For more information on the ERT program or the information sessions, contact Laura Noda at laura@htdc.org, phone 539-3603 or go to www.htdc.org.
SPECIAL TO WEST HAWAII TODAY
Local agricultural manufacturers are being offered training to develop an export plan to increase their exporting knowledge and product sales in overseas markets.
The Export Readiness Training is being offered by the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, a division of the Hawaii High Technology Development Corp. It is funded by the Western U.S. Agricultural Trade Association and the state Department of Agriculture will combine formal classroom training with individualized business consulting.
Informational meetings on the Big Island will be held to discuss the 10-session classes, which will be held in October. The West Hawaii meeting begins at 3 p.m. Aug. 16 p.m. at King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel. The East Hawaii meeting will be held at 11 a.m. Aug. 15 at the Hawaii Innovation Center at Hilo.
Export Readiness Training is a comprehensive training program that includes 10 sessions on key topics such as export readiness, market selection and entry strategies, pricing, shipping and logistics, export documentation processes and export trade finance. At the conclusion of these sessions, each participating company will develop a comprehensive export marketing plan, and will engage in an export activity.
This may involve participating in at least one trade mission or trade show, signing a contract with a distributor or shipping products overseas. Business consultants from Manufacturing Extension Partnership and exporting experts will work with the companies each step of the way.
To be eligible, companies must have exportable food or agricultural products; have a product available in the domestic market that is at least 50 percent U.S. agricultural content; be classified as a small business; have less than one year of active export experience; be able to launch products in foreign markets within a year; and have strong domestic sales.
The program will give preference to businesses owned by women or minorities.
Western U.S. Agricultural Trade Association is a nonprofit organization that promotes the export of food and agricultural products from the western region of the United States. Manufacturing Extension Partnership is a nationally-acclaimed business assistance program created in 1988 as part of the Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology to help small and midsized companies succeed. Last year MEP provided consulting and training services to more than 160 local companies.
For more information on the ERT program or the information sessions, contact Laura Noda at laura@htdc.org, phone 539-3603 or go to www.htdc.org.