Posted April 10, 200817 yr Cleveland announces trade deal with Costa Rica Posted by Gabriel Baird April 10, 2008 16:41PM Categories: Breaking News, Business Impact A dozen Costa Rican companies will distribute their U.S. exports through Cleveland under a new trade deal announced Thursday by Mayor Frank Jackson. The Central American nation also will open a Midwest trade headquarters in Cleveland with the goal of eventually moving 25 percent of its U.S. exports through Ohio, Jackson said. http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2008/04/cleveland_announces_trade_deal.html
April 11, 200817 yr Can someone explain this to me, is it completely out of left field? It seems very unusual.
April 11, 200817 yr I'm a bit confused as well. There are a A LOT of details missing from this story explaining how this is more efficient and effective for these Costa Rican companies than going through the South or the East Coast. That being said, it sounds likes good news. Sounds like we were proactive and landed a pretty good opportunity. You would have to think that there would be a fairly large warehousing/crossdocking operation built/set-up here to accomodate this. I hope the PD comes through with some more details, but I'm not holding my breath.
April 11, 200817 yr It's only distributing, and not actual importing (not yet, anyway.) I would imagine that Cleveland makes a better distribution center because it does relatively little now, so it's less crowded and less expensive (which the article alludes to.)
April 11, 200817 yr I was pretty unimpressed with Costa Rica being a big exporter until I did a quick read-up on their economy. Lots of software and technology companies have moved or expanded their operations in Costa Rica. While pineapples and coffee are nice, it's the tech stuff that's got me intrigued. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
April 11, 200817 yr Here's the full story: City, Costa Rica enter trade deal Friday, April 11, 2008 Gabriel Baird Plain Dealer Reporter Article Removed
April 11, 200817 yr A statement from the city reports that Costa Rica exported $9.5 billion in goods to the U.S. last year, with $4 million coming through Miami's crowded port. Why are they even mentioning Miami? I'm sure Houston is in the BILLIONS of dollars.
April 11, 200817 yr A statement from the city reports that Costa Rica exported $9.5 billion in goods to the U.S. last year, with $4 million coming through Miami's crowded port. Why are they even mentioning Miami? I'm sure Houston is in the BILLIONS of dollars. That has to be a typo... Could it have meant $4 billion instead??
April 12, 200817 yr well remember the $3.8B is just the total imports value. it doesn't all come into the usa thru one place. still, it's great to hear as it means the cleve will be the main port of entry or distribution center. that is very good news for both pr purposes and as far as some jobs for handling the costa rican goods.
April 20, 200817 yr More follow-up news: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Costa Rica deal spurs a desire for more Sunday, April 20, 2008 Tom Breckenridge Plain Dealer Reporter When the world went flat, Cleveland got flattened. And that's a big reason Mayor Frank Jackson found himself in Costa Rica 12 days ago, firming up a trade deal with President Oscar Arias Sanchez. The Cleveland that Jackson presides over has suffered in the global economy, one that New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman has famously described as "flat" -- a level playing field for industries of all kinds, including the brawny ones that once fortified Greater Cleveland but have since left. http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1208593978262640.xml&coll=2&thispage=3
April 20, 200817 yr Good. Panama, Costa Rica, Mexico. Now maybe with airport expansion we can have trade and shipping coming in. It's about time we started getting with the latino busines community and we should also make good with the Asian communities.
April 20, 200817 yr I'm glad that Cleveland is expanding it's .. globalness. If that's a word. I think it's such a key for any city to expand beyond where it is. Cities and businesses need to think on a global scale. Anything less is too limited, in my opinion. At least, if the city wants to expand its economy. What I'm wondering is, how will Cleveland benefit on the trade side of things? What types of products will Cleveland be providing the Costa Ricans?
April 20, 200817 yr Why, pierogis and beer, of course! ;) "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
November 17, 200816 yr <a href="http://www.newsnet5.com/money/17999893/detail.html">Costa Rican Businesses Check Out Cleveland</a> POSTED: 2:37 pm EST November 17, 2008 UPDATED: 2:53 pm EST November 17, 2008 CLEVELAND -- In Cleveland, snowfall and icy breezes have greeted a business delegation from tropical Costa Rica. The Central American nation is exploring how it might use the port of Cleveland as an entryway for selling its products throughout the U.S. Midwest. Cargo would arrive in Cleveland via the St. Lawrence Seaway. The delegation visiting Cleveland this week was to meet Monday with Mayor Frank Jackson, who traveled to Costa Rica early this year to start negotiations. The group includes Costa Rican businesses selling coffee, cereals, tropical fruits, teas, spices, canned beans, vegetables and other products.
November 17, 200816 yr It sounds like this was a lead from George Delgado of the Cleveland Foundation (see upthread).
August 28, 201212 yr Looking at this agreement 4 years later, has anything materialized from it? Did the Costa Rican government ever open their 'midwest trade center' here?
September 29, 20204 yr Revisiting this topic now---12 years since announcement--did anything materialize. Did CLE-costa rica trade increase?
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