Trade mission trips planned for Mexico
Local businesses wanting to build relationships with Mexico can look to trade missions planned this year by the LSU Ourso College of Business.
The first mission will take place May 2-4 in Mexico City. The second mission, the Petroleum Exhibition and Conference of Mexico, will be held June 12-14 in Villahermosa.
During both trade missions, small and medium-sized businesses will be offered translation services, discounted booth space and will be eligible for reimbursement of trade show expenses such as website translation and design of international marketing media and training workshops.
The Louisiana Department of Economic Development, a partner aiding in organizing the trips, has federal grant funds for businesses involved in export-related activities. The grants could provide up to $5,000 per company to aid in trade mission expenses, said Shannon McCormick, a business consultant at the Louisiana Business and Technology Center, a division of the LSU Ourso College of Business.
Applying for the grants and signing up for the trips should be done through LBTC. A $300 nonrefundable registration fee is required.
“We’re trying to get between six and eight companies to go to each of these missions,” she added.
Trade missions are geared primarily as “match-making meetings” to open up business opportunities, say officials with LED.
The June trip coinciding with the Petroleum Exhibition and Conference of Mexico is geared exclusively toward the oil and gas industry.
The trip to Mexico City will feature information in industries like coil processing, robotics, laser and plasma cutting, soldering, industrial gasses, welding and metal working equipment. Industries such as aerospace, agriculture, automotive, architecture, defense, shipbuilding, railroads and heavy equipment will be represented as well.
For more information, contact Shannon McCormick, business counselor, Louisiana Business & Technology Center, 8000 GSRI Ave., LBTC Building 3000, Baton Rouge, LA 70820-7403. Phone (225) 578-3333; email smccormick@lsu.edu or go to http:// www.business.lsu.edu/lbtc or contact Bill Fousch by calling (225) 342-6443 or emailing fousch@la.gov.