January 2004

UM plans trade mission to
Australia, New Zealand
The Montana World Trade Center at UM is organizing a trade mission to Australia and New Zealand March 26-April 4.

Export-ready consumer-goods companies and others are being sought to participate. Interested companies should call Fraser McLeay, MWTC senior manager, at (406) 243-6982.

“This trade mission will have the full support of the U.S. Department of Commerce Commercial Service,” said Mark Peters of the Montana Export Assistance Center. “We will work closely with our colleagues in country to set up strategic meetings with potential partners for each of the participating companies as the mission travels throughout both New Zealand and Australia.”

Australia and New Zealand have been targeted by the MWTC in large part because of the similarities these countries have with Montana. Like Montana, McLeay said, both are transitioning from resource-based economies to processing, manufacturing and information economies. Similarities in terms of language, culture, legal system and interests also help make them ideal target countries for Montana exports.

“We also took into consideration that Australia is expected to sign a free trade agreement with the United States early in 2004,” McLeay said, “which would further eliminate barriers to trade. The exchange rate between the United States and New Zealand also is extremely favorable for the U.S. right now. It has dropped more than 33 percent in the last 18 months.”

McLeay is a New Zealand native who will arrange many logistics for the mission.
MWTC will recruit up to 10 companies to participate in the Australia-New Zealand mission. The companies can be from a wide range of industries, but they must be export-ready.

MWTC is a nonprofit organization that helps Montana businesses establish and strengthen their international commercial capabilities. For more information, visit www.mwtc.org or call (406) 243-6982.

University Relations | Cary Shimek, Editor
The University of Montana-Missoula
32 Campus Drive | Missoula, MT 59812
phone (406) 243-2522 | fax (406) 243-4520
© 2004 The University of Montana