among the United States and 11 other Pacific Rim countries. Generally speaking, the agreement lowers tariffs and reduces barriers to trade among all countries involved. The trade agreement is one of the largest ever, consisting of 40% of the global GDP and 25% of the world’s exports. Full text of the agreement can be found on the United States Trade Representative website.
As with any policy decisions, there will be negatives and positives. One positive of the TPP tariff reductions is the gains to be made in the agricultural sector. The export tariffs on certain goods such as fruit and soybeans are cut, giving an edge to companies that export these products. Also, machinery export tariffs are cut, which could provide that sector with a nice push. Big pharmaceuticals may not have as positive of an outlook on the TPP due to decreased intellectual property rights changes. Another way the TPP may affect the U.S. is with reduced tariffs, import competition will increase because of the decrease in price. This may have an adverse effect on the economy due to displacement of jobs. However, this will most likely be offset by job churn.

Many estimates show small gains to be made relative to currently projected growth in the U.S. This is due to the fact that 40% of American exports go to the six countries in the TPP that we already have trade agreements with, and only 6% of current exports go to the TPP countries that we do not have current agreements with. Much of the gains to be made in this deal are in countries which need greater market access such as Japan, Vietnam, and Malaysia.


This is just a brief snapshot of the agreement. There are many sources from which you can learn about it and how it will have an effect on your community; here are a few:






WSJ Opinion Article “Some U.S. Industries Seen as Winners in Pacific Trade Pact”


[Photo via Saigoneer]


5th Year for the Pennsylvania Pavilion at the Summer Fancy Food Show

July 1, 2016

Posted by: Hannah Copenheaver


The World Trade Center Harrisburg partnered for the 5th year with Pennsylvania’s Office of International Business Development in organizing the Pennsylvania Pavilion at the 62nd annual Summer Fancy Food Show.


The show was held at the Javits Convention Center in New York City from June 26-28, 2016.


The Fancy Food Show is North America’s largest show for the specialty food and beverage industry and attracts a large number of foreign buyers.


This Year’s Show Recap:


– This year was the largest since the show’s 1954 inception.
– More than 47,000 specialty food professionals filled the exhibit halls (equal to 6 football fields).
– There were over 2,670 exhibitors, from over 55 countries, displaying their delicious foods!
– Nearly 60 Pennsylvanian companies exhibited throughout the show.




Neilly’s Foods

Pennsylvania Pavilion: 




The Pennsylvania Pavilion included 13 companies, with four from our southcentral region.


Companies were able to arrange pre-scheduled appointments with foreign buyers, which took place the day before the show opened.


BumbleBerry Farms (Stoystown – Southern Alleghenies Region)



DelGrosso Foods (Tipton – Southern Alleghenies Region)

Giorgio Foods Inc. (Temple – Southcentral Region)
Little Baby’s Ice Cream

Irenes’s Bakery & Gourmet Kitchen (Bensalem – Southeast Region)

Little Baby’s Ice Cream (Philadelphia – Southeast Region)

Love Beets (Bala Cynwyd – Southeast Region)

My Boy’s Baking (Allentown – Lehigh Valley Region)

Naked Granola (State College – Central Region)


Neilly’s Foods (York – Southcentral Region)
Sweet Note Bakery

Nuts About Granola  (York – Southcentral Region)

Pretzel Pete (SB Global Foods, Inc.) (Montgomeryville – Southeast Region)

Sweet Note Bakery (Bensalem – Southeast Region)

Wolfgang Candy (York – Southcentral Region)

Hannah Joins Core PA on the Mining, Oil & Gas Tour

June 20, 2016

Posted by: Hannah Copenheaver

World Trade Center Harrisburg partner CORE PA Global hosted a tour for seven journalists to showcase Pennsylvania companies involved in the mining, oil and gas field from June 13 to 17, 2016. The tour took place in the western part of the state, beginning in Berlin and ending in New Castle. Hannah accompanied the tour for the week as a Core PA Representative. 


The tour was CORE PA funded and executed, with additional support from the TEAM PA
Foundation, Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED), and Tierney, a public relations firm, whose services were secured through DCED. 


With the “core” region of Pennsylvania having a large, diverse manufacturing history, inviting international journalists to tour the Commonwealth is beneficial for attracting foreign direct investment into the region. They are able to gain first-hand experience, which makes for a stronger story and a lasting connection. The ultimate goal is to send a message to prospective foreign investors that Pennsylvania is a great place to do business.


The attending journalists included:

  • Anthony Barich (Australia)
    • International Coal News, Mining News, Mining Journal, Mining Monthly
  • Gloria Towolawi (U.S)
    • USA Oil and Gas Monitor
  • Margaret Nongo-Okojokwu (Nigeria)
    • Orient Energy Review
  • Peter Darling (UK)
    • Mining WorldLink, Coal International, Mining World
  • Michael Reed (U.S.)
    • Pipeline & Gas Journal
  • Jamie Zachary (Canada)
    • PROCESSWest, IPP&T
  • Arun Kumar Singhal (India)
    • DEW Journal

The tour featured presentations and site visits to the following industry leaders:

Hannah in the model of the shuttle that
rescued the Chilean miners in 2010.

  • Center Rock (Berlin)
    • Provides construction, mining and quarry equipment. 
    • Their equipment was used to save 33 miners trapped in Chile in 2010.
  • Environmental Tank and Container (Johnstown)
    • A leading manufacturer of equipment for the oil and gas industries.
  • Curry Supply (Martinsburg)
    • One of America’s largest manufacturers and dealers of commercial service vehicles.
  • “O” Ring CNG Fuel Systems (Brookville)
    • The first private compressed natural gas (CNG) fuel station in the state. 
    • The owner converted 16 vehicles to be fueled by CNG, resulting in halved annual fuel costs. 
  • Noise Solutions Inc. (Sharon)
    • North America’s leading provider of engineered industrial noise suppression for the energy sector.
  • Ezeflow Group (New Castle)
    • Mostly works with carbon steel for pipeline work. 
    • A successful, and strategic, move from Texas to Pennsylvania. They have invested over $5 million in the Pennsylvania site since buying the facility in 2011.

Throughout the tour, the journalists also heard keynote presentations from local partners about their respective regions’ economic development initiatives and opportunities, leaders and experts from the industry, and other complimentary companies. 


A few of the journalists have already publicized their articles. You can read their reports by clicking here. 

The group at Blackbird Distillery
Hard hats and boots during the ETC tour
Taking a tour of the vehicles at Curry Supply

ABOUT CORE PA:


SEDA-Council of Governments is the host organization for CORE PA Global, which is an
initiative established to increase the visibility of a 53-county footprint of Pennsylvania to
international and domestic investors. The initiative partners with over 50 economic development organizations and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to attract, retain and grow business and industry in the region. 


Core PA has hosted several tours to date, with this being the second tour with a mining, oil and gas focus. WTC Harrisburg previously participated in the first tour – focused on the food industry – when they came to York, PA in 2014.

Customs Valuation Issues for Imports into China

June 6, 2016

by WTC Guest Blogger Ted Murphy, Partner, Baker & McKenzie LLP


China recently amended its customs declaration requirements to
capture new information that may make it easier for the General Administration
of Customs to target potential customs valuation issues.  Specifically,
importers are now required to identify whether the buyer and the seller are
related; whether that relationship influenced the price charged; and whether
the importer is making any royalty payments.  A client alert my colleagues
in China prepared on these changes may be found here.

Given the increased scrutiny China Customs has paid to related
party transactions and the payment of royalties in recent years, we expect that
the new declaration requirements will only intensify this trend.  If you
are importing into China, you need to be aware of these issues and be sure they
are adequately addressed (e.g., have you confirmed whether royalties are being
paid and, if so, whether they are dutiable for customs purposes?).

Ted Murphy
Partner
Baker & McKenzie LLP
815 Connecticut Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20006
Tel:  +1 202 452 7069
ted.murphy@bakermckenzie.com

Event Recap: International Trade Conference 2016

May 20, 2016

Posted by: Hannah Copenheaver


This year marked our 17th International Trade Conference! It was held on May 18, 2016 in Lancaster. If you missed it, you did miss another exciting and fun event, but here is a recap of what went on. 


1. The morning “Mimosa Mingle” breakfast kicked off the conference and celebrated our 25 year anniversary. Special remarks and a toast was made by WTC Vice-Chairman Adam Say (RoomMates Decor).



2. There were six sessions during the conference:

  • Top Issues for Employers When Sending Employees Abroad
    • presented by Jennifer Nelson & Kristi Weierbach, Stambaugh Ness
  • Logistics Keeps the World Moving
    • presented by Gordon Hartmann, UPS, Tom Stump, UPS, & Daniel Johnson, iGlobal Stores
  • Intellectual Property Primer and International IP Considerations
    • presented by Shawn Leppo, McNees Wallace & Nurick
  • International Trade (Show) Secrets
  • Rediscovering Letters of Credit as a Trade Tool in the Strong Dollar Environment
  • The Global Impact of SEO


3. We brought the “You Export WHAT? To WHERE?!” topic back for the luncheon again this year, as everyone can benefit from hearing the success stories and lessons learned from other local companies. The keynote presentation featured two World Trade Center Harrisburg Members, who shared their unique export stories:

  • MRG Labs, presented by Lisa Williams 
    • MRG Labs is a leader in the development of sampling and analytical techniques for in-service lubricants and maintenance monitoring. MRG provides grease sampling solutions for wind turbines, robotics, electric motors, motor operated valves and gear boxes, and pillow block bearings through their Grease Thief sampling and analysis system. Additionally, the company offers unique lubricant certification training programs that combines specialized training with hands-on learning.
    • Exports What?: Grease Thief sampling kits and Grease Thief analyzers 
    • To Where?!: The sampling kits can be found in 13 countries, including Spain, France, Denmark, Australia and China, and the analyzers can be found in Spain, China, Californiaand York, PA.
    • Download the presentation
  • Keystone Human Services International, presented by Charles Hooker
    • Keystone Human Services International (KHSI) builds upon a firm tradition of individual empowerment and community restoration to provide services, programs, and support to improve the lives of children and families outside the United States. KHSI promotes strong community-based human service systems throughout Eastern Europe and beyond, bridging the cultural boundaries that have allowed the children and families of these regions to endure immense hardship largely in silence. Since 2014, KHSI has been granted Special Consultative Status with the United Nation’s Economic and Social Council for Non-Governmental Organizations.
    • Exports What?: Community-based services for people with disabilities
    • To Where?!: Russia, Moldova, Azerbaijan, Romania, Kazakhstan, India

4. Trade service providers and regional partners were on-hand during the Trade Exhibition to meet with companies and answer any questions they might have. 

Exhibitors included:
  • Core PA Global
  • Foreign Trade Zone 147
  • Fulton International Group
  • International Service Center
  • MANTEC
  • Mid-Atlantic Eurasia Business Council
  • Stevens & Lee Griffin International
  • UPS
  • U.S. Commercial Service
  • York County Economic Alliance



5. We also decided to have a Twitter contest during the conference! Our booth displayed a live Twitter feed of all of the online discussion. At the end of the conference, three “tweeps” were chosen at random and received a small prize for their participation! Thank you to everyone who followed, mentioned, liked, re-tweeted, and interacted with us on social media! Search #ITC16 on Twitter to view all of the tweets from the conference. 

It was such a fun day and it sure did fly by fast. Many took advantage of the prime networking and the opportunity to learn something new from our expert presenters. Thank you to all who attended this year! Of course, this conference could not be held annually without the gracious support of our sponsors. Special thank you to the following companies for their continued support: 
  • Silver Level Sponsors: UPS & York County Economic Alliance
  • Bronze Level Sponsors: Core PA Global, Foreign Trade Zone 147, Fulton International Group, Stevens & Lee Griffin International
  • Strategic Partners: MANTEC & PA’s Office of International Business Development

Video: Watch our video, highlighting everything that was featured at the conference! Special thank you to our spring semester intern, Emily Johnson from Lebanon Valley College, for making this awesome video for us. 


Pictures: To view the entire picture album, please view our Facebook page.

That’s a wrap!

WTC Board Meeting in the New World Trade Center Building & Special Guest from WTCA

May 16, 2016

Posted by: Hannah Copenheaver

On May 11, 2016, we hosted our quarterly Board of Directors meeting at the “new” World Trade Center Harrisburg location. Even though it is still under construction, that didn’t stop us! We transformed the conference room area using a few folding tables and chairs and some nice tablecloths. This allowed us to “get a feel” for what future meetings will be like! 


We also welcomed special guest, Martin Salloum, who is the new World Trade Centers Association Regional Development Manager for North America. Martin was previously the President & CEO of the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce and World Trade Center Edmonton for eighteen years. 


Hannah Copenheaver, Ed Kercher (WTC Chairman),
Martin Salloum (WTCA), Tina Weyant
Hannah setting up the new conference room.

Design board of the new World Trade Center Harrisburg office.