23
LouisianaExport Guide
2015-2016
CopaAirlines:
Non-Stop toPanama
W
est Industries Inc., based
inBatonRouge, special-
izes in thedevelopment
ofplant-based fragrances
forodor andairqualitycontrol
products.
The family-ownedbusiness,
which traces its rootsback to the
late1800s, recognized theneed for
routine janitorialwashroommaintenance tomeet
thedemandsof increased sanitation requirements
around theworld.West Industriesfirst startedout
asa simplebowl cleaning serviceprovider, before
eventuallycreating itsodor-control servicedivision.
In2014,West,whichwasalreadyexporting to43
countries,decided toexpand in India.BenElder,CEO
of thecompany, securedan Indiandistributor through
the InternationalSanitarySupplyAssociation.But the
companyalso requiredassistance in identifyingand
meetingwith largecorporateclients throughout India.
Prior toattending theClean India trade show in
November 2014, Elder turned to theU.S. Export
AssistanceCenter inNewOrleans for assistance in
schedulingmeetingswithpotential clients.Working
with theExportAssistanceCenter, Elder arranged
a seriesofmeetingswithofficebuildingmanagers,
aswell as facilitiesdirectorsandpropertymanagers
through theGoldKeyService.
“The resultsof theGoldKeyService inMumbai
were remarkable,”saidElder.“What impressedme
themostwas that theCommercial Servicewas
able togetus in frontof thepeopleat thehighest
level of thesemulti-national corporations.Wemet
with thedecisionmakerswhocoulddecide right
thenand there toworkwithus.We look forward to
continuing todevelopourmarket in India, though
anotherGoldKey inBangalore.”
Elder’svisit to Indiaproved tobeamajor success,
resulting inan initial contract from itsdistributor,
andadditional salesmade tonewclients through-
out the trip.Themeetings, organizedby theU.S.
Commercial Service, eventually led toagreements
withnewpartners in India.
Following the trip,West Industriesworkedwith
theExport-ImportBank, and receivedan insurance
policy tocover itsnewexportbusiness. By theend
of 2014,West achieved itsgoal ofmaking India the
44thcountry that it exports to.
EXPORT SUCCESS STORIES
TheDistrict ExportCouncil’smission is to
help theNewOrleansU.S.ExportAssistance
Center (USEAC) –part of theU.S.Commercial
Service– identify potential exporters.DEC
members act asmentors for newexporters.
TheDEC also serves as theprimary trade
outreach advisor to theUSEAC.
If your company is anestablishedbusiness,
youmay receiveexport counseling from the
LouisianaDistrict ExportCouncil for free.
FreeExportCounseling
&Assistance
Contact theLouisianaDistrictExportCouncil
504-589-6546
West IndustriesSecures
Distributorship in India
Doingbusiness inCentralAmericagot abit easier in2015.
CopaAirlinesbegannon-stopflightsbetweenNewOrleansand
PanamaCity,with fourweekly trips.
“Copa’sNewOrleans-Panama servicewill bringall of Latin
Americacloser thaneverbefore for Louisianabusinessand
leisure travelers,” saidFernandoFondevila, regionalmanager for
CopaAirlines.
TheNewOrleans-to-PanamaCityflightwill boostbusiness,
trade, and tourism in thegreaterNewOrleansarea. It alsoen-
ables travelers toconnect tomanydestinations inLatinAmerica,
includingninedestinationseach inColombiaandBrazil; two in
Honduras; aswell asSan Jose, CostaRica; Santiago, Chile; Lima,
Peru; andGuayaquil andQuito, Ecuador.
GreaterNewOrleans Inc. (GNO), a regional economicdevel-
opmentorganization, has longbeen inpursuitof anon-stop
flight fromPanamaCity.
“GNO isproud tohavebeenan integralpartof theoutstanding
team that isbringingCopaAirlines toNewOrleans, reopening the
Gateway to theAmericas,” saidMichaelHecht,CEOof thegroup.
“This fulfillsoneofour toppriorities– to reconnectGreaterNew
Orleans to itshistorical ties toCentral andSouthAmerica–and
thuscatalyzeabroad rangeofgrowthopportunities for thebusi-
nesses,ports,universitiesandhospitalsofour region.“
BenElder
