AEP, through its Going GlobalTM export assistance program, will lead visits to Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Santiago, Chile, for participating U.S. companies. Trade mission participants will meet one-on-one and in small groups with representatives of Argentine and Chilean companies.
“This will be our third trade mission to the southern-most nations in South America,” said Rene Montalvo, AEP’s international development manager and head of the Going Global program.
“Import markets in this region are expanding due to trade liberalization, growing industrial production, and participation in the Mercosur regional trading bloc,” Montalvo said. Mercosur is the common market formed by Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.
U.S. exports and investment in Argentina and Chile center on these products and services: airport, construction, food processing and packaging, power generation, oil and gas pipeline and telecommunications equipment; machinery, plastics, computers and related equipment, electronic commerce (e-commerce), environmental technologies, mineral oils and fuels, financial services, health care services and travel and tourism franchising.
“We’ll introduce representatives of U.S. firms to prescreened distributors, representatives and end-use customers who are interested in these companies, their products and services,” Montalvo said. “They will have the opportunity to meet prospective trade partners and survey the market firsthand.”
The registration deadline for the Argentina and Chile trade mission is July 31. More information about the itinerary and cost is available by contacting Montalvo toll-free at 1-866-237-8933, extension 3.
AEP launched Going Global in 1994 to help small to medium-sized businesses develop and increase export sales of their products and services through participation in foreign trade shows. The company has assisted more than 170 companies through trade shows and, more recently, trade missions to such locales as Canada, Mexico, South America and the United Kingdom.
American Electric Power is a multinational energy company based in Columbus, Ohio. AEP owns and operates more than 38,000 megawatts of generating capacity, making it America’s largest generator of electricity. The company is also a leading wholesale energy marketer and trader, ranking second in the U.S. in electricity volume with a growing presence in natural gas. AEP provides retail electricity to more than 7 million customers worldwide and has holdings in the U.S. and select international markets. Wholly owned subsidiaries are involved in power engineering and construction services, energy management and telecommunications.
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