News Releases for March 2006
March 7, 2006
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Australian/New Zealand Trade Mission Making Sales, Establishing Connections
BISMARCK, N.D. - Lt. Gov. Jack Dalrymple today said members of a trade mission he’s leading on five-city tour of Australia and New Zealand are making sales and establishing profitable connections. The 19-member delegation is seeking to expand sales in medical, airparts and agricultural equipment, as well as wastewater treatment and food processing technology and products.
“Breaking into global markets and bringing new dollars into North Dakota is key to the continued expansion of our economy,” Hoeven said. “The companies on this trade mission represent the broad array of world-class products and technologies being produced in North Dakota.”
On Monday, the first day of the mission in Australia, a Jamestown company landed a $250,000 manufacturing contract through its participation in the 10-day trade mission. Duratech Industries International will build a large wood chipper for Reharvest Corp., a New Zealand-based company that recycles wood pallets. The deal was negotiated by Chris Harris of CH Trade, Duratech’s international marketing company.
“Our first day has been extremely fruitful,” said Lt. Gov. Jack Dalrymple who is leading the trade mission. “We’re off to a strong start, with sales and new business contacts across the range of products we’re promoting.”
The mission’s first day of meetings, ended with promising business leads for several North Dakota companies, said Susan Geib, executive director of the North Dakota Trade Office.
“Our companies are finding that there are strong markets for their products as our research showed,” Geib said. “Now it’s a matter of closing deals.”
Dickinson-based Solar Bee is working on a deal to sell its water aeration systems to three Australian companies that provide wastewater treatment solutions. The consultant companies estimated Monday they could sell as much as $1 million worth of Solar Bee systems within the next 18 months. The Australian consultants said Solar Bee systems offer a unique solution to “blue-green algae” found at wastewater plants.
Executives from Australia’s largest food company, Goodman Fielder, expressed significant interest in stocking Dreamfields pasta, which is made by Carrington-based Dakota Growers Pasta Co.
Goodman Fielder representatives said Dreamfields pasta, with its high-fiber content and low glycemic index, would become part of a rapidly growing market among health-conscious consumers in Australia.
Other business highlights include ongoing talks between Tri Steele Manufacturing of Grand Forks and an Australian engineering company. Tri Steele, a manufacturer of conveyors and food processing systems, is negotiating a manufacturing contract.
The delegation, representing 10 North Dakota companies, left for Australia March 2 and will return March 12. The delegates are meeting with potential buyers and pre-qualified distributors in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and several other cities.
Australia is North Dakota’s third largest trading partner. The state exported more than $76 million in manufactured goods and processed foods to Australia last year – more than three times ($24.26) the value of exports to Australia in 2000.
Last year, the United States and Australia entered into a free trade agreement that eliminated duties on 99 percent of all U.S.-manufactured exports. America’s manufacturers estimate that eliminating these tariffs will increase the export of manufactured goods by nearly $2 billion a year.
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