Globalization — Editor’s Notes
Sunny Orlando, Florida was the setting for the TLMI’s Annual Meeting, held this year as a joint meeting with European brethren from FINAT. This meeting is always a highlight of the year for those converters and suppliers in the tag and label industry. The four-day meeting always seems to be a perfect blend of business meetings, interesting and informative sessions, awards presentations, and social gatherings (including that not-so-bad, four-letter word—golf). Credit for this year’s meeting starts with Meeting Chair Michael Kelliher of FLEXcon and his Co-Chairs, Ferd E. Rüesch of Gallus Ferd. Rüesch AG and Calvin Frost of The Channeled Resources Group, and extends, as usual, to Frank Sablone and his staff.
This year’s meeting focused on globalization with a theme of, “Globalization. . .The Good and the Bad.” At Tuesday’s session, Anthony Gibson, of Leo Burnett International, a global network of advertising agencies, offered some key points that need to be considered when looking at opportunities for overseas business. These include:
• Determining the reliability of the revenue stream in year one;
• Developing revenue projections for the three-to-five year period;
• Understanding the added value your business brings to the market;
• Dealing with local labor laws, unions, lawyers, tax accountants, and auditors;
• Monitoring competition in the local market; and
• Developing relationships built on trust and face-to-face interactions.
Gibson’s presentation was followed by an informative presentation from a panel of converters that have taken different approaches to undertaking international business. Representatives from Dow Industries, WS Packaging Group, Skanem AS, LGInternational, CCL Label, and Labelgraphics (Glasgow) shared their experiences with forming alliances, acquiring businesses, and building manufacturing facilities as ways of expanding into overseas markets. Their perspectives added valuable insights on the topic.
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