WMMA Receives U.S. Commerce Department Matching Funds to Establish Marketing and Service Center in India
The American Center for Wood Processing will help U.S. companies sell their woodworking machinery, cutting tools and supplies in the Indian market
October 30, 2008 – Philadelphia, PA – The Wood Machinery Manufacturers of America (WMMA), a trade association of U.S. manufacturers of woodworking machinery, cutting tools and supplies, announced today that the U.S. Commerce Department has awarded it $183,000 in matching funds to develop WMMA’s Marketing and Service Center in Bangalore, India, which will open by the end of 2008. Start up and marketing support will be provided with the assistance of the Commerce Department’s International Trade Administration (ITA) under its Market Development Cooperator Program (MDCP). Initial funding has been provided by WMMA.
The facility, to be named the American Center for Wood Processing, will be a fixed facility and have staff dedicated to marketing, servicing and selling U.S. woodworking machinery, cutting tools and supplies in India. It will provide U.S. companies in India with facilities to warehouse and demonstrate their products as well as train end users, service technicians and their dealer networks. The American Center will also have professional staff to carry out market research and business development activities; market and sell participants’ product lines; organize participation in Indian woodworking industry trade fairs; and demonstrate, service and maintain products of participating members.
“The Market Development Cooperator Program helps small and medium-sized U.S. businesses compete and win in the global marketplace, especially in some of the world’s fastest-growing markets,” said Commerce Manufacturing and Services Assistant Secretary William G. Sutton. “This public-private partnership with various non-profits and their members promotes American companies’ growth through exporting, job creation in the United States and contributes to America’s economic health.”
“This is an inventive, focused project aimed at increasing business and generating jobs for U.S. companies,” said WMMA President Tom Onsrud. “The WMMA is delighted to offer this service to all companies within the U.S. woodworking community. The partnership with the Commerce Department will provide the jump start we need to get this project up and running.”
To learn more about the American Center for Wood Processing in India, U.S. companies which manufacture woodworking machinery, cutting tools or supplies can participate in a webinar sponsored and hosted by WMMA and the Commerce Department on Thursday, November 13, 2008 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. EDT. Go to https://emenuapps.ita.doc.gov/ePublic/newWebinarRegistration.jsp?SmartCode=9Q1N to register.
About the India Market
India’s economy grew by an average 8.9 percent from 2001 to 2007 and is expected to exceed 7 percent this year. Its rapid economic growth has set the stage for fundamental change among the country’s consumers. The same energy that has lifted hundreds of millions of Indians out of desperate poverty is creating a massive middle class centered in the cities. If India continues its recent growth, average household incomes will triple over the next two decades and it will become the world’s 5th largest consumer economy and will have 580 million middle class consumers, rising from today’s 50 million.
The above bodes very well for the U.S. woodworking industry as increased incomes and a larger middle class will create explosive demand for more and better housing, wood household products, retail outlets, hotels, office space and furniture.
About the Wood Machinery Manufacturers of America® (WMMA®)
Founded in 1899, the Wood Machinery Manufacturers of America is a professional trade association composed of nearly 200 U.S. manufacturers of woodworking equipment, cutting tools, and supplies and whose purpose is to promote the interests of its members serving the woodworking industry. Distributors, suppliers and consultants to the industry also belong to the association as Associate Members. Manufacturer members design, build and sell equipment, tooling, supplies, and components used in the manufacture of all types of wood products. Members’ products are used in furniture, door and window, flooring, and kitchen cabinet manufacturing plants; plywood and particleboard mills; lumber mills; shipyards; mobile home and pallet manufacturing plants; home workshops; plus a wide variety of associated wood processing operations. Many members also serve the plastics, ceramics, stone, solid surfaces, and non-ferrous metals market machining aluminum, brass, copper, and other non-ferrous metals. WMMA® members’ equipment is sold worldwide. To learn more about WMMA, visit www.wmma.org.
Fernley & Fernley, Inc.
Wood Machinery Manufacturers of America is professionally managed by Fernley & Fernley, Inc., a fourth generation family firm in the association management business representing over 30 trade associations and professional societies. Fernley & Fernley holds the distinction of being among the first to receive national accreditation from the AMC Institute, and the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and is the longest established association management company in the country. Throughout the years, Fernley & Fernley has maintained a solid reputation as a leader within the association management field and in the wide spectrum of industries it serves. To learn more about Fernley & Fernley visit www.fernley.com.