BETHESDA, Md. – The Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA) will participate in the 2014 Trade Winds – The Americas Business Development Conference and Trade Mission, taking place May 15-23. The 2014 Trade Winds program, organized by the U.S. Commercial Service, the export promotion arm of the Department of Commerce, includes a Latin America-focused business forum consisting of regional and industry-specific conference sessions, as well as prearranged consultations with U.S. Foreign Commercial Service Senior Commercial Officers representing commercial markets throughout the region.
Andres Castrillon, AAIA director, international trade, and Larry Northup, AAIA senior director, member relations, will participate in prearranged meetings in Panama City, Panama, as well as the Trade Winds Business Conference Program in Bogota, Colombia.
“Our members have identified Latin America as a key growth market, so we are taking action to help explore Latin America’s expanding markets, learn about emerging opportunities in the region and help our member companies sell more products into the region,” said Northup.
“Our Free Trade Agreement partners in Latin America are fast-growing, with young populations and a burgeoning middle class. We are committed to connecting our members with these customers, so they can grow their exports and strengthen the U.S. auto care industry,” added Castrillon.
Participation in Trade Winds will allow AAIA staff to network with the region’s leading industry and government officials, as well as experienced U.S. and global companies. Castrillon and Northup also will work on collecting market intelligence and promoting the AAIA member pavilion at the first-ever Latin Auto Parts Expo, scheduled to take place July 9-11 in Panama City, Panama.
With an increasing number of Free Trade Agreements having entered into force between the United States and South/Central American countries in the past few years, trade between the U.S. and Colombia, Panama, Chile, Ecuador and Peru is booming, according to AAIA. These countries now constitute some of the largest markets for U.S. exports.
For more information on the 2014 Trade Winds program, visit http://export.gov/pennsylvania/tradewinds/. For more information on the AAIA member pavilion at the first-ever Latin Auto Parts Expo, visit www.aftermarket.org/latinexpo.
