The RV Industry Association recently invited personnel from the Department of Commerce (DOC) to visit with members in Elkhart, Ind., to discuss opportunities to expand their companies and investments into Japan, Korea and China.
As an effort supported by the Market Development Cooperator Program (MDCP), a program designation that RVIA was awarded for the first time in 2012, officials from the International Trade Administration, DOC Indiana Office, and Foreign Commercial Services from the U.S. embassies and consulates in China, Korea and Japan have visited Elkhart each year since the association received the designation.
The MDCP allows RVIA to have a team of DOC officials in D.C., Indiana, China, Korea and Japan dedicated to the association’s efforts whether it is expansion into Asian markets, working within the standards and regulatory processes with governments, market research on local conditions or education to foreign officials about the American RV market.
With these goals in mind, RVIA Director of Asia Affairs Edward Han, DOC Director for the Indiana region Mark Cooper, International Trade Specialist for the Office of Consumer Goods Charlie Rast and Commercial Assistant for DOC Japan Yu Ohashi met with members at Forest River, InTech, Phoenix RV, Chinook RV, Dexter Global and KZ RV.
The purpose of the visit was to better understand members’ businesses and export initiatives and to explain services and resources available from the DOC, its offices in Indiana and around the world. The visits also allowed the DOC and association staff to update members on current market situations in China, Korea and Japan, as well as other markets in the world.
From initial market research to in-country business visits through Gold Key Service to services provided by professionals vetted by the embassies and consulates, RVIA members will have what they need at their disposal to expand into overseas markets.
This year, Yu Ohashi from Commercial Service in Osaka, Japan, was able to attend the meetings for the first time, where he shared his research and analysis with the hosts. The recreation market for RVs has been on a steady growth in Japan in recent years. This is in addition to the disaster relief market the association focused on in the year’s past. Ohashi participated in multiple plant tours of the smaller motorhomes and towables which appeal to Japanese buyers and will share information with prospective dealers and importers in Japan.
It was a productive meeting for all parties in Elkhart as DOC officials appreciated the candid discussions they had with members in regards to their plans for expansion and the challenges that currently exist to better help them understand the industry as a whole and aide in providing better services in the future.
As the markets grow in Asia, especially in China, Korea and Japan, RVIA will continue to work with the Department of Commerce to promote U.S. RV standards and U.S. RV exports to these countries.
For more information about the opportunities that exist in the Asian market, members may contact Han at ehan@rvia.org.