March 2013 by New North B2B

COVER STORY Wisconsin’s Top 5 Export Destinations for 2012 DESIGN/BUILD AND GENERAL CONTRATORS 5521 COUNTY ROAD BB • APPLETON, WI 54914 920-739-6521 • 800-331-6521 PRE-ENGINEERED METAL • MASONRY • PRECAST • CONVENTIONAL

1. Canada...........................................................$7.6 billion 2. Mexico........................................................... $2.2 billion 3. China............................................................. $1.5 billion 4. Australia...................................................... $866 million 5. Japan.......................................................... $863 million Source: Wisconsin Economic Development Corp.

Office x Manufacturing x Warehousing 3 year warranty on workmanship and subcontractors Family owned business over 50 years

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24 l NEW NORTH B2B l MARCH 2013

A former student of FVTC’s Global Business Professional certificate program who also earned his NASBITE certification, Verhagen helped the paper converter of art and educational products access a customer in the United Kingdom back in 2001. Since that time, the company has grown its foreign markets to include customers in 57 different countries around the world. He’s accepted the role as the inaugural chair for the steering committee of the new Northeast Wisconsin International Business Network, and genuinely hopes more companies in the region will consider expansion into markets outside the U.S. they may not have previously investigated. “I’d like to see more companies embrace international business,” Verhagen said. “A number of small to mediumsized businesses don’t realize the opportunities available. I think unfortunately here in the United States, we have this impression that the world revolves around us.”

Resources to help THE GOOD NEWS FOR LOCAL COMPANIES reticent to expand their marketing efforts beyond U.S. borders is that plenty of assistance is available. Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. supports an entire segment of its agency dedicated to international business development and delivers several programs aimed at helping state firms enter into new markets abroad. A new Global Business Development grant program rolled out last year assisted 19 Wisconsin companies enter into new markets during the course of fiscal year 2012, which ran from July to June. Less than eight months into fiscal year 2013, the state has already extended grants to 30 companies across the state, reimbursing them for expenses associated with a new or expanded international market access strategy, indicated Lora Klenke, vice president of international business development for WEDC. “We want to be able to not supplement a company’s budget (for marketing in an area where it already has a foothold), but to support their efforts to go into new markets,” Klenke said, noting international trade expos, trade missions and business matchmaker services are some of the most common uses for the grants, which can be available for up to $10,000. Despite the initial success of the state program, few