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Representatives
of the FFA-USA visited Louisiana from August 10 through August 15,1999
to promote doing business in the French-speaking countries of the world.
They met businesses and economic development professionals to discuss
the trade opportunities open to U.S. businesses through membership in
the FFA-USA.
Sévérin
Béliveau,
Esq., President of the FFA has stated: «The FFA is offering exceptional
opportunities to American companies. Through our contacts in Canada,
France, Belgium, Senegal and Vietnam, we bring the French-speaking world
to U.S. companies.»
The
FFA-USA, is the U.S. National Chapter of the worldwide network Forum
Francophone des Affaires, promoting business between French-speaking
countries. The U.S. Chapter is a membership business organization
operating from Lewiston, Maine, since soon after its establishment in
1997. We are finding that the use of our French resource as a business
tool is a very effective entry into markets in French-speaking
countries.
The
FFA-USA was represented in Louisiana by Paul
Dubé, Treasurer, Elizabeth
Dodge, Executive Director, and Dwight
Lanning. Also accompanying the FFA delegation was Marie-Thérèse
Bonfigli, Managing Director of European
Efficiency, Neuilly-sur-Seine, France.
Paul
Dubé is President of Dubé
Carlson Wagonlit Travel of Maine, a full service retail and
corporate travel agency. The company provides all travel planning for FFA-USA business
missions. Dwight Lanning is Vice President of Blue Enterprises of Benton, Maine. The company specializes in
putting together business partnerships in many areas including
agricultural and food products. Blue
Enterprises is now working with the FFA to identify U.S. distributors
for products from France, Belgium and Canada likely to find a market in
the U.S.
European
Efficiency in France represents economic development sectors for the
German State of Lower Saxony and the City of Hanover. EE also works with
private companies from Germany, France, Indonesia, Japan and Singapore.
Contacts made through Futurallia98 in Poitiers, France have resulted in
European Efficiency's expanding to the U.S. and partnership with the
FFA-USA in several projects.
In
Baton Rouge, the FFA -USA group had meeting with Mr.
Larry Collins, International Trade Director, and Frank
Mulhern, International Marketing for the State’s Department of
Economic Development to discuss business development opportunities for
small and medium sized Louisiana companies. The group was travelled to
Lafayette to attend the Acadian Business conference in Lafayette on
Thursday, August 12 and talk to the participants about current FFA
projects they may wish to take part in.
They also had meeting with Mr. David
Cheramie, Executive Director of the Council for the Development of
French in Louisiana.
«We
hope to identify Louisiana companies from the sectors targeted for the Métiers
d’Art trip to encourage them to join the delegation to France in
September,» Elizabeth Dodge has said.
VISIT
IN FRANCE: SEPTEMBER 25
FFA-USA Invites Paris Specialty Buyers
to View U.S. Luxury Products
During
the week of September 25, company representatives will travel to Paris
and to Nancy, in the Lorraine, in France to meet buyers from major
French department stores and visit the workshops of some of the premier
glass, furniture and Jacquard fabric producers. The mission is designed
for the benefit of producers of top-quality furniture and tabletop
products such as glassware, porcelain, silver and table linens.
«We
are very grateful to Philippe Gustin and his staff at the Centre International de
Lafayette for their work in planning our trip to Louisiana and for
giving the FFA-USA the opportunity to speak to the Conference.
The
FFA-USA, through its contacts in France is offering direct introductions
to Paris store buyers for high quality home and table products likely to
interest French consumers. The
size of the group must be limited, therefore if you find this offer
attractive, you should contact the FFA immediately.
In
Nancy, we have been invited to the «Ville et Métiers d’Art»
conference of cities and their artists and artisans as part of the
celebrations of the 100th Anniversary of the founding of the
École de Nancy, the home of Art Nouveau.
The workshops of internationally
known producers will be open for visits. Lesser known and exceptionally
qualified artists will also open their workshops to us. We will meet
companies eager to sell their products into the U.S. market and
interested in partnership agreements or in sharing product design and
manufacturing knowledge. As the home of Art Nouveau and continuing to
this day, Nancy is also home to world renowned manufacturers in the area
including Daum, Baccarat and Jacquard de France. There are many other
manufacturers not as well known, but producing beautiful work and
exceptionally placed for the U.S. market. Several websites you may find
interesting are www.ecole-de-nancy.com and www.idverre.net
*
*
*
Contact Elizabeth Dodge, through the webpage: www.ffa-usa.org
at (207) 782-2445, or, e-mail:
execdirector@ffa-usa.org
Additional
contacts:
Mr. Sévérin M. Béliveau, Esq., President of the FFA-USA, Preti,
Flaherty, Béliveau, Pachios & Haley LLC.
Tel: 207 623 5300 Fax:
207 623 2914
Mr.
Paul Dubé, Treasurer of the FFA-USA, and President of Dubé Carlson
Wagonlit Travel
Tel: 207 784 2916 Fax
207 783 4440
Mr.
Philippe Gustin, Director, Centre International of Lafayette, Louisiana,
Consolidated Governmen
Tel: 318-291-5474 Fax:
318-291-5480
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