The Tampa Bay Export Alliance is projecting about $6.8 million in future export sales for some Bay area companies that participated in a trade mission to the Dominican Republic, according to a news release from the alliance.
The TBEA includes the Pasco Economic Development Council, the Pinellas County Economic Development and the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation.
More than 35 area business leaders participated in the trade mission from Dec. 5 to Dec. 8.
For the Pasco EDC, this was its first trade mission with TBEA, which has hosted a total of four missions.
Thirteen companies participated in the U.S. Commercial Service’s Gold Key Services Matchmaker program.
Company representatives had about 140 one-on-one meetings with potential customers that resulted in about $6.8 million in either actual and expected export sales, the release reports.
Companies that came away with hope of securing a contract included New Port Richey-based Global Sign Restoration.
“This was our first trade mission, so we did not know what to expect, but the experience was invaluable to the future of our company,” Theresa Pagano, the company’s president, said in the news release.
The company has a “very promising opportunity for a large contract that we would not have had the chance to pitch otherwise,” Pagano added.
Bill Cronin, president of the Pasco EDC, said the agency would build on the success of the first mission to “grow our companies and create jobs.”
Published December 28, 2016
