ProCórdoba Agency has launched its calendar of events for next year. The activities have been designed to aid Cordobese small- and medium-sized enterprises in their internationalization processes, and to help them start, consolidate or strengthen their export potential.
FIND THE FULL CALENDAR HERE (ONLY IN SPANISH)
The more than 100 activities that have been planned for this year include international fairs and exhibitions, sectoral and multi-sectoral trade missions, inward missions and business rounds, visits to foreign events, and training sessions. The big news this time around is that many of the activities have been designed to adapt to the pandemic-derived reality. 2020 brought about unexpected challenges, but at the same time opened the door to a wealth of possibilities through virtual tools. The 2021 calendar has been prepared capitalizing on the learnings and achievements from this years' special circumstances.
ProCórdoba Agency's President Jorge Marcotegui explained, "We have taken into account the uncertainty associated with the particular context we will work in at least during the first half of 2021. However, we are betting on a strong calendar and counting on a certain degree of normality for on-site events. There's every likelihood that the virtual events have come to stay, and we want to carry out trade promotion activities in whatever manner is more suitable for SMEs, being as flexible as the context requires."
He also added, "Our objective is to support the internationalization process of each company in the province in order to expand the export basis and get Córdoba to export more, as minister Accastello always says. 2021 will be the year when ProCórdoba turns 20. It will be two decades along which we have sought to rise to challenges with innovative solutions. We focus on understanding the needs of each company so that our services are consistent with them. We will keep up our hard work on the business intelligence programs, as well as on trade promotion and international relations services.
ProCórdoba Agency, which operates under the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Mining of the Province of Córdoba, works to enable and boost foreign trade in order to consolidate the internationalization of Cordobese small- and medium-sized enterprises and widen their economic opportunities. The Agency prioritizes the diversification and added value of exports. Activities are divided among the different teams of the institution, so that different professionals can focus on their areas of expertise and carry out effective work.
Luis Gilli, from the Trade Promotion Department, said, "The 2021 calendar of fairs and missions comprises more than 100 on-site and virtual national and international events, including outward and inward trade missions and business rounds. Although there's a strong focus on South and Central America, the calendar includes events with countries from all continents, such as the US and Canada; South Africa, Mozambique and Ethiopia; Spain, Italy or France; China; and the United Arab Emirates."
ProCórdoba serves over 20 exporting productive sectors and half of them work with the Business Intelligence Program run by the Technical & Commercial Information Department. During the last few years, it has innovatively and successfully supported companies and the entire Agency. Technical & Commercial Information Manager Ezequiel Lijtinstens said, "With the support of the Business Intelligence Program, there were 14 companies that achieved their first export in 2020. Next year, we will focus on the oil, gas and mining sector, and we will do our best effort to keep connecting Córdoba's offer with global demands."
For her part, Cooperation and International Relations Manager Viviana Arias added, "Among other things, we will strengthen the public procurement service through training sessions, advisory and business rounds. We will also deepen our analyses of international trends and will intensify cooperation efforts through a network of relations with foreign organizations."
A Balance of 2020
ProCórdoba Agency finishes a challenging year. The pandemic brought new needs to meet and problems to overcome. However, the Agency's services introduced innovations and reinvented their activities successfully. For instance, a directory was launched solely for products, services and solutions to address the health crisis, in order to strengthen domestic trade. A survey conducted among companies provided deep insights into the needs faced in the new context by Córdoba entrepreneurs. When the events calendar was put on hold, a new agenda of virtual events was prepared. When face-to-face meetings with international operators ceased to be possible, the Agency designed its own method for business rounds in which there participated companies from the priority food and services sectors, as well as firms from the metalworking industries (agricultural machinery, oil and gas). On the other hand, we strengthened the International Public Procurement program, as a result of the increase in procurement by states and organizations in the current situation. During the second half of the year, there were over 30 international events with 132 participant firms, we provided technical assistance to 332 companies and we contacted more than 100 foreign operators to inform them about our firms' offer. The Export Promotion Agency of the Province of Córdoba thus ends the year on a high note.
FIND THE FULL CALENDAR HERE (ONLY IN SPANISH)
