WORLD TRADE CENTER BUFFALO NIAGARA ANNOUNCES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COUNCILS
Launch of China Trade Council to coincide with WTCBN China Town Hall Tuesday evening, with additional councils to follow each month.
BUFFALO, NY (Oct. 9) – World Trade Center Buffalo Niagara (WTCBN) president Craig Turner announced today that WTCBN will create a series of International Trade Councils to serve companies doing business in specific markets around the world. The WTCBN Trade Councils will kick off with the launch of the China Trade Council at this evening’s 12TH Annual CHINA Town Hall, in partnership with the National Committee on U.S. China Relations, at The Delevan Hotel in Lancaster.
“We don’t talk about it as much as we should, but our bi-national region is very good in dealing with a wide array of global markets,” said Turner. “Earlier this year, we set out to quantify our expertise, to be used as a tool for marketing, attraction, freight movement and other areas. From that exercise came the idea of the WTCBN Trade Councils, which will serve as a collection of people, resources and information related to Buffalo Niagara’s relationships with specific markets.”
The WTCBN Trade Councils are designed to provide support, information, education and sharing of best practices for WNY and Southern Ontario companies doing business in targeted global markets, where the region has a critical mass of companies trading. The Councils are open to WTCBN members, and comprised of both mature companies working in the respective markets, as well as new companies engaging in a new market. Participating in a Council is intended to enhance companies’ international efforts, and create competitive advantage through access to knowledge and expertise. Trade Council activities will include opportunities for peer-to-peer expertise, on-going content specific to each market, and an individualized media library.
“One of the great benefits of being a World Trade Center member is that you have access to more than 300 World Trade Centers around the world,” said Turner. “By focusing our resources on specific markets where our region is already strong, we can strengthen the right relationships to create opportunities for companies in Western New York and Southern Ontario.”
“When we think as a region, it will only serve to open up new opportunities,” said Steve Briggs, vice president of sales for Dynabrade, Inc., who will serve as chair of the WTCBN China Trade Council. “The Trade Councils initiative will help WTCBN create a bigger conversation around the Buffalo Niagara region’s relationships with target markets around the world, and allow growing companies like ours not only access to new resources and information, but the opportunity to share our knowledge, as well.”
Turner said a key component of the WTCBN Trade Councils will be their interaction with partner economic development organizations. “Pulling together the people, relationships and information related to specific markets will provide a great deal of intel for direct foreign investment efforts, cross border collaboration and supply chain initiatives,” Turner added.
The WTCBN Trade Councils are open to all WTCBN members. A new country/market is scheduled to come on-line each month for next several months, Turner said.
