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w w w.in s i g h t o n m f g . c o m November 2014 • /INSIGHT ON MANUFACTURING | 7 EDITOR'S NOTE | NIKKI KALLIO n k a l l i o @ i n s i g h t o n b u s i n e s s . c o m EVER THOUGHT ABOUT TAKING THAT NEXT STEP and sending your company's product overseas? Or do you think it would be too much trouble and not worth the return on investment? It's true, there's a lot to think about. For example, at October's Madison International Trade Association conference, participants learned the necessity of knowing and documenting exactly what your product's intended use will be. Dani Long, owner of the Chilton-based International Business Development, Inc., said presenters discussed a case in which American-made CT scanners sent to China were instead used as examination beds because the military had taken out key working parts, which could be used to build weapons. In another example, parts of radio signal receivers sold to a company in Hong Kong ended up in Afghanistan as parts of IEDs. "You obviously can't control the process 100 percent, or who the end user is going to be because the product can be resold and resold," Long says. "But you can at least make an attempt, and having a process in place is important because it shows you are trying." Additionally, there are cultural considerations to keep in mind. Marie Martin, director of Fox Valley Technical College's Global and Educational Services, points out a case in which an American manager tried an egalitarian approach at his company's branch in Mexico and "he completely upset the relationship dynamic with his employees," Martin says. "ey were very uncomfortable. ey were very accustomed to the boss being the boss, and certain formality needs to be present." It's no wonder some companies are daunted by the idea of exporting. Getting the right advice Partnerships are key to growth with cultural, regulatory and legal requirements is vital, but the good news is that there is plenty of help available both within the New North and at the state level — all designed to make your venture into exporting not only possible, but successful. Aer attending WMEP's ExporTech program, Stevens Point-based Gamber-Johnson increased its exports by 650 percent. Read about its success in our Cover Story on p. 8. Speaking of successes, did you have a chance to attend the NEW Manufacturing Alliance's Excellence in Manufacturing K-12 Education Partnership awards in October? It was moving to hear educators talk about partnering with manufacturers to build programs that inspire students, and how students become engaged in the learning process through these partnerships. It was a great evening and important way to recognize what area educators and manufacturers are doing to work together. See the photo feature, p. 20, and see if you recognize some of the winners. ese kinds of partnership efforts in the New North region are attracting international attention. is month, the Future Forum sends alliance director Ann Franz to Udine, Italy, to talk about manufacturer/educator partnerships (see Insight From, p. 22). e event organizer was particularly impressed with the alliance's All Stars publication, produced by Insight, which features young people making an impact in their fields. e 2015 All Stars magazine will be included in the January issue of IOM — watch for it! We'll also have copies available in December at the New North summit at the Blue Harbor Resort in Sheboygan on Dec. 2. e event's theme is "Every Part Counts," and that's true. Each effort that you make to connect with education and community leaders to build the region's economic strength matters, and inspires similar efforts elsewhere. Register for the event at newnorthsummit.com. We hope to see you there! F