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Champions ofInternationalBusiness
International Business NewsAugust 2016
In this issue: Champion Companies | Country Profile – Chile | Benefits of Business Intelligence
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2 Held & Associates
3 Letter from Publisher
4-5 Champions of International Business: Hydro-Thermal, Ultrax, TruTrak
6 Champions, cont’d, Transimpex
7 Commerce Bank
8 Country Profile: Chile, MarksNelson
9 Champions, cont’d, WOMEN’S Ex Club
10 Champions, cont’d., Chile, cont’d.
11 Business Intelligence
12 InterMark3
IBNewsmag TM: in this issue
IBNewsmagTel 816.616.7779 Fax: [email protected]
6655 Troost Ave., Kansas City, MO 64131, USA
In God we trust!PUBLISHER/EDITOR:Frederick Baehner
DESIGN & PRODUCTION:Tom Gilland www.GillandGraphx.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITER: Jennifer Wietelman
ADVISORY BOARD:Jo Anna Edgerton, Doris Ganser, Paul Mastilak
It takes a great deal to become a champion: training, perseverance and focus along with a healthy dash of innate talent and desire.
You can see it in the Olympic champions we watched these past few weeks. We also see it in the Cham-pions of International Business we feature in this month’s edition of IBNewsmag.
Each of these champion manufacturers has devel-oped a propensity for successful international busi-ness by identifying the most opportune markets and pushing themselves to compete and take charge of their races.
Hydro-Thermal, Wisconsin, dominates its export markets with a highly engineered hydro heater that serves across the board of many industries. Ultrax, Missouri, wins by way of its sophisticated software product that keeps score of aircraft electronics al-lowing more of the military aircraft they monitor to stay airborne. TruTrak, Arkansas, competes in the small and experimental aircraft business winning them over them with reliable autopilot systems.
Aggressive competitors do not always stick to their lanes, so these champions also keep an eye on inter-national competition to prevent theft of their intel-lectual properties and to insure they reach the finish line first.
Gold medals to all three of these champions.
PublishersLetter
page 3 August 2016
Here are profiles of three Champions of International Business manufacturers our panel cited from Wisconsin, Missouri, and Arkansas. They are all essential to the in-ternational industries they serve.Hydro-ThermalAs you might guess, it requires lots of hot water to make good beer. 170 degree water is much hotter than what comes out of your typical home hot wa-ter heater and requires special considerations to be used safely.
One particular brewer in Stockholm relies on an im-mediate stream of hot water at this pre-cise temperature to produce his beers. To accomplish this, he uses a Hydro-heater made by Hydro-Thermal in the Milwaukee suburban town of Waukesa, Wisconsin, nearly half a world away.
To serve the essential food market, and others, Hydro-Thermal manufactures and designs industrial and sanitary steam heating solutions. Hydro-Ther-mal’s patented heating system mixes steam and process liquids completely while delivering precise and consistent
temperature, instantaneous heating, and no scaling or fouling of the product.
Eighty years of steam heating expertise and innova-tion have led to this product’s presence in facilities in more than 86 countries around the world.
While Hydro-Thermal has always had a strong inter-national presence, the focus on global sales began in 2000. Sixteen years later, the majority of industrialized countries have a Hydroheater install. The most effec-tive coverage strategy the international team utilizes to penetrate a global territory is through the use of channel partnership. In 2000, there were only a few channel partners located in Europe and India. Now
Hydro-Thermal has 18 representatives cover-ing over 45 countries on every continent (mi-nus Antarctica).
“We have long-term relationships with these engineering and steam heating ex-perts,” said Gary Bymers, Hydro-Thermal’s International Managing Director. “It’s a true partnership because of the rich dialogue and insight that we provide to each other.”
Hydroheaters are engineered solutions, with a high level of technical complexity. Hydro-Thermal currently holds more than a dozen
Champions of International Business
IBNewsmagTM
August 2016page 4
active patents which are registered in multiple for-eign countries with four patents pending and new heater technologies also named in over 40 process patents. The products are specified in systems de-veloped by leading system integrators and are tied to over 60 of these off-shoot product patents.
Keeping this intellectual property globally protected is important to Hydro-Thermal. “Our innovative solu-
tions are one of our main differentiators,” said Jim Zaiser, Hydro-Thermal President and CEO. “The combination of the ad-vanced technology that we use and the expertise of our staff to manage the various applications
around the world earn Hydro-Thermal the distinction as a knowledgeable and supportive global innovator.”
Working with universities around the world also evolves Hydro-Thermal’s research and development efforts. Various academics and staff members col-laborate on a better understanding and application of steam technology. This promotes new product development, along with assisting with previously unsolvable problems.
Another area of differentiation at Hydro-Thermal is its advanced manufacturing efforts. Being ISO-certi-fied is important of course, but the systems, train-ing, programs and technology that support the cer-tification are scrutinized regularly. “Quality is part of everything we do,” noted Mr. Zaiser. “It is a core be-lief that each of our staff works towards improving daily and we nurture through our culture.”
Hydro-Thermal has heavily invested in software pro-grams to facilitate less manual entry, transparency and accountability for multiple departments. They have a CRM/ERP integrated solution so that infor-mation entered at the beginning of a transaction is seamlessly passed onto all other applicable areas. Real-time analytics are run daily in order to solve for quality, shipping, accounting and delivery issues proactively.
There is a continuous improvement culture of quali-ty at Hydro-Thermal that captures a number of mea-sures that directly impacts customer satisfaction. From satisfaction surveys conducted for new heat-ers, systems and service to instances of non-confor-mance to quality piece inspections in the shop to on-time shipping performance, measurements are regularly communicated to staff and management. Every new staff person goes through a rigorous on-boarding program consisting of in-person and video training concentrating on quality system and safety practices. New information is shared with current employees regularly in all-staff and depart-ment meetings, plus through company email. Every Hydro-Thermal employee is required to participate in one Kaizen event per year. Staff is encouraged to attend multiple events, including those outside of their immediate department.
Advanced manufacturing efforts and rigorous re-view and examination of steam technology and its principles are a large part of Hydro-Thermal’s ability to successfully sell in the global market. Their cus-tomers are the beneficiaries of this consistent and constant investigation, plus proactive quality work and experience. Without all of these efforts, the ability to penetrate the global market would have been much more difficult and not as efficient.
“We are in business because of our customers,” said Mr. Bymers. “We keep them in mind as we are de-veloping systems and products. We are always try-ing to improve in order to serve our partners and clients better.”
Ultrax Aerospace Keeps Aircraft FlyingThe famed CH-47 Chinook helicopter sits in the head-quarters of Lee’s Summit-based Ultrax Aerospace. “It functions as a terrific electrical test lab and serves as a reminder of how much our company has done to keep this and other rotor and fixed wing aircraft in operation,” said Ultrax President, Troy Prewitt.With some 20 percent of its sales going to foreign military and commercial companies around the
Champions, continued on page 6
Jim Zaiser, President and CEO
page 5 August 2016
es a very intricate instrument, the company has not been overly con-cerned about international pirating of its products. Mr. Prewitt said, “We are very protective of our pro-prietary property but are fairly well insulated from infringement due to our channel structure.”
To obtain these lofty goals, Ultrax employs some 50 people – many of whom are software specialists
and engineers challenged to define new technologies for electrical diagnostic testing.
While much of Ultrax sales stem from foreign military efforts, prod-uct is also sold directly to interna-tional OEMs and other off-shore distributors. “By selling through US-based Foreign Military offices we avoid many of the duties and taxes
world, the 20-year old company sticks to its heritage of high quality aircraft diagnostic testing. It manu-factures Made in America complex electrical systems on both bench and flight line testing in two prod-uct lines.
The UxVAlidator line sets the bar high above competitive products’ expectations. These portable flight line diagnostic testing units give air-craft maintainers and chiefs instant flight line testing capability to help reduce false pull rates and return aircraft to active service quickly.
The SCATS Family of electrical test-ing devices are bench units, and along with other components re-duce risk, isolates faults and returns assets to operation.
“Although the systems come in hardware packages,” said Mr. Pre-witt, “they are software-based to in-sure fast and actionable test results. What we really do is create what Ultrax calls Condition-Based Intel-ligence or CBI. Our software and hardware work together to create an active ecosystem.”
According to Mr. Prewitt, CBI is a synergistic, proactive technology infrastructure to continuously im-prove safety, readiness and sav-ings to end-users. “With expanding rates of confidence, we’re always taking lessons and intelligence learned to improve function and reliability of both existing and new components.”
Because Ultrax works through the Foreign Military office, and produc-
Champions, continued from page 5
Translators • Interpreters • Editors • Consultants, Inc.
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Champions, continued on page 9IBNewsmagTM
August 2016page 6
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Key Business Information• Chile has had a privatized social security system for over 30 years• Reputation for stable financial institutions and policies• Economy is highly dependent on copper exports (20% of government revenue)• Chile has trade agreements with 62 countries including the US, China, European Union, India, South Korea and Mexico• Number one producer of copper in the world• Chile has largest proven reserves of lithium in the world• Exports a great deal of fruit to the US especially during our Fall and Winter seasons• Many people in Chile have European ancestry
Focus on International Trade • Currency: Chilean Peso (Approximately 650 Pesos = 1 US Dollar Major Exports: Copper, fruit, fish products, paper and pulp, chemicals, wineMajor Imports: Petroleum & petroleum products, chemicals, agricultural, electrical and mining equipment, environmental technologies, health-care equipment and supplies, water treatment and desalinization equipment, energy related products and technologiesMajor Trading Partners:• Exports: China, US, Japan, South Korea, Brazil• Imports: China, US, Brazil, Argentina• In 2015, America’s exports to Chile amounted to $11.8 billion or 19.3% of its overall imports.
1. Oil: $3.6 billion2. Machinery: $2 billion3. Vehicles: $790.3 million4. Electronic equipment: $785.2 million5. Plastics: $463.3 million6. Medical, technical equipment: $388.9 million7. Aircraft, spacecraft: $378.7 million8. Organic chemicals: $329.7 million9. Other chemical goods: $276.6 million10. Rubber: $233.7 million
Chile’s exports to the US amounted to $8.3 billion or 13% of its overall exports.
Top Ten Chile Exports to the U.S. in 2015:
1. Copper: $1.9 billion2. Fruits, nuts: $1.7 billion3. Fish: $1.2 billion4. Wood: $764.5 million5. Rubber: $341.8 million6. Beverages: $255.4 million7. Inorganic chemicals: $239.6 million8. Meat: $166.6 million9. Salt, Sulphur, stone, cement: $160.6 million10. 10. Vegetable/fruit preparations: $149.6 million
Chilean Economy• GDP(2015): $422.4 Billion• GDP Composition: Agriculture- 3.4%, Industrial- 35%, Services- 61.6%
CHILE: A Favorable Trading Country
Chile, continued on page 10
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Arkansas’ TruTrak Autopilot systems help circumnavigate the world
One of the more sophisticated Champions of International Business is TruTrak in Springdale, Arkansas. TruTrak designs and manufactures aircraft auto pilots and other avionics for ex-perimental and small aircraft.
With a distributor network spanning Western Europe, South America, Australia and Israel, TruTrak also sells direct to several OEM aircraft companies in select countries.
“We have been shipping product to other countries for some 8 – 10 years,” said Andrew Barker, owner and CEO of TruTrak.
Champions, continued on page 10
Deborah Knight, Founder & President WOMEN’S EXECUTIVE CLUB, LLC (913) 449-4996 | [email protected] | www.WomensEC.com
typically assigned to our export products,” said Mr. Prewitt.
Some of Ultrax units are combined with other testing equipment for in-ternational sales. “With direct inter-national sales,” he pointed out, “we typically air freight to the buyer.”
Aircraft utilizing Ultrax testing equipment include Blackhawk and Chinook helicopters, plus a variety of fixed wing aircraft.
Champions, continued from page 6
Chile, continued on page 10
Co-founder Cliff Lincoln and President Troy Prewitt standing before a CH-47 Chinook helicopter used at Ultrax to isolate recur-ring faults and convert that experience
into mission-critical intelligence to improve overall fleet sustainment.
The UxValidator Series I testing equipment
page 9 August 2016
Champions, continued from page 9
Chile, continued from page 8
ogies in Oviedo, FL. Designed to be an affordable, simple, two-axis autopilot with automatic envelope protection (AEP), it allows the pilot to set a safe bank and pitch angle. At less than one pound, the ECO al-lows for a much lighter weight autopilot system sav-ing drastically on system cost making it most attrac-tive to both foreign and domestic buyers.
IBN
“One of our greatest sales opportunities takes place at major airshows in different parts of the world. “When we spoke with Mr. Barker, he was winding down the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) airshow in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, which typically draws some 500,000 visitors – many from other countries.
”For the first time here in Oshkosh, we had two booths. One inside with a full display of our prod-ucts, and one outside with our Cessna 172 as the focal point. I’d say we attracted perhaps 500 inter-national attendees inside and 100 outside,” claimed Mr. Barker.
“Thanks to the assistance of the Arkansas World Trade Center we were able to attend two spring trade shows in Europe – Aero Friedrichshafen and EBACE,” he said. “The response to the new ECO auto-pilot was wonderful, with many customers wanting to get the product as soon as possible. This was the first time that many of the Europeans had a chance to see the products first hand.”
In 2005, TruTrak’s autopilot system found its way into the cockpit of the experimental Virgin Atlantic Global Flyer (see below) which set the record for the fastest nonstop unfueled flight circumventing the world.
Swiss pioneers in technology research and develop-ment use navigational equipment from TruTrak in their experimental Solar Impulse 2 that has navigat-ed the world completely on solar power. Its most recent product development is its new ECO autopilot created in conjunction with Levil Technol-
• Labor Force: 8.7M (2015 est.)• Natural Resources: Copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, iodine, precious metals, molybdenum, lithium, hydro-power• Major Industries: Mining, foodstuffs (including wine), cement, transportation equipment, fish processing, iron & steel, wood and wood products, textiles
Additional Important Information • Founding Date: September 18,1810 (Independence from Spain)• Population: 17.5 million• Size: 292,258 square miles (Almost twice the size of Montana)• Land Area: Only 265 miles wide but 2880 miles long. Three distinct regions from west to east- coastal moun-tain ranges, central lowlands and Andes Mountains• Bordering Countries: North-Peru, East-Bolivia and Argentina. The Pacific Ocean is located both in the south and west of the country.• Government: Representative democracy• Capital City: Santiago• Literacy Rate: 97.5%• Religion: Primarily Christian (Roman Catholic)• Languages: Primarily Spanish• Major Urban Areas: Santiago, Valparaiso (seat of Chilean Congress), Concepcion Note: 89.5% of population is urban
Implications• Chile is a favorable country to conduct business if your product fits the right profile• The US has a FTA with Chile resulting in lower tariffs than many other Latin countries• The business culture is more European than Latin, making it easier to develop fruitful business relationships.
Next StepsIf you have interest in doing business in Chile and want to know if your company can develop an effective edge there, let us know. Email us at:[email protected] for questions and an effective, economical report customized for your business. Or, call at 816-616-7779.
IBN
TruTrak CEO Andrew Barker with the company’s Cessna at the August Oshkosh Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA)
airshow. TruTrak is widely known for its autopilot systems and exhibited with both an indoor and outdoor stands
August 2016page 10
In today`s increasingly competitive and volatile world, small and middle market companies and economic development organizations, seek every possible tool to help them compete. One of those tools is international business intelligence. Business intelligence can be internally or externally generated. Internal business intelligence generally means that a company utilizes computer programs, generated in-house or by outside companies to analyze their internal computer operating systems to determine problems and solutions to such problems as duplica-tion, not following procedures, inefficiency, waste etc. External business intelligence is the gathering and analysis of information from multiple outside sources relative to competitors, existing or potential custom-ers, potential partners or acquisition candidates, existing and potential sales representatives or dis-tributors etc. Subjects included may be company philosophy and history, sales, personnel, finances, quality issues, manufacturing, research and devel-opment, management, domestic and international activities, acquisitions, strategic alliances, joint ven-tures etc. External intelligence can be tailored to specific needs, can be as detailed as required and is useful in making both short and long-term strategic decisions.
Potential Benefits of External Intelligence• Increases reliability of decision-making pro-cesses• Offers the opportunity to revise previously held opinions and increases the likelihood of new per-
spectives• Lessens time needed to obtain and analyze in-formation saving time and resources• Identify sales trends • Enables the connection and analysis of inside information and information gathered from out-side sources• Lessens the possibility of threats to a company through increased knowledge• Helps minimize the effect of surprise develop-ments through the gathering and analysis of ad-ditional and more reliable information• Can help improve customer relations through increased customer knowledge• Enables the adaptation of sales techniques to fit customers/prospects• Allows organization to be ahead of the curve relative to prospect, customer and competitor plans which may enable organization to be pro-active rather than reactive in their sales and R&D efforts• Helps develop proper and more efficient sales approaches• Aids in assessment of current or potential sales representatives and distributors• Enables organizations to be proactive rather than reactive • Furthers the development of targeted strategies • Helps determine and rank prospects• Additional knowledge of customer can increase chances of future success
For more information on how business intelli-gence can help your company, email us at:[email protected] or call at 816.616.7779
How Business IntelligenceCan Help Your Company
page 11 August 2016
See our credentials at www.intermark3.com. Email today for a no-cost [email protected], or Tel 816.616-7779
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