For Immediate Release: August 24, 2005
DBEDT Release News 05-24

HONOLULU--The National Association of Foreign-Trade Zones (NAFTZ) will be holding its 33rd Annual Conference on Maui next month. More than 400 international trade executives are expected to attend the event at the Grand Wailea Resort on Maui.

"This year will be the fourth time in the past 40 years that Hawaii has had the honor of hosting this prestigious event," noted DBEDT Director Theodore E. Liu. "This time we are trying to emphasize Hawaii's role as a transportation crossroads and bridge to Asian markets."

One of the key speakers will be Gary North, Senior Vice President of Matson Navigation Company, who will be discussing the new China-West Coast trade route that they will be opening up early next year. Other local speakers at the national conference will include Hawaii's Foreign-Trade Zone No. 9 Acting Administrator Gregory P. Barbour who will discuss Hawaii's statewide approach to foreign-trade zones and efforts to create a "one-stop shop," offering an entire package of information, services and use of facilities for import and export businesses at their Pier 2 facility in Honolulu.

Working sessions at the NAFTZ conference will detail fundamental characteristics of the U.S. Foreign-Trade Zones program, especially the important role Zones play in making both companies and communities globally competitive. The balance of the NAFTZ conference will cover current trade issues affecting foreign-trade zones, most notable among them, meeting global trade challenges, automation and international trade agreements.

The four-day NAFTZ event will also include an exhibition for national and local companies wanting to market their products and services to the largest annual gathering of foreign-trade zone decision makers.

The NAFTZ conference is being co-sponsored by Hawaii's Foreign-Trade Zone No. 9 which is a division of DBEDT that currently helps more than 300 Hawaii companies trim their operating costs by utilizing the Zone's tariff - and duty-free environment. Through the Zone program, these companies provide more than 2,500 local jobs and export more than $434 million worth of merchandise (mainly jet fuel) annually.

Hawaii has one of the largest and most diversified Zone programs in the United States with its eight authorized general-purpose sites and five subzones.

In addition to showcasing our own Zone program, this conference should be of interest to Hawaii's import/export firms. It also should be significant to manufacturing firms who use foreign components to produce products for Hawaii and external markets. Finally, the conference will also be of interest to public and private agencies engaged in economic development programs.

Further information regarding the conference details can be found at the association's website http://www.naftz.org. Registrants have the option of attending just the seminar on September 12 or the entire conference that runs from September 13-15.

For more information, contact:
Dave Young
Communications
Phone: (808) 587-1212
Email: dyoung@dbedt.hawaii.gov