Sunday, May 02, 2004
If there's any doubt that Huntsville has an international business climate, two events held here last week can set the record straight.
Trade representatives from eight countries got to see Huntsville up close, touring various companies and meeting local leaders. The visitors were with the Foreign Trade Representatives Group of Atlanta. The tour, hosted by the North Alabama International Trade Association, was arranged to plug Huntsville's business-friendly attributes. Visitors came from Japan, France, Canada, Belgium, Israel, Denmark, Germany and the United Kingdom.
The visitors toured Cummings Research Park and a few of its firms, the University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville Botanical Garden, the U.S. Space & Rocket Center and the Port of Huntsville. They viewed videos that told Huntsville's history and listened to leaders who shared their dreams for the city's future. They learned that Huntsville already has a strong international presence, with roughly 32 overseas-based firms, representing 10 nations, having a presence here.
Apparently, the invitation alone was intriguing enough to bring them here; Moshe Shoham, economic consul for the Israel Economic Mission, said the group passed up a chance to visit the beach in Georgia to come to Huntsville.
Also last week, representatives from the World Bank spoke at a luncheon for area business people interested in expanding their presence overseas. The World Bank, formed by member nations after World War II to assist poor countries, relies in part on foreign aid money from the United States and other governments. Representatives are touring the country to educate business people about the World Bank's services, and drum up political support for the money the United States pours into its coffers.
The World Bank offers extensive data to businesses that want to expand into emerging markets, said Joe O'Keefe, manager of World Bank's corporate relations division. He said U.S. firms can get technical and financial assistance to set up operations in nations World Bank considers to be "middle-income" and trying to expand their economies.
A local expansion
Back on the home front, expanding business for Oral Arts will mean a move to the former Research Genetics site on South Memorial Parkway. The move will allow Oral Arts, which makes dentures and other dental appliances, to consolidate operations it has had spread out among three buildings on Whitesburg Drive near Bob Wallace Avenue and a storage site on 7th Avenue, company President D. Thomas Winstead said last week.
The move will increase Oral Arts' space from about 13,000 square feet to about 76,000 square feet, Winstead said. The company will take over the large building and several surrounding buildings.
Business Editor Gina Hannah can be reached by phone at 532-4531 or e-mail at ginah@htimes.com.
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