Peter Murray, owner of U.S. Environmental Services, Inc. of Williston, Vermont, reports that his company achieved sales success in Asia by utilizing a variety of US-AEP services. By tapping into the Environmental Technology Network for Asia (ETNA) trade lead system, winning an Environmental Technology Fund grant, and receiving business counseling from US-AEP technology representatives, the firm sold $35,000 worth of groundwater remediation technologies to a Taiwanese firm in June. The company has now received orders for $140,000 more.

Mr. Murray says that the origin of the sale dates back to a 1996 ETNA trade lead. According to the notice, Yuh Chyuannal Industrial Company (YCC) in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, sought assistance with groundwater remediation. Mr. Murray immediately followed up on the lead and obtained help from US-AEP�s Taiwan Office of Technology Cooperation in setting up introductory meetings with YCC and other companies.

Later visits to Taiwan�including one funded by a US-AEP Environmental Technology Fund grant sponsored by the Vermont Chamber of Commerce� enabled him to nurture relationships with the Taiwanese companies. "It also provided proof to potential customers in Taiwan that I was committed to the Taiwan market," said Mr. Murray. "This perception of commitment is necessary for doing business in any Asian country." Mr. Murray expects that use of these remediation systems in Taiwan will provide exposure for his company�s products, which could result in additional sales.

He believes that one of the key factors in the sale was the translation of equipment operating manuals into Mandarin Chinese for the purchasers; the translation was paid for by a U.S. Department of Commerce grant. Further, Mr. Murray suggests that the sales would not have taken place without the help of US-AEP, the U.S. Department of Commerce, and the Vermont Chamber of Commerce.

The National Association of State Development Agencies (NASDA), manager of US-AEP�s Overseas Program Fund (OPF), recently brought two large OPF-funded Asian delegations to the United States. Activities centered around the Waste Expo �99 Conference in Dallas, Texas, and the Air & Waste Management Association (A&WMA) 92nd Annual Meeting and Exhibition in St. Louis, Missouri.

At Waste Expo, held June 6-10, 58 delegates from India, Korea, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand participated in more than 275 one-on-one business meetings with U.S. companies. To increase their understanding of U.S. solid waste management techniques, they also viewed U.S. environmental technologies on the exhibition floor and toured the Balcones Recycling Facility and the Dallas Landfill.

Ninety-two Asian delegates participated in the A&WMA conference June 20-24, representing Hong Kong, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand. They took part in more than 330 one-on-one meetings with U.S. companies and�for a more in-depth look at air pollution prevention techniques�toured the nearby Anheuser-Busch facility and Amerenue Labadie coal-fired power plant.

Using the time between the two conferences, some of the delegates made site visits to California and Minnesota. Led by US-AEP Technology Representatives Chan Yiu Kei (Singapore), Alma Madrazo (Philippines), Jennifer Huang (Taiwan), and Satit Sanongphan (Thailand), this "road show" provided an introduction to additional U.S. environmental resources. For example, in California, activities focused on recycling, composting, transfer stations, and landfills; the delegates met with the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA), a US-AEP partner, and the San Francisco Integrated Waste Management Board, through which one-on-one meetings and facility tours were arranged. In addition, the US-AEP technology representatives made presentations to seven Californian firms on environmental markets in their respective countries.

In Minnesota, the Minnesota Trade Office (MTO) hosted a three-day visit for the delegates. Twenty-four U.S. environmental firms, chosen by MTO, were on hand to learn about US-AEP services during presentations by the technology representatives, and three of them invited the presenters to visit their offices. Tech Rep Alma Madrazo reports that "this stop was no doubt the highlight of the road show," with the three U.S. firms�Schoell & Madson, Inc.; Sebesta Blomberg & Associates, Inc.; and VOC System Industries� demonstrating a high level of interest in opportunities to export technologies to Asia.

Several US-AEP partners worked together to ensure the success of this OPF activity. NASDA was assisted by Ensight Technical Services, the U.S. Department of Commerce�s Commercial Service (which funds the work of US-AEP�s technology representatives), the Air & Waste Management Association, and the Institute of International Education (administrator of US-AEP�s Environmental Exchange Program).