Trade mission takes Utahns to Middle East

Nineteen companies and organizations joined Gov. Gary Herbert recently on a trade mission to Amman, Jordan, and Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, Israel.

Jordan and Israel are considered gateway countries for businesses interested in expanding into Middle Eastern markets. 

“Both Jordan and Israel have strong science and technology sectors that align well with the innovative technologies coming out of Utah,” said Derek B. Miller, president and chief executive officer of World Trade Center Utah (WTC Utah). “The focus of the trade mission to Amman, Jordan, and the trade mission to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, Israel, is to help businesses make meaningful connections that will lead to new customers and opportunities for collaboration in the Middle East.”

{mprestriction ids="1,3"}The missions took place Oct. 20-27 and included business visits, matchmaking meetings networking receptions, foreign direct investment events and a visit to the Port of Ashod. During the port visit, the delegation explored the benefits of the port to Israel’s economy and learned about a Utah company doing business with the port.

“Jordan and Israel are longtime trade partners, especially with the state’s technology and life science industries,” said Val Hale, executive director of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED). “This trade mission will strengthen those relationships and create new opportunities for Utah companies to expand globally.”

Jordan was selected as a location for a trade mission because of its strategic location as the crossroads of the Middle East-North Africa region. Utah’s top exports to Jordan in 2016 included fabricated metal products, computer and electronic products and chemicals. The U.S. has a free trade agreement with Jordan that has lowered the barriers to entry for Utah companies.

Israel also is an important trading partner for Utah. Since signing a free trade agreement in 1985, U.S.-Israel trade has grown eight-fold and nearly all trade tariffs have been removed. Israel is a global center for high-tech design and research and development, which could mean opportunities for collaboration between Israeli companies and Utah’s own Silicon Slopes companies. Some of Utah’s top exports to Israel include computer and electronic products, machinery and transportation equipment.

The trade missions were supported by WTC Utah, GOED, Zions Bank, U.S. Commercial Service and the U.S. Small Business Administration.

The private and public organizations that participated in the trade mission are 40 North Labs/Specialty Imaging, Alex.Brown, Allen Communications, BiologiQ Inc., BNA Consulting, Campbell Scientific, CogniTech Corp., Deseret Management Corp., Design Criteria Inc., GlobalSim Inc., Intermountain Healthcare, InWhatLanguage, the law offices of Thomas N. Jacobson, Quest Solutions & Teamtonics Inc., Red Leaf Resources, the University of Utah School of Business, USTAR, the Utah Economic Israel Council and Zions Bank. {/mprestriction}