Cole (head of table): “This is a fantastic opportunity …”
NEW WINDSOR – Local businesses interested in learning how New York State could help them export their products globally attended a presentation by Empire State Development, the state’s lead economic agency, in New Windsor.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for New York State companies, small and medium sized, for them to either start exploring or grow their existing exports,” said Erin Cole, senior vice president of Global NY.
Cole said that most companies in New York State do not export. Yet, statistics show that those companies that do export, they diversify and take on new opportunities, ultimately creating more jobs, while continuing to grow and expand in the state.
In introducing the $35 million Global NY Fund to the Hudson Valley, Cole said that $2 million a year is available under the Global NY Grant Fund and $3 million a year under the Global NY Loan Fund to help businesses with global export sales. Collectively, $5 million will be available per fiscal year for export assistance in New York State.
Fred Harding, of Gillinder Glass of Port Jervis, a 154-year-old company, attended the presentation along with owner, Charles Gillinder. Harding said that although Gillinder Glass exports, they are looking for ways to increase that percentage of their business.
Gillinder Glass will be joining the state at an industrial trade fair in Germany later this month, where there will be buyers from around the world. Normally cost prohibitive, with a single booth costing $60,000, Gillinder will now have a presence at this major international show thanks to Empire State Development and its Global NY initiative.
“Port Jervis has fine exporters and I would like to see operations expand and other people come in and have those opportunities,” said Valerie Maginsky, executive director of the Port Jervis Community Development Agency. “It’s a global market, bottom line. It doesn’t matter where you are. The Internet has made it a global market.”
