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Montana World Trade Center at UM takes local business wares to Ireland- Exhibits in Europe draw $500,000 in orders

It seems exporting hot tubs, fishing gear and art to Europe may become economic pillars for Montana.

By COLIN McDONALD for the Missoulian

After an initial trip to Ireland this summer, organized by the Montana World Trade Center, http://www.mwtc.org/ local businesses and artisans have already received $500,000 in sales orders from the other side of the Atlantic. The trade center, based in Missoula, works to help local businesses develop and strengthen their international capabilities.

"In Ireland, Montana is almost a mystical place," said Monte Dolack, http://www.montedolack.com/ a Missoula artist who traveled to Ireland to show some of his work and meet with art dealers and collectors. "I felt our exhibit was really strong."

Along with hooking up European hot-tub distributors and fishing-gear suppliers with Montana-based manufacturers, the trade center arranged for 40 paintings by Montana artists to be displayed at the Bank of Ireland Cultural Center in Dublin. The artwork, centered on contemporary landscapes and images of the West, was popular. Ten paintings sold on the opening night and requests were made for the show to tour in four other cities.

"The art they usually see is from New York or California," Dolack said. "They have not seen anything like this."

While Dolack met with art dealers, toured galleries and explored Ireland, company representatives from Omega II Inc., which makes hot tubs, and Merritt’s Landing Nets, which makes high-end fishing nets, met with government officials and European suppliers, learning the needs of European buyers.

"We do have to make some alterations to our products," said Joshua Harris of Merritt’s Landing Nets, located in Hardin. "Here it’s more catch-and-release. Over there, once they get it in the net they want to keep it."

Along with slight alterations to the nets, Harris said the company would be buying "made in Montana" stickers, as he learned that was a demand of the European clientele who associate Montana with world-class fishing. Because of the trip to England and Ireland, the company received its first international order for 150 nets and established a relationship with a European distributor. The company, which was sponsored for the trip by the trade center, has three full-time employees and runs out of a shop at Merritt’s home.

"(The trader center) did an excellent job setting up meetings with the U.S. Commercial Services with qualified buyers, distributors and store owners," Harris said. "This trip gave us enough of an understanding to expand into the European market."

Along with the mythic draw of Montana, the artists and manufacturers were aided by the strong euro and pound.

"The dollar does not go as far in Europe, which makes our goods very accessible," said Dolack. "Prices here that would make people gasp were very reasonable over there."

In August, a container of 25 hot tubs from Omega II, based in Stevensville, will be sent to Ireland. In the fall, Merritt’s Landing Nets looks to expand to 12 employees. Dolack said he could not wait to get back to his studio to incorporate some Irish influence into his work and begin fostering a stronger connection between Ireland and Montana.

"Although it’s nice to find a way to make money while your doing it," Dolack said.

http://missoulian.com/articles/2003/07/15/news/mtregional/news07.txt

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Missoula, MT – Art sales and product orders totaling over ½ million, a number expected to grow to over 1 million with follow up, has resulted from the Montana World Trade Center (MWTC)-sponsored trade mission to Ireland, announced the Center today.
The mission, which took place June 28 – July 4, included an art exhibit in Dublin featuring 40 paintings by Montana artists and three and a half days of intense trade meetings for the corporate delegation, pre-arranged by the MWTC with the help of the U.S. Department of Commerce in Montana and U.S. Embassy staff. In addition, the mission involved extensive government-to-government meetings to discuss trade barriers Montana companies currently face doing business in the European Union.

“We are thrilled by the success of the Ireland trade mission, and believe that it proves beyond any doubt that we need to be doing more to export Montana goods and services,” said Arnie Sherman, executive director of the MWTC. “Just from this mission, we received orders from Ireland, the United Kingdom and Norway already…the door to Europe is open and it’s clear there is tremendous opportunity for Montana companies, artists, and more…we just need to continue to foster the relations begun last week.”

Among the tangible successes from the Mission:

• At the Art Opening in Dublin, nearly 1/4 of the pieces on display were sold during the opening night reception. The art will continue to be on exhibit for the next 30 days at the Bank of Ireland in Dublin, where more pieces are expected to sell. As a result of the opening night success, there are four more requests from other cities for the exhibit. “This far exceeded our most optimistic expectations,” said organizer Geoff Sutton, who is still in Ireland making arrangements to move the exhibit to the new cities. “We anticipate shipping additional art, and are thrilled by the tremendous interest in Western art in Ireland.”

The business delegation was met with equal enthusiasm for their goods and services. One company made its first international sale ever, another received its first order from any European country and another expanded its presence in the market by signing on with a much larger distribution company.

“These successes, for companies such as Omega II Hottubs, Merritt’s Landing Nets, which makes high-end fishing nets, and Spencer’s Hackles, which is one of the few companies producing feathers used in fly-tying, resulted in nearly ½ million in direct contracts,” added Sherman.

“We are tremendously grateful for the opportunity the trade mission provided us to test the overseas market with our product,” said Josh Harris, of Merritt’s Landing Nets, one of the 10 companies represented on the mission. “Fraser McLeay and the team at the Montana World Trade Center did an excellent job of helping us prepare for the mission and cement deals during our time in Ireland and the United Kingdom.”

In addition, to increasing exports to Ireland, the mission had success expanding relations with an Ireland-based company that is looking to use Montana as a U.S.-wide distribution base. The State and Federal Government representatives on the mission had extensive discussions with their counterparts to look at export barriers. For example, Blanton Log Furniture, which sells high-end custom furniture, cannot currently export due to European concerns about the pinewood nematoad insect. This issue was addressed with discussions towards finding a solution that is workable for both the company and Europe, such as a fumigation process.

The Mission was made possible in part via funding the Montana World Trade Center received from the US Department of Commerce’s Market Development Cooperator Program to explore trade opportunities in Ireland. Next year, a similar mission will be organized for Taiwan and Asia.

The Montana World Trade Center is working to foster the development of export-ready companies throughout the Rocky Mountain Region. Via two recently launched websites, http://www.rockymountainmarket.com, and http://www.rockymountainbusiness.com, the Center is providing free consultations, worksheets and links to vital information for companies interested in exploring the opportunity that may exist now or in the future for their business to expand overseas.

Attached please find a list of artists and companies who participated in the Ireland Trade Mission. For more information about the trade mission or other MWTC endeavors, please contact the Center at 406-243-6982 or visit http://www.mwtc.org.

Contact

Russell Moody Omega II, Inc. Stevensville, MT http://www.hottubsmontana.com
406-777-5952

Hugh Spencer Spencer’s Hackles, Inc. Plains, MT http://www.hackles.com
406-826-3644

Joshua Harris Merritt’s Landing Nets Hardin, MT http://www.merrittslandingnets.com
406-665-1253

Monte Dolack Artist Missoula, MT http://www.dolack.com
406-549-3248

Erik Iverson Office of Dennis Rehberg Washington D.C. http://www.house.gov/rehberg
202-225-3211

Nicola Barron Kiwi Thoroughbred Missoula, MT 406-544-6035

The following specialty foods companies were represented in Ireland by Fraser McLeay of the MWTC:

Heidi Acuff Heidi’s Cottage Classics Coeur d’Alene, ID http://www.heidispancakes.com
208-676-9550

Peanotz Carpenter, SD http://www.peanotz.com
605-352-0303

David Oien Timeless Seeds Conrad, MT http://www.timeless-seeds.com
406-271-5770

The following artists are featured in the Dublin Art show and were represented in Ireland by Geoff Sutton of the MWTC:

Larry Pirnie Livingston, MT

Davi Nelson Belgrade, MT

Kevin Red Star Roberts, MT

Russell Chatham Missoula, MT

Marc Bohne Seattle, WA

Kent Lovelace Seattle, WA

George Gogas Missoula, MT

Geoff Sutton is also representing the following performing arts groups

Montana Repertory Theatre

Montana Ballet Company

Missoula Children’s Theatre

Contact: Fraser McLeay

406-243-6621

[email protected]

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