ONLINE SHIPPER'S EXPORT DECLARATION

The U.S. Census Bureau has a free, Internet-based system for filing Shipper's Export Declaration (SED) information to the Automated Export System (AES), called AESDirect. It is the electronic alternative to filing a paper SED and can be used by exporters, forwarders, or anyone else responsible for export reporting. AESDirect does not require any software or hardware investment. Call the U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade Division at (301) 457-3539, or log on to www.census.gov/foreign-trade for more information on this program.

COMMERCE DEPT. LAUNCHES NEW EXPORT MAGAZINE

The U.S. Commerce Department's new publication, Export America, is designed to help U.S. companies export. Monthly issues include regional developments, export success stories, sources of practical and technical export advice, country and sector specific international market opportunities, trade events, online marketing tips, export trade statistics, documentation, and much more. An annual subscription costs $61. Call the U.S. Export Assistance Center in New Orleans at (504) 589-6546 for more information.

IBE 2000 ATTRACTS DIVERSE GLOBAL ENTERPRISES

The 13th annual International Business Exchange, which will be held at the World Trade Center in New Orleans on April 26 and in Lafayette April 27 and 28, will bring businesses from around the globe in search of potential partners, buyers, suppliers, technology, and joint ventures.

Among the first registering companies are a Spanish manufacturer of rotary labeling machines, in-line labeling machines, bottle sealing machines for plastic and glass bottles and metal cans. The firm exports to France, Germany, Mexico, and Taiwan, and would like to establish a distribution partnership with a U.S. company. Its technologies include wet glue, hot melt, and pressure sensitive labels.

From China, a producer of cotton and blended yarn, thread, cotton and blended cloth, printed and dyed cloth, and colored knit cloth suitable for various garment and bedding uses, seeks trade and technical cooperation with U.S. partners. The company currently exports two-thirds of its product to Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, and Europe.

A Cameroon firm that distributes cosmetics, office supplies, used cars, and spare parts seeks U.S. suppliers.

A Spanish manufacturer of high-quality, unglazed extruded terra cotta tiles for use in construction seeks a distribution partnership with a U.S. business.

A Chinese company which produces high-quality synthetic industrial diamonds, poly-crystal diamonds and diamond tools for use in computer manufacture, precision abrasives, automotive and building materials industries is seeking U.S. distributors.

FRENCH DELEGATION TO VISIT LA.

The International Business Exchange is not limited to particular sectors of activity, and these are only a few examples of the diverse enterprises registering for the IBE. If a particular company described in this article sounds like a potential partner for your firm, contact Le Centre International de Lafayette at (337) 291-5474 to express your interest in meeting with the company representatives at the IBE and to obtain your IBE registration packet.

The French-American Chamber of Commerce will hold a luncheon meeting in New Orleans on Thursday, April 27 honoring an official and business delegation from Les Hauts de Seine, France. Charles Pasqua, former Minister of the Interior and future candidate for the French presidential elections, will lead the delegation. Call ValŽrie Guillet at (504) 561-0070 for more information.

GRUPO TACA CARGO DIRECTOR TO SPEAK APRIL 18

The Air Cargo Association of New Orleans is holding its monthly luncheon meeting on Tuesday, April 18 at the Holiday Inn Select at 2929 Williams Boulevard in Kenner.

Gustavo Nordelo Jr., Grupo TACA’s new North American Cargo Director, will provide insight regarding the Airline’s cargo growth plan. Mr. Nordelo, who joined Grupo TACA in October 1999, is applying his extensive experience in the air cargo industry as the airline implements new air cargo business strategies.

Grupo TACA is one of the fastest-growing airlines in Latin America and is taking deliveries of several Airbus A300 cargo aircraft. In 1999, the Airline moved 163 million pounds of cargo between the U.S. and Central America and is expected to move 250 million pounds this year.

To make a reservation for the April 18 luncheon program, call (504) 467-1157.

CALENDAR OF LOUISIANA EVENTS

April 17 -"Import/Export Strategies and Market Research" seminar from 3:45 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. at the World Trade Center building in New Orleans. Call the Louisiana International Trade Center (LITC) at (504) 568-8222 for information.

April 19 -"Pricing, Terms, Quotations and Customs Entry Procedures" seminar from 3:45 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. at the WTC in New Orleans. Call the LITC at (504) 568-8222 for information.

April 24 -"International Banking, Financing, Transportation, and Documentation" seminar from 3:45 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. at the WTC in New Orleans. Call the LITC at (504) 568-8222 for information.

April 25 -The WTC and the Louisiana Department of Economic Development will sponsor a luncheon briefing in the Plimsoll Club on "The Outlook on Europe" featuring Rick Myatt, Managing Director of the Louisiana Department of Economic Development’s European Office. Call the WTC at (504) 529-1601, ext. 254 or 222 for details.

April 26 -The WTC and Le Centre International de Lafayette will host a pre-International Business Exchange at the WTC Executive Offices. The New Orleans program, which will include matchmaking sessions for the delegates from Spain, Belgium, and Quebec, precedes the 3-day IBE conference in Lafayette. Call the WTC at (504) 529-1601, ext. 254 or 222 for further details.

May 2 -The WTC in New Orelans is holding a luncheon seminar on "Developing and Managing an International Distributor Network" to be conducted by Glenn Stoudt, President of the International Division of Rochester Midland Corporation. Call the WTC at (504) 529-1601, ext. 222 for details.

NEW ORLEANS AIRPORT SETS PASSENGER RECORD IN 1999

Total passenger traffic at the New Orleans International Airport set a new record in 1999 with 9,443,863 passengers served. This marks a 5.5 percent increase over 1998.

"We are very pleased by the 1999 figures and look forward to the airport passing the 10 million mark in passenger volume in 2000," said New Orleans Mayor Marc H. Morial. "Even more important, our airport now offers some 95 direct and non-stop flights to more than 70 national and international markets. This means that you don’t have to change planes at a hub in order to reach your destination." International traffic at the airport increased 8.2 percent in 1999 over 1998.

Southwest Airlines had the highest volume of the airlines at the New Orleans International Airport, serving 28 percent of the total passenger volume. Southwest was followed by Delta Air Lines, 20 percent; Continental Airlines, 13 percent; American Airlines, 10 percent; U.S. Airways, 9 percent; United Airlines, 8 percent; Northwest Airlines, 5 percent, and TWA, 4 percent.

For more information, call Michelle C. Duffourc, Airport Public Relations at (504) 464-3547.

UNITED NATIONS ASSOCIATION SEEKS NEW MEMBERS

The Greater New Orleans Chapter of the United Nations Association was formed on April 15, 1999, and meets on the second Thursday of each month at 5:30 p.m. at the World Trade Center. The local chapter is one of 175 existing United Nations Association chapters throughout the United States. The purpose of the UNA-USA, the nation’s largest foreign policy organization, is to build support for constructive U.S. leadership in a more effective United Nations. Interested persons are encouraged to join. Membership in the UNA is just $25 a year. For more information, call Dwight Ramsey at (504) 488-0856.

LUNCHEON SEMINAR TO DISCUSS GLOBAL DISTRIBUTOR NETWORKS

The World Trade Center, Louisiana Department of Economic Development, and other organizations are sponsoring a luncheon seminar at the WTC in New Orleans on Tuesday, May 2 on the topic "Developing and Managing an International Distributor Network."

The seminar will be conducted by Glenn Stoudt, President of the International Division of Rochester Midland Corporation, a 112-year-old manufacturing company specializing in chemical products for industrial maintenance applications. The company is operating through distributors in more than 35 overseas markets.

The seminar is designed for small-to-medium-size businesses and will cover the identification of suitable international markets, conducting market research, selecting overseas agents and distributors, and successfully managing a distributor network.

For additional information and to register, call the WTC at (504) 5290-1601, ext. 222 or 254.

LA.’S EUROPEAN REP TO DISCUSS TRADE/INVESTMENT OUTLOOK

The Louisiana Department of Economic Development, the World Trade Center, and other organizations are holding a luncheon briefing at the WTC’s Plimsoll Club Tuesday, April 25 on the topic "Outlook on Europe: Opportunities for Louisiana Businesses."

The briefing will be conducted by Mr. Rick Myatt, the Department’s representative in Europe since 1996. His presentation will cover current trends related to the European Union, the Euro, developments in Germany (Europe’s leading importer and exporter), and import-export trade and investment opportunities available to Louisiana companies.

To register for the April 25 luncheon briefing, call the WTC at (504) 529-1601, ext. 222 or 254.

MARINO APPOINTED WTC MANAGER

Lawrence K. Marino has joined the staff of the World Trade Center as Manager of Government and Transportation Affairs. Lawrence has an extensive background in international affairs and holds a Bachelor’s in Political Science and a Master’s in International Relations from the University of New Orleans. He can be reached at the WTC at (504) 529-1601, ext. 262.

TULANE LATIN AMERICAN LECTURES

Tulane University in New Orleans is holding the following two talks as part of its "Political Economy of Latin America"guest seminar series:

April 17: -"The Political Economy of Environment - Development Relationships," Robert Deacon, Department of Economics, University of California at Santa Barbara, 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., Jones Hall 100 A.

April 21: -"Brazil in the 21st Century," Albert Fishlow, Department of Economics, Yale University, 2:00- 3:30 p.m., Jones Hall 100 A.

For details, call Dr. Brian Potter at (504) 862-8306.

HIBERNIA AND CABEI SIGN AGREEMENT AT IDB MEETING

Hibernia National Bank and the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) signed a $12 million agreement on March 29 that will increase exports from the Gulf South to Central America. CABEI is a multilateral financial institution owned by the five Central American countries to promote regional economic development.

CABEI’s president, Jose Alejandro Arevalo, and Stephen A. Hansel, Hibernia President and CEO, signed the document as the Inter-American Development Bank annual meeting entered its final day in New Orleans. The agreement will provide $10 million in medium-term financing to companies purchasing U.S. products for import into any of the five beneficiary countries of CABEI: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. Another $2 million will be available for short-term, down-payment financing and other trade-related operations.

"This financial agreement demonstrates the confidence that the international financial community is placing in the largest development bank of Central America to increase opportunities for investment in the Central American countries and to strengthen economic progress in the region," Dr. Arevalo said.

Obtaining medium-term financing for much-needed manufactured goods and machinery has been difficult for small-to-medium-sized Central American companies. CABEI has additionally been a main source for medium and long-term financing of this type for the region. With this program, Central American importers can apply for credit through CABEI. In addition, U.S. exporters can facilitate financing through Hibernia for buyers of their products in these countries. The Hibernia-CABEI program is expected to be operational within the next few months.

Established in 1960, CABEI is the largest financial institution in Central America with $3 billion in assets, including a $2 billion loan portfolio. It is headquartered in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, and has offices in each of its regional member countries. CABEI is the financial arm for the region’s integration and development process. The institution promotes equitable economic growth in Central America by supporting employment-generation programs and projects that will increase productivity and competitiveness, while respecting the environment and ensuring increased investment in human development. Hibernia is a $15.3 billion asset organization with 250 banking locations in 33 Louisiana parishes and 13 Texas counties.

TRANSPORTATION DIRECTORY OF THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI

Transportation Research Institute, Inc. (TRI) is compiling a directory of the transportation facilities in the Lower Mississippi River commercial corridor. The accumulated data will be reduced to computer inputs, recorded on disks, and distributed free worldwide.

TRI reasons that potential shippers are much more likely to choose the commercial corridor as a transportation site if they have in hand the following types of information: name of a company; the name of the individual to contact; the telephone, fax, and e-mail numbers; a list of cargo handling equipment; the other facilities that may be required, such as a freezer; the name of the insurance and bonding companies; what connections the company has with domestic and foreign carriers; and what fire and security provisions are made. If manufacturers elsewhere are contemplating opening a branch or a distribution site, they will want to know if there is a municipal bus service for their workers to get to and from the site, and a great deal of other information.

TRI wishes to compile only the practical, physical facilities and support that is of interest to a potential shipper, i.e. present operational information. A copy of the directory will be put on computer disk, will be forwarded to every country in the world, and will be made available to the public.

For further information, contact William Rheams by telephone at (504) 242-4364, by fax at (504) 246-0841, or by e-mail at transearch@worldnet.att.net.

GLOBAL AGRICULTURAL TRADE IN THE NEW MILLENNIUM

A conference on "Global Agricultural Trade in the New Millennium" will be held on May 25-26 at Le Meridien Hotel in New Orleans. The focus of the conference is to evaluate expected changes in agricultural trade and to reassess the competitiveness of U.S. agricultural commodities and products. Specific themes include:

• Accomplishments and progress of the Uruguay Round Agreement and critical issues for the upcoming WTO negotiations;

• Impacts of regionalism, such as the Free Trade Area of the Americas and the European Union, on agricultural trade; and

• Analysis of major trade issues specific to individual commodities. Invited and selected papers will be included in the program.

A conference program, registration material, and other important information can be found at the following website: www.agecon.msstate.edu/s-287/. If you have any questions, contact Lynn Kennedy at (225) 388-2726 or lkennedy@agctr.lsu.edu.

P&O TO ACQUIRE TWO PORT OF NEW ORLEANS OPERATORS

The Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans has announced the pending sale of Transocean Terminal Operators and New Orleans Marine Contractors to the Peninsular and Oriental Company, one of the best known maritime entities in the world. TTO and NOMC operate terminals under lease agreements with the Port.

"P&O has agreed to purchase these companies and in so doing has signaled to us a long-term commitment to our port," said J. Ron Brinson, President and CEO of the Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans. "I think P&O is attracted to this Board’s policies and strategies related to private sector empowerment."

Brinson added that the region’s prospects for hemispheric trade played a major role in P&O’s decision to establish a foothold in New Orleans. "Ultimately, I believe, over the long term, P&O is interested in the Millennium Port concept," he noted.

TTO and NOMC account for nearly 60 percent of the Port of New Orleans’ general cargo business. TTO leases Henry Clay Avenue and Nashville terminals on the Mississippi River. NOMC leases Berth 5 at the France Road complex on the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal. Both companies are owned by Gulf Services of Baton Rouge, a subsidiary of Cooper/T. Smith Corp. and Biehl International.

The sale is subject to federal regulatory approval. The Board of Commissioners must approve the transfer of terminal leases.

NORTHWEST BEGINS DIRECT FLIGHTS TO AMSTERDAM

The New Orleans International Airport has announced a new Northwest Airlines direct daily service from Amsterdam to New Orleans which started April 2. The flight originates in New Orleans with a stop in Memphis and change of plane in Boston. The flight number remains the same through landing in Amsterdam.

Northwest Airlines also has announced that they are adding a fourth daily non-stop flight between New Orleans and Memphis beginning June 1. The new flight will depart from New Orleans at 2:40 p.m. and depart Memphis at 5:00 p.m. It will seat approximately 150 passengers.

MAY 3 CORPORATE BRIEFING ON LATIN AMERICA

The Association of American Chambers of Commerce in Latin America (AACCLA), an affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, will hold its 30th Annual Corporate Briefing on Wednesday, May 3 in Washington, D.C. Entitled "Forecast on Latin America: Challenges of Globalization," the event will be held at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce building at 1615 H Street, N.W. in Washington.

This year, AACCLA’s Corporate Briefing has been scheduled to coincide with the Inaugural Conference of the International Business Advisory Committee (IBAC) on May 4, which will also take place at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. AACCLA is offering participants in the IBAC conference a special reduced rate of $250 for registrations received by April 22.

AACCLA is a hemispheric business network representing 23 American Chambers of Commerce in 21 Latin American and Caribbean nations. AACCLA’s 19,000 member companies manage over 80 percent of all U.S. investments in the region. The 1999 Corporate Briefing, the most successful ever, drew over 300 senior business executives from 24 nations in the hemisphere, including many top U.S. executives interested in expanding their operations in Latin America and the Caribbean.

For additional information, call Omar Sanchez at AACCLA at (202) 463-5485.

SABIT GRANT PROGRAM FOR NIS COUNTRIES

The Special American Business Internship Training Program (SABIT) is beginning its marketing campaign to advertise its grant program to U.S. companies interested in expanding into Russia and the New Independent States of the former Soviet Union. SABIT awards grants to qualified companies that want to train potential business partners. The internships generally last for 3-6 months and all training must take place in the United States. The companies are reimbursed for a portion of the training costs: for the trainee/intern’s round trip airfare, $30 per diem, and up to $500 a month for housing, not including utilities. This is a relatively low-cost, low-risk way for U.S. companies to train potential partners and gain an insider’s view of the NIS market. For additional information, visit the website at www.mac.doc.gov/sabit/sabit.html.

$5 BILLION OF INDUSTRIAL PROJECTS ANNOUNCED IN 1999

Some 648 new projects in Louisiana totaling nearly $5 billion were announced in 1999, according to the Louisiana Department of Economic Development (DED). The 648 projects are expected to create 19,433 new permanent jobs and generate 25,372 construction jobs. The projects are scheduled to be completed within approximately the next two years. The $4.99 billion in planned investment represents a 44 percent increase over 1998 announcements. The 648 projects were spread over 58 of the state’s 64 parishes. Caddo’s $886 million topped all parishes, followed by Ascension with $401 million, Acadia with $392, Calcasieu with $384 million, and Orleans with $365 million. The investment information was compiled by Rick Broussard of DED’s Office of Policy and Research.

PETROCHEMICAL DIRECTORY, SATELLITE MAPS AVAILABLE

The World Trade Center, in conjunction with Homesite Inc. of Baton Rouge, is selling the 2000 Directory of Petrochemical Industries listing facilities along Louisiana’s Mississippi River corridor. It includes facility information (including feedstocks and finished products), addresses, and aerial photographs. Directories are available either in hard copy or on CD, which includes the aerial photographs as PowerPoint Presentation slides. (The CD requires Powerpoint 97 or better.)

The WTC also offers satellite map CDs of the industrial area from the mouth of the Mississippi to Baton Rouge. The CD includes aerial photographs of Baton Rouge, Plaquemine, St. Gabriel, Geismar, Donaldsonville, Norco/Taft, and New Orleans. The CD maps are in both jpeg and PowerPoint formats. For easy manipulation, the PowerPoint slides contain maps scanned at a lower resolution while retaining fine detail. The jpeg files are scanned at very high resolution, which shows more photographic detail at larger sizes. The CD requires Powerpoint 97 or better. Paper satellite maps are also available as laminated or unlaminated.

The World Trade Center is also offering a new 226-page publication entitled "Giants on the River: A Story of Chemistry and Industrial Development on the Lower Mississippi River Corridor," by R. W. Peterson. The book includes sections on the Lower Mississippi Corridor’s early industry and its infrastructure, as well as sections on oil refining, aluminum, paper, plastics, synthetic rubber, and other industries along the corridor.

To order these items, or for more information, call the WTC at (504) 529-1601, ext. 222 or 254.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Licensed Customs Broker - A leading New Orleans customhouse broker has a position available for a licensed broker to manage and oversee the Import Department. Knowledge of Customs regulations and experience in the preparation of documentation for import shipments required. Must have good customer relations and communication skills. Excellent benefits. Send resume to: Personnel, P. O. Box 411, 3800 Howard Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70140.

Giovana Giarelli recently graduated from Louisiana Tech University with a degree in Political Science and Spanish, and a minor in History. She is seeking full-time employment in the import/export field in the New Orleans area. She is willing to travel and work long hours. Her skills include fluent command and written word in Spanish, computer knowledge, and communication skills. Her work experience includes the New Orleans International Airport, Walt Disney World Corp., Louisiana Tech, and General Aviation Corp./Grupo TACA Cargo.

Gloria Liu is a graduate student with a Master’s from LSU in Mass Communication with a concentration in public relations. She is fluent in English and Chinese and is seeking a position in Louisiana that will utilize her bilingual and cross-cultural communication skills and background. She has five years’ solid background in journalism, interpersonal relations, media relations, strategic planning, and events organizing. She also has extensive knowledge of international trade. Call Ms. Liu at (225) 383-5015 or e-mail to kaixingliu@hotmail.com.

C.E. (Clint) O’Brien has over 20 years of domestic and international sales management and direct sales experience. Mr. O’Brien is an effective strategic planner who is able to develop and execute successful domestic and international marketing plans. He has a proven track record in the sale of raw materials, bulk products, private labels, and branded products. Excellent communications skills and the ability to quickly develop relationships in diverse cultures. Call (630) 829-8053 or e-mail to clint_obrien@yahoo.com.

Alanna Wanek is a recent graduate of Tulane University, with a degree in German and a concentration in Asian studies. She is looking for a position with a company based in New Orleans, but with operations abroad. She is conversant in both German and Mandarin, has traveled extensively in Asia, and lived in New Delhi for three years. Her job experience includes a position as an e-commerce sales consultant with an Internet marketing firm. She is proficient with Microsoft Word, Excel, and Access and has a strong math and science background with a particular interest in chemical and materials engineering. She can be contacted by e-mail at agwno@cs.com.

GERMAN TRANSLATION SERVICE

Aardvark German Translation Services offers a free promotion and consulting service. After composing, translating and editing your English language catalogs and/or new product announcements, Aardvark will locate appropriate media and submit your announcements to journalists and editors, complete with cover letter and photographs. For complete details, contact Ulla Cornelius, Aardvark Translation Services by phone at (480) 669-7190, by fax at (480) 699-7195, or via e-mail at www.aardtrans.com.

COMMERCIAL NEWS USA

Commercial News USA, a U.S. Department of Commerce publication distributed worldwide, will feature medical/scientific products and equipment in the July and November editions. For details, call Jo Daugherty at (504) 589-6546.

1995-99 MANUFACTURING INVESTMENT IN LOUISIANA

Manufacturing investment in Louisiana for the five-year period 1995-1999 totaled $15.8 billion, according to the Industrial Tax Exemption Program records of the Board of Commerce and Industry. The nearly $16 billion in investment created 25,798 new permanent jobs and generated 148,282 construction job opportunities. These permanent jobs will generate an estimated $8.8 billion in payrolls over the ten-year life of the exemption. Construction payrolls added an estimated additional $4.8 billion in worker earnings. The $13.6 billion in construction and permanent payrolls is projected to generate $815 million in state "personal" taxes (income taxes, sales taxes, licenses and fees, etc.) and $544 million in local "personal" taxes. Total tax relief (in the form of a waiver of local property taxes) is estimated at $2.3 billion over ten years.

MEDICAL INDUSTRY EXPORT INFORMATION

Call Jo Daugherty of the U.S. Export Assistance Center in New Orleans at (504) 589-6546 for additional information on the following topics:

China Exhibitions: In response to inquiries from U.S. medical products manufacturers and exporters, the U.S. Embassy has compiled a list of 24 major health care-related exhibitions for the year 2000 in China.

Hospitals in Mexico: To assist U.S. firms find Mexican private sector health care providers for possible collaboration, the U.S. Embassy has prepared a list of contact information on the main hospitals in Mexico City.

Refurbished Medical Equipment Trade Show, October 17-19, 2000 in Mexico City.

Exporting Medical Devices to Latin America Seminar, October 2000 in Orlando, Florida.