Tradeology, the ITA Blog

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Lynn Costa is in the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Asia

Think your business is too small for global opportunities?

False. Consider the following:

• Small and Medium-sized exporters (SMEs) account for 98 percent of exporters in the United States.
• 95 percent of consumers live outside of the United States.

However, international trade operations, especially exporting , may seem daunting and undoable. Having the knowledge of Supply Chain Management enables companies, who are new to exporting, to create a flow/process that ensures products are delivered to the end consumer.

Supply Chain management is critical across industries in order to get products and services to manufacturers and consumers at increasingly faster speeds.  Companies also need to meet higher quality parameters through global supply chains, which are becoming more sophisticated and complex each year.  Supply Chain Management is a combination of innovation, collaboration, and problem-solving. Cultivating successful Supply Chain relationships create a sustainable competitive advantage. Additionally, the use of Supply Chains can enhance efficiency (cut costs) and increase growth thus improving the “bottom line”. A successful supply chain can ultimately involve a wide range of firms, including manufacturers, retailers, transportation companies, third party logistics firms, and service firms.

The U.S. Department of Commerce offers a variety of services and events that have assisted businesses like yours to gain share in new markets. The APEC SME Global Supply Chain Event is one such event.

The International Trade Administration and the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry are offering a unique opportunity for U.S. SMEs to interact with Asia-Pacific region SMEs. The APEC SME Global Supply Chain Conference will take place on June 8-9, 2015, at the Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center in Atlanta.

This event, free for U.S. small and medium-sized companies, offers four distinct supply chain tracks:

• Supply Chain Management, Cold Chain Storage and Technical Regulation, including financing mechanisms for SMEs
• Healthcare products & Non-Tariff Barriers
• Global Value Chains
• Non-Tariff Measures and the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement

The intent of this conference is to educate SMEs on multinational corporation requirements, government regulations, supply chain financing, cold chain technology, smart chain and logistics management, and IT chain solutions.  Leaders in Supply Chain Management will be present to share their companies’ “best practices”.  Not only will SMEs learn these various topics and industry practices, but they will also have the opportunity to network and create relationships transnationally.

As a bonus, the Department of Commerce and Chinese Taipei are joining forces to host a discussion of the best practices for innovative start- ups and high-growth SMEs to facilitate early-stage investment. Participants at the APEC Accelerator Network Forum will hear experts from multinational corporations, accelerators and start-ups sharing their perspectives and experience on the facilitation of early-stage investment to accelerate innovative growth.

Register now! Every obstacle presents an opportunity. Conquer your company’s challenges and create opportunities by attending APEC SME Global Supply Chain Conference 2015.