Inaugural Australia Arab Business Forum & Expo

By ACT Exporters' Network | Published: April 28, 2011

The Australia Arab Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AACI) is hosting the inaugural Australia Arab Business Forum and Expo in Melbourne on the 5th and 6th May 2011.

This landmark event is driven by the Chamber’s principal objective of promoting and facilitating two-way trade and investment between Australia and the Arab countries. An array of expert speakers will communicate their views and analysis on building future business prospects and bilateral trade opportunities between Australia and the Arab World, post the global economic downturn.

For more information and to register click here.

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Sport and Fitness Cluster Meeting

By ACT Exporters' Network | Published: April 28, 2011

The Network’s Sport and Fitness Cluster is meeting on Thursday 5 May 2011 at Canberra Business Council’s new premises (216 Northbourne Avenue, Braddon) at 5:00pm.

If you are an exporter in the sport and fitness industry join us for networking and to share ideas and experiences.  At this meeting Brendan Lynch (exSport) will also update members on the AISES Rio 2016 briefing.

For more information on this group, or to RSVP for this meeting, please contact Pam Faulks at pam.faulks@canberrabusinesscouncil.com.au.

 
If you are an exporter in the sport and fitness industry, please join us to share ideas and experiences. Brendan Lynch (exsport) will also be updating members on the AISES Rio 2016 briefing.

To RSVP please email Pam Faulks at pam.faulks@canberrabusinesscouncil.com.au.

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Effective Risk Management Seminars for ACT SMEs

By ACT Exporters' Network | Published: April 28, 2011

CollabIT has secured DIISR funding through the ICT Supplier Advocate program to deliver cost-effective training to local ICT SMEs. Valued at $800 per person, the tailored training program will help companies to better manage risk as well as better communicate their risk management capabilities to customers. Managing risk was identified as the key training need by CollabIT members when surveyed in 2010.

The one-day training program is aimed at IT SMEs who feel that they can improve the quality of their responses in risk management and risk assessment, and hence their tender success rates in the government market.  The program considers the basics of risk management, looks at the growing importance of risk management to Government IT procurement and explores the simple techniques that SMEs can employ to improve the quality of their proposals.

Risk Management Training Sessions will be held on Tuesday 17 May, 21 June and 19 July 2011.

To register or for more information please contact Nanette Richert, AIIA ACT Branch Manager (n.richert@aiia.com.au).

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Providing performance bonds for overseas customers

By ACT Exporters' Network | Published: April 28, 2011

Article provided by Export Finance and Insurance Corporation (EFIC) …

Performance bonds are common requirements of international contracts. To remain competitive, exporters need to be able to provide them to overseas customers. However, a performance bond can be a significant percentage of the contract value. The difficulty for SME exporters is often that to issue a bond, their bank may demand 100% of the bond’s value as security, which would tie up much-needed working capital.

Australian SME exporter Aircraft Support Industries Pty Ltd (ASI) faced this challenge when it won a US$68.2 million contract to design and construct an aircraft maintenance hangar at Abu Dhabi International Airport. The customer in the UAE required a performance bond of US$6.8 million, but ASI lacked the cash to obtain the bond from its bank.

EFIC, Australia’s export credit agency, assisted by issuing a guarantee to ASI’s bank, National Australia Bank (NAB). This enabled NAB to issue a standby letter of credit to the National Bank of Abu Dhabi, which in turn issued the performance bond to the customer.

EFIC’s security requirements for a bond are based on an individual assessment of an SME’s ability to perform the export contract and, as in ASI’s case, the value of the security EFIC requires may be less than the bond amount. This can allow an SME exporter to meet their international bond requirements without tying up all their working capital.

For more information and case studies on performance bonds, visit www.efic.gov.au

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Austrade Webinar: Opportunities in the Chinese Wine Industry

By ACT Exporters' Network | Published: April 28, 2011

Chinese wine production is growing rapidly supported by Chinese government industry incentives and demand from Chinese consumers. In addition to higher production there is an increasing demand for higher quality wines. As a result, Chinese winegrowers and producers are seeking to improve their vineyard management and winemaking techniques.

Join Austrade for a free webinar and learn about the opportunities that are available for Australian exporters. Also hear case studies from Australian companies who will provide advice on challenges and pitfalls in this market.  To register for this event click here.

In line with this webinar, Austrade is organising a Wine Tech Mission to China. This is an ideal event to showcase your expertise in wine technology and discover opportunities for your business in China’s rapidly growing wine industry. The tour includes attendance at Vinitech, a key industry event, and visits to two wine producing areas in China. Applications close on 20 May, for more information or to apply click here.

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Austrade International Education Seminar Series 2011

By ACT Exporters' Network | Published: April 28, 2011

Austrade is holding seminars in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide on the latest trends, developments and opportunities in International Education.

International education is one of the fastest growing sectors in the world. However, tapping into this growth can be challenging as factors affecting demand vary considerably from market to market. Having up-to-date, high quality information is vital to devise effective market strategies. This full-day seminar will provide participants with the latest insights into international market trends and opportunities.

Experienced education specialists from Austrade’s offshore network will provide market briefings on countries in South Asia, North East Asia, South East Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America, the Middle East, and Sub-Saharan Africa. You will also have the opportunity for one-on-one consultations with these specialists to gain deeper insight into your priority markets. See the program below for the market updates that will be provided.

Participants will also learn more about Austrade’s role in the international marketing and promotion of Australian education and training. This will include Austrade initiatives such as the repositioning of Australian education, the redevelopment of the Study in Australia website and enhancements to the Market Information Package.

For more information on Austrade’s International Education Seminar Series, or to register  click here.

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ANU Students developing International Business Plans for Exporters

By ACT Exporters' Network | Published: April 8, 2011

Are you interested in having ANU students developing an international business plan for you?

The international business plan is a major assessment component for third-year undergraduate and Masters students in ANU’s International Marketing/Global Marketing courses, with the students working in consulting teams for Australian SMEs wishing to sell their products or services in new foreign markets.

Six Australian SMEs are being sought to participate in the course, regardless of their international experience in foreign markets. Each client will have four or five groups of students developing international business plans for them, with final plans and tradeshow posters being forwarded to the clients when the course is complete, and then the best plan being submitted to Austrade’s International Business Plan Competition.

For more information please contact Dr Vinh Lu, Research Fellow and Lecturer in International Business at vinh.lu@anu.edu.au or on 6125 4905.

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ACT Chief Minister led Trade & Investment Mission

By ACT Exporters' Network | Published: April 6, 2011

The ACT Government and Austrade invite Canberra-based businesses to expand their existing ASEAN business or take a closer look at opportunities in this dyanmic regional market, by joining the ACT Chief Minister, Jon Stanhope MLA on a business delegation to Malaysia, with the option to then also develop other opportunities in other ASEAN markets. The mission departs on 13 June 2011.

The mission will be themed around the ACT’s strong capabilities in the ICT, Defence and Security sectors.

Following the Malaysian market program, mission delegates have the option for an Austrade supported business program in other ASEAN markets, including participation at CommunicAsia in Singapore, which is the premier ICT sector trade exhibition in the region.

To discuss your participation options further, please contact Chris Horsburgh on 6201 7572 or at chris.horsburgh@austrade.gov.au; or Laura Hartley on 6205 3051 or at laura.hartley@act.gov.au.

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Reminder: Austrade’s US Public Sector Mission

By ACT Exporters' Network | Published: March 30, 2011

Only two weeks left to register for Austrade’s US Public Sector Mission, which will give participants the opportunity to explore the US US Federal, State and Local authorities alone are collectively the largest consumers of goods and services in the US, with annual expenditure estimated to be worth US$1.029 trillion annually. Now in a post-GFC environment, these government bodies are actively seeking new providers of innovative technologies to improve their delivery and efficiency.

 Austrade has just announced that the immersion program will include discussions on:

  •  Navigating Government Procurement: The basics of what to know before signing the deal
  • B2G v. B2B: Knowing your customer
  • Opportunity Scoping: Finding and identifying your next deal
  • Government Going Green: Reality or Myth?
  • Non-Traditional Funding Sources: Discussions with government R&D agencies.
  • Global Supply Chains: A discussion with a major defence integrator
  • Access to Market: Rights, Regulations, and Requirements
  • Trans-Pacific Partnership Update
  • Success Stories in Market: Transitioning success between private and public sector
    • Channels to Market: Working with small and disadvantaged businesses
  • A Changing Market Outside of Washington: State, Local, US territories including Guam, and US Native American tribal lands
  • Advocacy in Government: Role of end-user, industry association, and the Congress
  • Selling to Defence: Leveraging the ANZUS alliance

For more information on this opportunity, and to register, click here.

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UAE Forum

By ACT Exporters' Network | Published: March 11, 2011

Join us from 5:00pm next Wednesday (16th March 2011) to meet with other exporters working in the UAE market.  There’ll be plenty of time for networking and discussion, as well as the opportunity to hear from our speakers.

Speakers:  Geoff Bell, Director, Science, Forensic and Engineering Centre, CIT and Professor David Widdowson, CEO, Centre for Customs & Excise Studies.

To register go to www.canberrabusinesscouncil.com.au, or for more information contact Pam Faulks at pam.faulks@canberrabusinesscouncil.com.au or on 6247 4199.

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