Trade missions from China, Portugal visit Sault

NEWS RELEASE

SAULT STE. MARIE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

************************* Sault Ste. Marie hosting two inbound trade missions from China and Portugal

As part of its new outreach International Relations/Global Logistics program, Development Sault Ste. Marie (DSSM), a division of Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corporation (SSMEDC), the Office of the Mayor/City Council will be hosting a 13-member in-bound logistics delegation from Shenzhen, China beginning October 18 through to Saturday, October 20, 2007.

Development Sault Ste. Marie, the Office of the Mayor/City council and the Portuguese Canadian Association of Sault Ste. Marie will also be hosting an in-bound trade mission delegation from Maia, Portugal.

This nine-member Portuguese delegation will be in Sault Ste. Marie from October 20 to 25, 2007.

These two missions are reciprocal trade missions when business delegations from Sault Ste. Marie went to Portugal in 2006 and China in 2007.

The delegates represent a wide range of interests and include [representatives from the] private sector and senior levels of government, who are interested in global logistics, exports and doing business in Sault Ste. Marie.

A number of local companies will host the delegations during their visit to build business-to-business relationships that could lead to sales overseas.

Mission highlights for the Shenzhen Chinese delegation include meetings with local businesses, Sault Ste. Marie multi-modal business principals and local logistical/transportation companies, including Purvis Marine Ltd., National Transportation, Manitoulin Group, Trans Provincial Freight Carriers Ltd., Paltainer Freight Forwarder and Avery Transportation.

The Portugal delegation will also be visiting local businesses, which include Black Loon Millworks International, Soo Foundry and Machine Ltd., Flakeboard Company Ltd., Green Circle Environmental Recycling Inc. and Lucidia Technologies Ltd.

In the past, when the United States economy faltered, so did the Canadian economy, [since] as much as 95 percent of Canadian exports went to the United States.

Canada has expanded its export markets to include overseas markets and as a result, approximately only 75 percent of its exports go to the United States.

This is a key factor in allowing the Canadian economy to remain strong despite the current weak economy in the United States.

Trade missions such as these Portugal and China missions, position Sault Ste. Marie at the forefront in the growing international marketplace and create viable business opportunities.

“Conducting international business is about building relationships. Mayor John Rowswell and the local private sector are the undisputed international business leaders in Northern Ontario and continue to build a solid foundation for international success," states Michael Wozny, executive director, Development Sault Ste. Marie of the SSMEDC.

*************************