International Business and Resources

Businesses in Michigan's Great Southwest are reaching beyond the boundaries of the United States to offer their goods and services to the global arena. Some of the major local companies that are global competitors include Whirlpool Corporation; Gast Manufacturing, an IDEX Corporation; LECO Corporation; as well as many others.

Located in the southwest corner of Michigan, Michigan's Great Southwest joins with other companies throughout the state to make Michigan the second largest exporter of transportation equipment. Additionally, Michigan is the top U.S. exporter of fabricated metal products.

Michigan is the nation's fifth largest exporting state, with 95% of exports going to markets served by the state's regional trade offices in Toronto, Brussels, Tokyo and Hong Kong and representatives in Mexico City and Harare, Zimbabwe. Fifty-nine percent of Michigan's Great Southwest's exports are to NAFTA countries (Canada and Mexico) and Europe.

Foreign Trade Zone Opportunities
Local import and export businesses located in Michigan's Great Southwest have the opportunity to take advantage of a foreign trade zone designation for the St. Joseph River Harbor and the city of Benton Harbor. This unique opportunity was made possible thanks to a partnership between the city of Benton Harbor, Cornerstone Alliance and Battle Creek Unlimited.

A foreign trade zone, an area considered to be outside the U.S. customs territory yet under its supervision, provides a variety of economic benefits, including the following:
  • Foreign and domestic merchandise may be entered without payment of Customs duties or excise taxes.
  • Materials can be exhibited and sold before paying duties.
  • Duties are eliminated when merchandise is transshipped, re-exported, or destroyed in the zone.
  • Operating capital risk kept free because duties are deferred until goods are sold.
  • Goods in the zone can be used as collateral.
  • And much, much more...
For further information regarding Foreign Trade Zones, please contact Cornerstone Alliance at (269) 925-6100.

Michigan District Export Council (MDEC)

The Michigan District Export Council (MDEC) is an organization of leaders from the local business community whose knowledge of international business provides a source of professional advice for local firms. Closely affiliated with the Commercial Service's Export Assistance Centers (http://www.export.gov/comm_svc/eac.html), the MDEC combines the energies of over 30 volunteers to supply specialized expertise to small and medium-sized businesses in their local community who are interested in exporting. MDEC creates seminars that make trade finance both understandable and accessible to small exporters, hosts international buyer delegations, designs breakthrough guides to help firms export, puts exporters on the Internet and helps build export assistance partnerships to strengthen the support given to local businesses interested in exporting.

The goal of MDEC, as it is with all other councils throughout the United States, is the furtherance of our nation's export efforts directed by the Trade Promotion Coordination Committee (TPCC). MDEC encourages and supports export expansion activities by counseling local businesses, identifying export finance sources, building local export assistance partnerships with other organizations, and promoting international education at the community level.

MDEC encourages and supports export expansion activities by counseling local businesses, identifying export finance sources, building local export assistance partnerships with other organizations, and promoting international education at the community level.
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For more information
Cornerstone Alliance
P.O. Box 428, Benton Harbor, MI 49022
tel: (269) 925-6100
webmaster@michigansgreatsw.com