The Auto Care Association has announced its trade mission schedule for 2016 as part of the Market Development Cooperator Program (MDCP) award the association was recently awarded by the U.S. Department of Commerce to support export promotion projects in Latin America.
The following two trade missions have been confirmed:
- Trade Mission to Peru – May 17-19
- Trade Mission to Guatemala – June 21-22 (with an optional stop in El Salvador – June 23-24
The Auto Care Association’s trade missions are supported by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration (ITA) to help the automotive industry increase exports to free trade agreement partners in Central and South America. According to the Auto Care Association, trade missions are a cost-effective opportunity to gain first-hand market intelligence and open doors for U.S. companies seeking to enter and expand their presence in these growing markets. They also allow U.S. companies to pursue export opportunities by meeting directly with pre-screened potential clients in target markets.
“We are very excited about these missions and our partnership with the Department of Commerce. Like many in the auto care industry, the U.S. Department of Commerce and the ITA recognize that the developing automotive market in Latin America holds tremendous export, business development and job creation opportunities for U.S. companies,” said Bill Hanvey, president and CEO, Auto Care Association. “We are committed to identifying and promoting business opportunities for our members globally, and this new partnership with the ITA will play a central role in helping our members enter and develop market share in key export markets.”
“MDCP awards form important partnerships that assist U.S. firms in selling more of their goods and services to the 96 percent of consumers living outside our borders,” said Marcus Jadotte, assistant secretary of commerce for industry & analysis . “We are excited to help the U.S. auto care industry increase exports and expand economic opportunity in such an important sector of our economy.”
Trade mission packages include personalized business-to-business matchmaking meetings with foreign industry executives, pre-screened to match companies’ specific business objectives; hotel accommodations and local transportation; networking receptions; interpreters; and market overview briefings. As a recipient of the International Trade Administration’s MDCP award, qualifying firms are eligible to be reimbursed for a portion of the trade mission costs.
For details about the trade missions and to register, visit autocare.org/trade-missions.
