with Singapore - US Chamber of Commerce

EXPORTFOODIndustry: Trading CompanyNumber of U.S. Employees: 10Major Products Sold to Singapore: Water Extraction andPurifying SystemYears of Involvement in Singapore: 2Industry: Consumer ProductsNumber of U.S. Employees: 6Major Products Sold to Singapore: Grocery and Health andBeauty AidsYears of Involvement in Singapore: 8EXCEL HOLDINGS, INC.Leesburg, VirginiaHisham Fawzi, Presidentwww.excelholdings.comAtrading company since 1991, Excel Holdings hashelped customers navigate through the manyprocesses, agencies, and regulations involved ininternational trade. Drawing on an extensive network ofinternational contacts, Excel Holdings provides its clientswith effective solutions to their transportation, financing,insurance and logistical needs.Excel Holdings has entered the Singapore market onfull cylinders. In 2001, the firm began marketing its WaterExtraction and Purification System (WEPS) line of products tothe commercial, industrial and military sectors. The company’strade relationship withSingapore has quicklyintensified. TheSingapore marketconstitutes 30% ofExcel Holdings’ grosssales and nearly 70%of Excel Holdingsemployment isdependent uponcontinued trade to thisregion. Due to thehealth benefits of WEPSand the wide extentof its distribution, theU.S. Department ofCommerce presentedExcel Holdings with the “Export Achievement Award.”Excel Holdings president, Hisham Fawzi, anticipates theadded value that the U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement willafford his company. “The FTA will definitely increase myexports, not only to Singapore, but to the whole Far Easternhemisphere. I will be able to establish a stock hub inSingapore and ship orders directly from there, therebyeliminating redundant transport from the U.S.”GLOBAL FOOD RESOURCESJacksonville, FloridaLacie Dowell, Director of Asia Tradingwww.gfr.ccGlobal Food Resources is an export trading andmanagement company that sells grocery products,health and beauty items, and general merchandise tothe Singapore market. The company has seen great success inthis market, largely dueto the high demand forU.S. grocery items inSingapore. Global FoodResources also credits itssuccess to Singapore’sgood infrastructure andstable government.For example, in2000, Global FoodResources shippeda container load of foodproducts under a letterof credit to an importer/distributor in Singapore.The customer had in turnsold the products to aparty in the Philippineswith a solid delivery date. When the goods arrived in Singapore,Global’s customer was forced to wait while the letter of creditwas processed through proper channels. In an effort to speedup the process, the customer attempted to bribe customsofficials and officials with the steamship line holding the goods.As a result of the intolerance for corruption in Singapore, thecustomer was not successful, and the cargo was held under lockand key until the legitimate processes had been completed. Thisexperience validated the benefits of trading with Singapore.“Twelve percent of Global Food Resources’ gross salescome from trade with Singapore.” Lacie Dowell, Director ofAsian Trading, says, “With a population of over 4.3 millionand a growing number of hypermarkets, discount stores,and upscale supermarkets, our business has the potential togrow exponentially. Under an FTA with Singapore, productswill be more affordable, and we will be able to offer a widerrange of American products to our customers.”11