Israel poised for R.I. exports, expert says

By Rebecca Keister
PBN Staff Writer
Twitter: @keisterpbn

PROVIDENCE – Israel remains the Middle Eastern country most primed for U.S. exports and Rhode Island companies wanting to get in on overseas trading should seize any opportunity to do so, advises Atid EDI Ltd., a Jerusalem-based firm that specializes in market research and trade development for the Middle East region.

“Almost any product has potential. If something comes along, we say give it a shot. You never can tell,” said Atid EDI president Sherwin Pomerantz.

Pomerantz and Seth Vogelman, director of trade for the company, addressed about two dozen attendees at “Doing Business in the Middle East and Israel,” a seminar held at the R.I. Economic Development Corporation Tuesday.

The seminar sought to relay how the region, including Turkey, continues to grow as a major export market for U.S. manufactured products.

Pomerantz and Vogelman sought to relay how having a company such as EDI as a foreign representative is the best way to break into the market.

“Nobody does a better job than a local,” Vogelman said. “People in the [Israeli] business world are well connected.”

Vogelman pointed to the North African region as the area with the greatest potential for business with investments in the aerospace industry in Morocco and the availability of oil and gas in Algeria.

Next month, the EDC will lead a trade mission to China and Hong Kong. It led a trade mission to Israel in fall 2011.