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"A Case Study in Exporting U.S. Made Products" by Bobrick Washroom Equipment, Inc.
Andrew Sweibel, International Vice President of
Bobrick Washroom Equipment, Inc. presented "A Case Study in Exporting U.S. Made Products" on January 25th at Bobrick's headquarters in Van Nuys.
Bobrick has been exporting products from its U.S factories for nearly half of its 110 year history. Global exports have grown to become a key element in the company's growth strategy.
Andrew shared the history of Bobrick's global development, and discussed how challenges and opportunities were confronted along the way.
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Visitors from Nanning, Guangxi, China
The Valley International Trade Association and The Valley Economic Alliance
hosted a meeting for delegates visiting from Nanning, Guangxi, China on January 11th to discuss opportunities to be involved with industries in the San Fernando Valley.
Deputy Director Tao Lin discussed main industries and products in Nanning and the Guangxi-ASEAN economic and technological development zone.
Delegates also received information on Los Angeles from The Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board, financing from California United Bank, and logistics from UPS.
The Guangxi-ASEAN economic and technological development zone is one of three state-level development areas in Nanning with an industrial focus on three key industries; food processing, biological medicine and machine manufacturing.
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VITA Member Kroll Cyber Security is presenting at TechX
Thursday, March 16, 2017
Erik Rasmussen
is a former Deputy Prosecuting Attorney and Special Agent with the U.S. Secret Service where he focused on domestic and international computer crime investigations. He also served on the Los Angeles FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, where he investigated the activities of domestic and international terrorist organizations.
Erik will be sharing "Simple Cyber Security Business Solutions" at
TechX
; a TED talk style program with presentations and demonstrations on the latest and most innovative technology.
Erik brings legal, federal law enforcement, and corporate experience to
Kroll Cyber Security
; a leading global provider of risk solutions that helps clients with risk management solutions for people, assets, operations and security.
Tech Expo is
from 9:00am-2:00pm and will give attendees the opportunity to network with exhibitors and learn about resources and services available to them.
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Asia Pacific Business Outlook Conference
Monday, March 27, 2017 & Tuesday, March 28, 2018
Set for March 27 and 28, 2017
at the L.A Hotel, the
Asia/Pacific Business Outlook
(APBO) is North America's premier event for business leaders who want to expand their trade and investment in the Asia/Pacific region. VITA friends receive $100 off tickets with code VITAAP17 during checkout!
Hosted by the USC Marshall School of Business and the U.S. Department of Commerce, APBO is more than just a business conference. APBO is a comprehensive networking and learning experience designed to provide business leaders with the contacts and the latest, relevant and valuable information available - all focused, organized and distilled into two invaluable days.
The conference attracts a nationwide group of about 300 American managers who operate throughout the Asia/Pacific region. It will provide a unique mixture of over 50 leading academic, business and government experts to advise a diverse audience of American firms on how to become more competitive in the dynamic Asia/Pacific marketplace, including private one-on-one appointments with senior commercial officers from American embassies and consulates in 17 economies.
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Out and About
At the 2017 Chinese New Year Dinner on January 25th, co-sponsored by The International Law Sections of The Los Angeles County Bar Association, The State Bar of California and The Valley International Trade Association.
The dinner at World Seafood Restaurant in Alhambra organized by VITA Board Member Jeffery Daar and Kathy Hao.
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Updates from Euro VAT Refund, Inc.
The VAT filing deadline in most European countries is approaching.
Many U.S. companies are leaving Value Added TAX (VAT) behind on business expenses in Europe. Many are unaware about their VAT refund possibilities on events, hotels, transportation, and other costs. The filing preparation has to start as soon as possible due to the IRS certificate that has to be ordered which can take up to 3 months to receive.
Contact Euro VAT Refund, Inc. at
www.eurovat.com/contact to learn about filing and deadlines for EU invoices issued in 2016.
"European VAT and E-commerce" Webinar on March 21st
Tuesday, March 21, 2017, 2:00 pm EST, 11:00 am PST.
VITA Board Member Britta Eriksson, CEO of Euro VAT Refund, Inc. will provide insight on VAT registration liabilities, VAT refund possibilities for North American companies that sell products, and online services to customers in the EU such as e-commerce.
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Five Ways to Think about the Trade Deficit
By: John G. Murphy, Senior Vice President for International Policy
Over the years, Americans have read a steady stream of alarmed press accounts of the U.S. trade deficit. In today's economic debates, it seems to lie at the center of many people's concerns. Should it?
In fact, the trade deficit is widely misrepresented. To get a better understanding, it helps to look at the trade balance from different perspectives:
1. When You Put It in Personal Terms...
I have a trade deficit with my grocery store, local lunch spot, hardware store, gas station, barber, and every other place of commerce I frequent. The exception is my employer, with whom I have a trade surplus: My employer pays me for my labor and thus has a trade deficit with me.
This isn't a novel observation, but it does underscore that specialization and exchange are the fundamental underpinnings of our modern economy.
When the first civilizations emerged in Mesopotamia and Egypt thousands of years ago, people saw the advantages of specialization in farming, potmaking, weaving, or metalworking. It remains a fact that, by dedicating all our working hours to a specific trade, we get better at it.
And we exchange what we produce for what we don't. Today, most of us produce very little that we consume directly. Trade is essential because a steelworker wouldn't want to be paid in steel any more than an insurance salesman would want to be paid in kind: You can't eat I-beams or annuities.
And keeping track of our "bilateral trade deficit" with one establishment or another tells us very little about whether we are prospering.
2. When You Look in the Mirror...
Any economist will tell you that a current account deficit (of which a trade deficit is usually the largest component) is always mirrored by a capital account surplus.
In economics, this is called an identity: They are two sides of the same coin.
The current account records trade in goods and services and net earnings on foreign investments. The capital account records international investments themselves (as opposed to earnings on them), both inbound and outbound.
How do we know the two sides of the coin will match? Because buyers must match sellers for the dollar foreign exchange market to clear. Exchange rates and interest rates adjust to ensure the capital flows match the trade flows.
When the combination of governmental borrowing and private investment exceeds a country's savings - in other words, when the country becomes a net recipient of foreign investment - this capital account surplus is mirrored in its national accounts as a current account deficit.
Making value judgments about these issues can leave you tied up in knots: After all, isn't receiving job-creating foreign investments a good thing? How can that be the case if it necessarily implies a trade deficit? In fact, it's too simple to call one good and the other bad.
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ExporTech Program
Thursday, March 30, 2017 & Thursday, April 27, 2017
ExporTech is a proven nationwide program for top executives of small and mid-sized companies designed to guide a process of creating and implementing an export expansion plan. The City of Los Angeles' new Export Initiative program is sponsoring an opportunity for area companies to participate at a subsidized cost on
March 30th and April 27th
at
The Entrepreneur Center in Pacoima.
The offer extends to two top executives to register for a deposit amount of $750, which will be refunded once both executives have attended the initial session. The program fee of $5000 per company is only due when the company has implemented the export plan and generated $100,000 in new export sales.
This exciting program has been successful in creating many millions of dollars in new exports for companies across the United States. There are already successful exporting participants in the San Fernando Valley. Participants will have three in-depth sessions with experts in various aspects of exporting, and the opportunity to create a new export plan. Plans will include implementation steps. Instruction and expert support are tailored to the specific resources, needs, and markets of the participating companies.
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"Grow Your Business Through Exports"
Trade Connect Workshop
Tuesday, April 18, 2017
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World Trade Week Kickoff Celebration
Thursday, May 4, 2017
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The Valley International Trade Association | 818-379-7000 |
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The mission of The Valley International Trade Association is to promote the Greater San Fernando Valley
as a leader in international trade by providing valuable resources, informational programs, referral assistance,
and networking opportunities.
STAY CONNECTED:
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