13 co.’s take part in 2nd edition of PRiMEX Export Academy
The Puerto Rico Manufacturing Extension Inc. (PRiMEX), launched the second edition of its Export Academy, in which 13 companies will learn the basic elements to establish an export plan in the short, medium and long term.
The academy includes six educational modules and group consulting sessions with a total investment of 70 hours. The academy will wrap up in March 2020.
The topics to be discussed include: Introduction to export, innovation, identification of new markets, marketing methods, distribution chains and legal channels, evaluation of challenges and financing, and preparing an export plan.
“We will have four months of education and preparation where these local companies will learn to develop their export plan and develop strategies for continuous improvement,” said Export Academy Leader Astrid Vélez.
“This local manufacturing growth initiative provided by PRiMEX includes business training, specialized assistance to raise awareness of the importance of having a good export plan when exporting,” she said.
The current PRiMEX class includes companies from Ponce, Jayuya, Loíza, Bayamón, Naguabo, Guaynabo, Caguas, Mayagüez and Barranquitas, representing sectors such as food, paper, software, beverages, chemicals, machinery, agribusiness and engineering services.
The first edition of the PRiMEX Export Academy graduated 12 companies: Environmental Quality Laboratories Inc., Prime Controls Inc., Bearing Buddy Inc., Valero Inc., Take a Sip LLC, Hortalizas Hidropónicas del Oeste, Destilería Nacional Inc., PET Plastics LLC, Erasmo Ramos, Inc., GFree Foods LLC, Empresas la Famosa Inc., and Nova Atlas Manufactura Inc.
“We already have success stories of companies that are taking their products to countries such as Spain, New Zealand, Colombia, Dominican Republic and Saint Martin,” said Vélez, who also runs her firm, Astrid Vélez & Alliance.
“The experience with entrepreneurs has been spectacular, I’m proud to support them and take them by the hand until we see them entering other parts of the world. We have the capacity, products and business leadership to share what we produce with the rest of the world,” she said.
Ailed González, president of Gfree Foods LLC, said the academy has been “an excellent opportunity.”
“It allowed us to properly evaluate our products and opportunities in other markets. In addition, to share experiences with other manufacturers,” González said.
“As small and medium enterprises, it’s difficult to take the time to structure an export plan. Thanks to the academy we have already achieved our first export to St. Martin and are in talks with other countries in Latin America, the Caribbean and Europe,” González said.
Gfree Foods LLC is a company dedicated to the manufacture of vegan pastry products. All of its recipes are made with high-quality ingredients and are crafted by one of its founders.
