Exporting is a detailed process requiring knowledge in many different areas. That’s why ITAC is part of an international trade support team, partnering on regional, state, federal and global levels to better assist you in the exporting process.

This team includes international trade specialists from:

• Ohio Department of Development’s Global Markets Division
• U.S. Export Assistance Center
• Manufacturing Advocacy and Growth Network (MAGNET)

Partnering with these organizations, ITAC shares information and resources to get you the exporting answers you need. Like the pieces of a puzzle, we connect to give you the big picture, and help the export process occur more efficiently and in a timely manner for your company.

ITAC is the place to start exploring export opportunities—and when you need specialized services, we will direct you to the appropriate international trade partner. Then ITAC will follow through to assist you in bringing all the pieces together and help you apply it to your everyday business operations.

ITAC is proud to have forged these partnerships to better serve Northeast Ohio businesses in the global marketplace.

The Ohio Department of Development’s Global Markets Division is dedicated exclusively to helping Ohio companies with a variety of specialized services. These include market research, strategies, export finance assistance, business appointments and international trade shows and business missions.

Global Market Division’s international offices focus on several key global markets: Brazil, Canada, Chile, Europe, India, Mexico, the Middle East, South Africa, Asia and Southeast Asia. Global Markets Division is a valuable resource in determining if these international markets are right for your company.

Global Market Division’s overseas offices:

• can prospect and qualify potential distributors and partners that your company can pursue
• are able to provide basic market information and research regarding their respective countries
• can quickly obtain answers to country-specific questions
• can assist you with beginning strategies to market your product internationally

As a division of the Department of Commerce, the U.S. Commercial Service’s (USCS) helps U.S. companies export and protects American business interests abroad. With a seamless network of offices in 109 U.S. cities and at U.S. embassies and consulates in 80 countries, the Commercial Service provides an array of in-depth services including:

• export counseling
• market entry strategies
• market research
• international partner searches
• pre-arranged business appointments
• trade events
• advocacy

USCS is well versed in export regulations and is your contact for complicated regulatory and compliance issues. Along with its corporate marketing partners, USCS offers wide-ranging solutions that help U.S. companies enter and expand in markets worldwide.

In addition, USCS provides export financing via the Small Business Administration and the Export-Import Bank of the United States. USCS also helps American companies compete for business at multi-lateral development banks in Washington and overseas.

In Northeast Ohio, the U.S. Export Assistance Center (USEAC) division of USCS collaborates with ITAC in promoting U.S. exports. USEAC opened a satellite office within NEOTEC/ITAC’s offices in Kent, where the two organizations work together to assist local companies to export by providing market information, technical assistance and counseling, and jointly sponsoring trade activities and programs.

The Manufacturing Advocacy and Growth Network (MAGNET) was formed in 2006 to serve as the voice for and to the region’s manufacturers, as well as the “one stop shop” for the public and private resources needed by those companies to compete around the world. In October 2007, ITAC established a partnership with MAGNET to collaborate in providing international trade resources to Northeast Ohio manufacturing companies. As part of their agreement, ITAC and MAGNET work together to identify companies within the region in need of international trade assistance and provide ITAC program assistance to those companies.

The World Trade Center Cleveland (WTCC), a division of MAGNET, works to make companies more globally aware and globally active. WTCC is a member of the world's largest private international trade organization, the World Trade Centers Association, which is a nonpolitical organization serving more than 2,000,000 business clients worldwide through more than 300 locations in 100 countries.

WTCC's services include:

• Customized foreign market research using sophisticated data resources with on-the-ground insight of foreign counterparts
• Training seminars to educate local companies in essential areas of international trade
  
• Business missions, both inbound and outbound, which are coordinated and led by WTCC
• Strategic sourcing center -- a cost-effective, low-risk means of finding qualified suppliers