ProChile seminar promotes Chilean SME trade with the US
While the United States is the largest non-copper destination for Chilean exports it is not among the top trade destinations for cargo originating from Chilean Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs are referred to as PYMES in Chile: Pequeñas y Medianas Empresas). Together with the Chile-US Chamber of Commerce and SOFOFA, ProChile held a seminar and workshop on April 20 in Santiago, Chile, to present trade opportunities in Florida and Texas and encourage SMEs to expand their US market share.
Left to Right: Hernan Gutierrez, Director ProChile USA, Ralph L. Gazitua, President & CEO WTDC, Sebastian Estades, President Chile-US Chamber of Commerce, Sacha Garafulic, Trade Commissioner Pro Chile Miami
From market analysis to trade, logistics, legal, and market entry services, the seminar and workshop presented a well-rounded outlook to the hundreds in attendance. ProChile Director Roberto Paiva outlined how the growth of the US economy and currency exchange rate presents an immediate opportunity for Chilean SMEs to promote their exports to the US. ProChile in Miami Commercial Director Sacha Garafulic and Enterprise Florida Director of International Trade Development Ilona Vegas expanded on the opportunity by highlighting the unique advantages of the southern US states, namely their large population, quality of life, and strong logistics infrastructure. For companies ready to relocate or establish an office within the US, Branch USA Managing Director Jaime Silva Jr. introduced his company’s market entry services.
This seminar was the first of its kind for the Chile-US Chamber of Commerce. The Miami-based organization led by President Sebastian Estades has a directive to promote trade and commerce between the US and Chile and to encourage their cross-cultural understanding. By having more events in Chile, the Chamber will be a more accessible resource to its community. Chile-US Chamber Vice President Jaime Silva coordinated 4 additional seminars with ProChile in Santa Cruz, Talca, La Serena, and Ovalle, all within an 8 day period. Over 500 business professionals showed great interest in learning practical tools and tips to conduct business in the USA.
Left to Right: Eric Lobo G, General Manager Loginsa SA, Ralph L. Gazitua, President & CEO WTDC
A seminar covering logistics was presented by Ralph L. Gazitua, President & CEO of Miami-based WTDC, as was a workshop led by Eric Lobo G., General Manager for Santiago-based Loginsa SA. Loginsa is WTDC’s designated agent in Chile and the companies work together to provide door to door transportation services for companies participating in the Chile-US trade lane. Mr. Gazitua, of Chilean descent himself, related the pride he shares in running a family-owned third-generation SME. Mr. Gazitua addressed the importance of managing inventory from origin to end-user as well as the prepositioning of inventory for timely distribution throughout the Americas and Caribbean.
This event and its concepts were well covered in the Chilean press (Spanish), click below for more
Pulso
Pulso (Print)
Diario Financiero
Pro Pyme
Estrategia
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A safer and more secure WTDC
WTDC is committed to instituting best practices to better serve the needs of its employees and customers. Last week, with the assistance of the Miami-Dade Police Department, WTDC held a Fire Drill and successfully cleared the building in under 3 minutes. We work with our tenants, customers, and employees to educate them on evacuation routes and safety policies. WTDC is a Drug-Free Workplace and encourages healthy lifestyle choices for its employees.
Thank you to the MDPD for assisting us in our Fire Drill.
We are now 4138 days without an injury accident, a number our staff takes pride in when they meet each morning for a safety refresher. Training for Forklifts, OSHA, HazMat, First Aid, and CPR adds additional layers of preparation for our staff. A Safety and Security Committee meets each month to review these processes. They say practice makes perfect; and while we certainly don’t claim to be perfect we are definitely proud of the initiative our staff has taken to make WTDC a safer, and better, company.