Pennsylvania Success Stories
Expanding IDS’s Footprint in the Czech Republic and Germany
With the intention of expanding and optimizing the sale of
their intelligent rapid beer dispensing systems abroad, Oakdale, Pennsylvania
based startup Integrated Dispense Systems (IDC), LLC, partnered with the U.S.
Commercial Service to identify suitable international markets.
To start, the U.S. Commercial Service benchmarked IDS’s
exporting profile and then provided an analytically based ranking of potential
markets to orient IDS’s next international steps. Based on these findings, IDS
utilized the U.S. Commercial Service to market their products in the Czech
Republic, which was not originally on their radar. Furthermore, CS Pittsburgh
utilized an export grant program to facilitate IDS’s exhibition at a German
Trade Show, where the company found particular success marketing their S-Taps
systems for stadium projects.
To date, IDS has achieved over $250,000 in actual export
value through contracts in Croatia, the Czech Republic and Hungary, in addition
to signing a manufacturer sales representative in the German market.
Preservation Technologies Achieves Export Success
For the past two decades Preservation Technologies has turned to the U.S. Commercial Service to improve its presence abroad and increase exports, achieving over $10 million in international sales through its partnership with CS Pittsburgh.
By manufacturing a unique technology that extends the useful life of paper documents, Preservation Technologies is an important figure in the preservation of archives in the U.S. and around the world.
But in order to actually export its product abroad, Preservation Technologies has relied on CS Pittsburgh, along with CS offices across four continents to provide information on export topics including market intelligence, due diligence, shipping, logistics, duties and taxes. In addition to raw information, CS Pittsburgh has also provided strategic market entry counseling, arranged meetings and introductions through country matchmaking services, engaged its advocacy services to ensure a level playing field in foreign tenders, and made accessible CS trade seminars, market briefings, webinars, and conferences.
XCoal Wins Coal Tender in the Dominican Republic
XCoal is global exporter of metallurgical, thermal, and anthracite coals for use in integrated steel mills, cement plants, and electric power stations, based out of Latrobe, PA.
In July 2017, the U.S. Commercial Service (CS) reached out to several U.S. companies, including XCoal, to inform them of a tender to supply coal for the Punta Catalina power plant in the Dominican Republic. XCoal applied for the tenderwith official Advocacy Center assistance.
In addition to confirming that XCoal had been pre-qualified for the bid, the U.S. Commercial Service maintained contact with the tendering agency and monitored the tender to make sure the decision process was fair and competitive.
In October 2018, XCoal received news that with the help of CS Pittsburgh and CS Santo Domingo, they had won the full initial bid of 462,000 metric tons of coal, a $38.2 million value. In addition, XCoal is now well-positioned to work with the Punta Catalina plant in the future; estimated yearly coal requirements for the plant could be as high as $150 million.
Sauereisen Increases Sales to Latin America
When Sauereisen, a family-owned manufacturer of specialty ceramics, coatings and protective linings sold in various industry sectors, sought to expand their sales to Latin America for corrosion resistant materials, the company consulted the U.S. Commercial Service. By participating in the IMPACT project with the help of CS Pittsburgh, Sauereisen gained valuable insight into target markets and ultimately increased sales in Chile and Colombia.
The IMPACT Project was a multi-year program which aimed to increase the exports of infrastructure related equipment and services to Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru. Developed and managed by the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Duquesne University, along with the support of an award from the International Trade Administration’s Market Development Cooperator Program (MDCP), IMPACT was executed in partnership with CS Pittsburgh and the targeted nations.
For Sauereisen, the project allowed the company to attend country-based seminars and webinars, receive market research and product promotion in Chile, as well as participate in South America’s largest mining trade show, Expomin. At the trade show Sauereisen received briefings and business-to-business meetings via the U.S. Commercial Service. Ultimately, the IMPACT project helped Sauereisen find new customers and opportunities along with insight into the region’s markets and industry sectors.
Pittsburgh Lands Direct Flight to UK
The U.S. Commercial Service is a valuable partner of the Allegheny County Airport Authority (ACAA) as it looks to grow air service between Pittsburgh and global destinations. In 2018, when the Pittsburgh International Airport sought to reintroduce Pittsburgh to the UK market as a competitive destination for foreign direct investment and travel and tourism, it sought the counsel of the U.S. Commercial Service. U.S. Commercial Service counseling and program support was instrumental in helping PIT land direct air service from Heathrow to Pittsburgh in 2019. Following the suspension of air service as a result of the global pandemic, PIT again reached out to the U.S. Commercial Service as it developed a strategy that resulted in the renewal and growth of that same flight in 2023.