For more information
Chattanooga businesses interested in participating in Centrallia should contact Ivette Rios, the senior small business specialist at the Tennessee Small Business Development Center. Email her at irios@tsbdc.org or call (423) 756-8668.
Ivette Rios is looking for a few, good Chattanooga businesses to accompany her in late May to Winnipeg, Canada, to tap into the international market.
Rios, who works at the Tennessee Small Business Development Center at 100 Cherokee Blvd., will lead a delegation of five Chattanooga businesses this summer for the fourth annual Centrallia, a global business-to-business forum.
It’s not free; businesses will spend about $2,500, overall, to participate in the forum on May 25-27 at Winnipeg’s World Trade Centre. But that will include a trade show, keynote speakers and up to 14 face-to-face meetings. More than 700 business leaders from more than 30 countries will attend.
“It’s kind of like match-making,” said Rios. “It’s referred to as business-to-business speed dating.”
Only decision-makers will attend, so deals can be made on the spot. Last year, 96 percent of participants reported the event resulted in new business opportunities or leads, 92 percent said they would come again, and 97 percent reported they would recommend this type of event to other companies.
“It’s a pretty unique business development event,” said Derek Earl, director, international trade, at Winnipeg’s World Trade Centre.
Winnipeg, the capital of the Canadian province of Manitoba, is a city of some 663,000 residents about a seven-hour drive northwest of Minneapolis, Minn.
“We’ve got an economy here that’s based very heavily in small- and medium-sized businesses, a very diverse economy,” Earl said.
Another reason to visit, he said, is National Geographic Traveler Magazine put Winnipeg on its 2016 Best of the World list, which highlights 20 must-see places to visit. The days are long in late May in Winnipeg, he said, the sun rises around 5 a.m. and sets around 10 p.m.
“It’s a beautiful time to be up here,” Earl said.
Roadtec Inc., a subsidiary of Astec Industries Inc. that makes asphalt pavers and other road-building equipment on Manufacturer’s Road, is among the companies planning to attend.
Centrallia says its ideal for businesses looking for opportunities in manufacturing, transportation and logistics, agribusiness, information and communications technologies, environmental industries, energy, resources and mining, construction/infrastructure and research and development.
Contact staff writer Tim Omarzu at tomarzu@timesfreepress.com or www.facebook.com/MeetsForBusiness or twitter.com/meetfor business or 423-757-6651.