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Achieving our mission requires the WTCSav staff to work behind the scenes every day, maintaining relationships and fostering new ones to increasingly shine a global spotlight on the Savannah region.
One of two WTCs highlighted as ‘most active’ at the WTCA General Assembly in the Philippines.
Hosted Georgia Reaching Out Worldwide (G.R.O.W.) program, in partnership with the Georgia Department of Economic Development, for the 4th year in a row.
Received approval to expand Foreign-Trade Zone 104 Alternative Site Framework to include 16 counties and supported 15 companies.
Hosted 18 Global Education Programs with over 354 participants, exceeding our goal by eight programs.
Hosted 18 inbound delegations with 120 delegates and helped coordinate six outbound trade and business development efforts.
Partnered with Georgia Power to host members of the Consular Corps and Bi-National Chambers of Commerce during the Savannah Music Festival for a regional showcase event.
Facilitated 155 business matchmaking meetings locally.
Handled 82 Trade Service project requests from partners, prospects and World Trade Centers.
Partnership revenue totaled $189,650, exceeding our goal by 12%.
Maintained Economic Development Authority Investors as well as the City of Savannah as our Founding Investor.
One of WTCSav's 18 Global Education Programs in 2015.
February 9
Incoterms®, International Commercial Terms
February 10
Globalization: Why It Is Important to Look Internationally for Economic Development
Globalization: How it Effects Your Business
February 24
Expanding into International Markets Export 101 for Food and Agriculture Companies
April 14
SCAD: Global Marketing
April 30
C-TPAT Security and Threat Awareness
May 27
Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership
June 11
International Business 101
August 17
International Protocol and Cross-Cultural Training
August 18
International Protocol and Cross-Cultural Training
September 10
Ports Update - Shipping Between Georgia and Europe
October 8
Export Compliance, Documentation and Procedures
November 5
FTZ Lunch & Learn: What is a Foreign-Trade Zone
November 6
FTZ Operator’s Round Table
November 17
Establishing Import/Export Compliance Procedures
November 18
Investing in Ireland
WTCSav is the grantee of Foreign-Trade Zone 104, which has traditionally served Bulloch, Bryan, Chatham, Columbia, Effingham, Evans, Liberty, Long, Richmond and Screven Counties.
In May 2015, the Foreign-Trade Zones board granted approval to WTCSav to expand FTZ 104 Alternative Site Framework service area to include six new counties: Candler, Emanuel, Jenkins, Tattnall, Toombs and Treutlen.
FTZ 104 was created in Savannah in 1984 and is available to companies in the greater region of Georgia. Though it sounds like a single entity, FTZ 104 is not a single location. It actually encompasses a designated system and operation within a number of businesses and locations around the region including Tumi Luggage in Vidalia, Alcoa, formerly Firth Rixson, in Liberty County and Interstate Center in Bryan County.
World Trade Center Savannah President and CEO Trip Tollison stated, "By adding Candler, Emanuel, Jenkins, Tattnall, Toombs and Treutlen counties, World Trade Center Savannah can help businesses and communities grow in these counties."
"The added advantage to all the counties in Foreign-Trade Zone 104 is the efficiency in reduced paperwork, time and money when going through the Foreign-Trade Zone process."
Leigh Ryan, Director of Trade Services and FTZ 104
2015 Consular Corps delegation at Georgia Southern University.
This is also the second year in a row in which WTCSav has collaborated with Georgia Power in order to make the event possible. The event, which occurred March 25-27, served as a chance to build international relationships and to introduce the delegates to existing assets and opportunities for international growth that exist within the southeast Georgia region. Countries represented in the delegation included Canada, Germany, Italy, Nigeria, the United Kingdom and Brazil.
The event began with a trip to Georgia Southern University where delegates toured the campus and received an overview of the manufacturing and engineering lab.
On the second day, the delegates traveled farther down the coast of Georgia and toured the Georgia Ports Authority’s Port of Brunswick, the number one port in the country for new auto imports. The delegates also received a tour and overview for the site of the German car manufacturer, Mercedes. Additional sights of the island were enjoyed before returning to Savannah for a dinner and performance at the 26th Annual Savannah Music Festival, which also presented an opportunity to connect with regional Economic Development Authority (EDA) leadership.
On the last day, the delegates were paired with EDA leadership for a customized tour of three different counties in southeast Georgia. Delegates received a taste of culture and quality of life by exploring the historic Ebenezer Salzburger settlement, participating in clay shooting at Dorchester Hunting Preserve and enjoying a tour of Ford Plantation and a scenic boat ride on a coastal waterway. These activities were mixed with introductions to area industries, which included a tour of British-headquartered manufacturer, International Greetings USA; French-headquartered, SNF Holding Company; German-headquartered manufacturer, Orafol and the power transformer company, EFACEC.
WTCSav interns help recruit new interns at a Savannah State University career fair.
Interns come from many colleges and universities including Georgia Southern University, Savannah State University, Armstrong State University, Savannah Technical College, SCAD and others.
2015 interns have gone on to positions with Delta Airlines, Microsoft, Gulfstream, NASCAR, Parker’s Companies, Georgia State University, Pineapple Public Relations and N3.
Platinum Partners
Founding Development Authorities
Founding Investors
Corporate Investors
Investors
Corporate Partners
Scott Center
Chair, National Office Systems
Chad Barrow
Vice Chair, Coastal Logistics Group
Sylvester Formey
Treasurer, Vanguard International, LLC
WTCSav Chairman Scott Center and former Liberty County Development Authority Director of Business Development, Jessica Hood with Alcoa Forgings and Extrusions, Chris Bohlmann and Lynn Drew.
The facility provides closed-die forging for the manufacture of nickel and titanium-based critical rotating discs serving both the aerospace and nuclear markets. Within less than two years of construction, the 200,000 square foot facility created 200 jobs and continues to build upon its initial $100 million investment. Global business generates 50 percent of the company’s revenue supplying a customer base in more than 40 countries worldwide.
In 2015 the company partnered with World Trade Center Savannah (WTCSav) in an effort to leverage access to over 330 World Trade Centers licensed globally. Through their partnership, the company also gained access to trade services, including market and country research and access to educational programs and exclusive events with international delegations.
Since their initial exploration, the company has made headway with various international leads as well as through public recognition. In 2015 SBC won the best new product award at the Natural Products Expo in London, United Kingdom. This was the first international trade show attended by the company. SBC is also gaining recognition within the state of Georgia for its efforts internationally. The company was featured in the May 2015 issue of Georgia Trend magazine where Ted Dennard, founder, president and head beekeeper of the company stated that SBC is pursuing leads in Spain, England, South Korea and China. Dennard went on to discuss how the lessons learned along the way and the support from key organizations has led to the forward movement of their international sales goals. The company has now set a goal for exports of their products to total 20 percent of their sales within three years.
With the exploration of international markets comes a great deal of planning and due diligence, including the identification of target markets and the recognition of country-specific import/export guidelines and regulations. Savannah Bee Company reached a speed bump in preparing their product for export into the European Union (EU) when they learned that each label must contain a phone number and address within the European Union. The company called upon WTCSav who was able to reach out through the World Trade Centers Association network to several World Trade Centers within the EU who were offering these services. WTCSav connected Savannah Bee Company with World Trade Center Marseille Provence in France. WTC Marseille Provence was able to provide the company with all the necessary services needed, within a short timeframe.
According to Kristen Crawley, Sales Director, International Sales, the connection proved to be of great value to their exporting goals. With the WTC Marseille Provence contact information now printed on their labels, SBC’s products are shipping into the United Kingdom and opening doors for future leads in the EU.
"I can say with confidence that Savannah Bee’s partnership with World Trade Center Savannah has been an integral piece of our international expansion. We were able to move quickly into the European Union because of our partnership," said Crawley.The partnership between WTCSav and SBC is just one great example of how successful a partnership can be in breaking down international trade barriers.
"I can say with confidence that Savannah Bee’s partnership with World Trade Center Savannah has been an integral piece of our international expansion. We were able to move quickly into the European Union because of our partnership,"
Kristen Crawley,
Sales Director, International Sales
May 2015 feature in Georgia Trend Magazine on Savannah Bee
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