E-mail: lwsingleton@fs.fed.us
E-mail: dwanner@fs.fed.us

Wood-Products Business Opportunities in Asia is Topic of
Briefing Session in Morgantown, West Virginia

MORGANTOWN, WVa —The Appalachian Regional Commission will join the USDA Forest Service Wood Education and Resource Center and several other partners to host a briefing session for wood products-based companies on business opportunities in Asian and Pacific Rim countries. The session will be held at the Radisson Hotel in Morgantown , WVa, March 14 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

The global marketplace presents dynamic export opportunities for the businesses, communities, and people of Appalachia . Today, one-quarter of America ’s economy is engaged in international trade. To strengthen Appalachia ’s presence in these growing markets, the Appalachian Regional Commission is organizing the Orient Success, a regional trade delegation that will travel to China in 2006 to establish and expand sales opportunities for the region’s furniture, home furnishings, and wood products sectors. The Orient Success offers a convenient and cost-effective opportunity for firms that are not currently exporting products to explore the potential for new sales.

The half-day informational program will highlight the powerful Asian and Pacific Rim markets and show regional businesses how they can participate in the Orient Success regional trade delegation. The program focuses on national and international business trends, local exporting success stories, and opportunities and complexities of the Asian marketplace.

The morning session includes presentations on:

• Running Fast: Positioning for Success in the Global Marketplace of the Twenty-First Century presented by Scott Hercik from the Appalachian Regional Commission;
• Building Export Opportunities in Asia and the Pacific Rim presented by Debra Martin from the West Virginia Development Office;
• From Appalachia to the World: A Hometown Formula for Export Success presented by Donna Reckart from Allegheny Wood Products, Inc; and
• Challenges and Opportunities in the Chinese Marketplace: An Insider’s Perspective presented by Cathy Wang from the U. S Consulate General in Guangzhou , China .

A luncheon presentation and one-on-one business meetings will follow the speakers’ presentations.

Several wood-based businesses have already experienced success by pursuing sales opportunities in China . The Associated Press recently published an article about a Pennsylvania lumber company that has established ties with China to sell wood components to Chinese furniture manufacturers.

Anyone wishing to attend should contact the USDA Forest Service in Morgantown , WVa at (304) 285-1589. Attendance is free, but pre-registration is encouraged. Additional information about the Orient Success Asia/Pacific Rim trade delegation is also available from the Forest Service.

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