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Finance Seminar for Exporters Planned

Submitted by: John Warner on Feb 14, 2006 at 12:16 pm Tagged with: Miscellany Source:

Contact: Amy Thomson, SC Department of Commerce, 803.737.0488

February 14, 2006

Finance Seminar for Exporters Planned

Columbia, SC – South Carolina companies interested in exporting their products and services are invited to attend a workshop on Trade Finance Solutions for Exporters on Thursday, February 23 at 9:00 am in the South Carolina Department of Commerce Presentation Center (1201 Main St, Suite 1500) in Columbia.

The half-day workshop, which is free and open to all interested South Carolina businesses, will introduce participants to all the financial components of exporting, including various financing options, ways to improve your chances of being paid, and government and private assistance programs for companies that export.

“We will start with an ‘Export Financing 101’ program and then get into detailed options as we progress,” said S.C. Department of Commerce Export Development Manager Amy Thomson. “It’s really essential information for any company that’s considering selling their products or services abroad. To be successful in the international market, companies have got to know how to get paid and our panel of experts will give them all the information needed to do that.”

Speakers at the workshop include Dan Holt, International Finance Officer with the Small Business Administration; Wayne Trotter, President of Export Financial Services; Brian Caswell, Business Banking, Bank of America; and Norman Taylor, Credit Manager at Avondale Mills.

Taylor, whose company is now an established exporter, will provide participants with a first-hand perspective on what it takes to do well in the global marketplace. “You can’t succeed without knowing your way around the financial side of exporting,” he said. “Every company that’s even considering going international should attend this workshop.”

Topics covered at the workshop include:

Minimizing the risk of not getting paid;
Obtaining working capital loans to fulfill sales orders;
Learning how to offer competitive credit terms to foreign customers;
Financing capital equipment exports;
Obtaining medium- and long-term financing for international projects; and
Managing political and commercial risk in international ventures.

There is no fee to attend, but registration is required. Companies interested in participating should register online at www.buyusa.gov/southcarolina/tradefinance.html. For more information, contact Amy Thomson at 803.737.0488 or by email at athomson@sccommerce.com.