BUDAPEST, Hungry ? The Automation Alley delegation made it to Hungary safely on Sunday and we wrapped up our first day of Gold Key meetings ?
pre-screened companies by the U.S. Commercial Services, Budapest office ? with a reception at the home of the U.S. Commercial Service, Budapest?s Commercial Senior Counselor Patricia Gonzalez?s home, writes Michelle Zellen, Automation Alley spokesman, who kicks off the first edition of her trade mission journal.
The reception was attended by Automation Alley?s delegation, staff from the U.S. Commercial Service ? Budapest office, representatives from the Hungarian companies that are meeting with the Automation Alley delegation and the U.S. Ambassador to Hungary, George H. Walker.
Walker welcomed the group and stated how Hungary is unique for a variety of reasons including being one of the only countries that borders seven other countries which makes it an excellent area to do business. He mentioned that there are also plenty of opportunities for U.S. small to mid-sized companies to export their goods and services, especially in the IT and automotive parts sectors.
Richard Kincaid, president of K&F Electronics, Inc. (Fraser), manufacturer of printed circuit boards, which includes instrumental, sensors, medical, automotive and homeland protection, commented at the end of the day on how he couldn?t believe on the number of Hungarian companies that came out to meet with him.
?I never would have been able to schedule these types of meetings on my own without the help of Automation Alley,? said Kincaid. ?I would have no idea where to even begin.?
Robert W. Jansen III, channel manager of VIA Information Tools (Troy), a software and professional services company that specializes in building commercial application software said, ?Our corporate philosophy is to extend our footprint within automotive manufacturing by partnering with companies overseas who are instrumental in the sales, implementation, and/or support of manufacturing systems and I think that there is a lot of potential for our company here in Central and Eastern Europe.?
Both Kincaid and Jansen are excited to see what the remaining Gold Key meetings will bring.
Tomorrow we start the day with an automotive market briefing by the president of the Association of the Hungarian Vehicle Component Manufacturers, Herbert Rupp, followed by more Gold Key meetings and a tour of the Visteon Automotive Plant in Szekesfehervar, Hungary.
Stay tuned.
Attendees on this leg of the Trade Mission:
Phil Bertolini, Oakland County CIO and Director of the GLIMA Network; Joerg Hoefer, President & CEO, Global Manufacturing Alliance, Inc.; Robert W. Jansen III, Channel Manager, VIA Information Tools, Inc.; Hayes Jones, senior advisor, Automation Alley International Business Center; Richard Kincaid, president, K&F Technologies, Inc.; Ken Roger, executive director, Automation Alley; Deputy County Executive, Oakland County; Mike Shapiro, Director of Regional Business Development, Detroit Regional Chamber; and Dennis Toffolo, Oakland County Deputy County Executive.
On Wednesday, the trade mission travels to Slovakia, followed by Prague through Oct. 23, and Warsaw, Poland, from Oct. 23 ? Oct. 26.
