LEBANON: COMMERCIAL SUCCESS STORIES

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIRUT 000316 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR DWINSTEAD AND SKLEINER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: BEXP ETRD ECON EINV FIN LE SUBJECT: LEBANON: COMMERCIAL SUCCESS STORIES REF: STATE 013169 Despite the political and security instability in Lebanon, Embassy Beirut reported six commercial success stories for the period August 2007 through January 2008. Below is a summary of these success stories. ¶1. Date: December 28, 2007 Post: Beirut Action Officer: Naaman Tayyar, Senior Commercial Specialist Country: Lebanon Company: Fisher Labs Inc. Company Headquarters (state, zip code): North Haven, CT 06473 Issue/project: Agency Agreement between the U.S. firm Fisher Labs Inc. and the Lebanese firm Prosec S.A.L., with expected first year sales of $70,000. Specific Actions Taken: Embassy commercial section counseled Fisher Labs on investment opportunities in Lebanon and provided a list of Lebanese security companies, including Prosec S.A.L, that can be potential representatives for Fisher Labs in Lebanon. Consequently, Fisher Labs initiated contact with Prosec. Following several follow-ups between Fisher Labs, Prosec and Embassy Beirut, the two companies signed an agency agreement and Prosec ordered one portable walk through metal detector from Fisher Labs for efficiency tests by the Lebanese security agencies. Prosec expects more orders to follow if the walk through metal detector meets the Lebanese security agencies' needs. ¶2. Date: December 12, 2007 Post: Beirut Action Officer: Naaman Tayyar, Senior Commercial Specialist Country: Lebanon Company: NABCO Corporation Company Headquarters (state, zip code): Canonsburg, PA 15317 Issue/project: Agency Agreement between the U.S. firm NABCO Corporation and the Lebanese firm Professional Security with expected first year sales of $60,000. Specific Actions Taken: On October 19, 2007, NABCO Corporation requested a background check on the Lebanese firm Professional Security. NABCO needed Embassy's recommendation before signing an agency agreement with Professional Security to represent them in Lebanon. Action Officer conducted the background check on Professional Security and sent a detailed report, on December 12, 2007, recommending the company as a good recipient of U.S. sensitive products with excellent financial conditions and reputation in Lebanon. As a result of the background check, NABCO signed an agency agreement with Professional Security to represent them in Lebanon. ¶3. Date: December 5, 2007 Post: Beirut Action Officer: Naaman Tayyar, Senior Commercial Specialist Country: Lebanon Company: L-3 Communications Company Headquarters (state, zip code): San Juan, PR 00920 Issue/project: Agency Agreement between the U.S. firm L-3 Communications and the Lebanese firm Prosec S.A.L., resulting in an immediate sale of $4,000 for L-3 Communications, with expected first year sales of $50,000. Specific Actions Taken: Embassy commercial section counseled L-3 Communications on investment opportunities in Lebanon and provided a list of Lebanese security companies, including Prosec S.A.L, that can be potential representatives for L-3 Communications in Lebanon. Consequently, L-3 Communications initiated contact with Prosec. Following several emails between L-3 Communications, Prosec and Embassy Beirut, the two companies finalized an agency agreement on December 5, 2007. ¶4. Date: August 4, 2007 Post: Beirut Action Officer: Naaman Tayyar, Senior Commercial Specialist Country: Lebanon Company: Faviana International Company Headquarters (state, zip code): New York, NY 10018 Issue/project: Agency agreement between the U.S. firm Faviana International and the Lebanese firm Euromod, with expected first year sales of $15,000. Specific Actions Taken: On June 23, 2006, Senior Commercial Specialist Naaman Tayyar met with Mr. Omid Muradi, Vice President of Faviana International, a New York apparel manufacturer, and counseled him on export practices and trade opportunities in Lebanon. During the last quarter of 2006, Embassy Commercial Section distributed Faviana's brochures, which display evening dresses, to key players in Lebanon's apparel industry including the Lebanese firm Euromod. Consequently, Euromod contacted Faviana and negotiated an agency agreement. As a result, on August 4, 2007, Faviana International signed an agency agreement with the Lebanese company Euromod. ¶2. Date: August 18, 2007 BEIRUT 00000316 002 OF 002 Post: Beirut Action Officer: Naaman Tayyar, Senior Commercial Specialist Country: Lebanon Company: Omnia Audio Company Headquarters (state and zip code): Cleveland, OH 44114 Issue/project: Agency Agreement between the U.S. firm Omnia Audio and the Lebanese firm Ghanem Electronic Devices SAL, resulting in an immediate sale of $15,000. Specific Actions Taken: Embassy commercial section recruited a delegation of 10 Lebanese businessmen to attend the National Association for Broadcasters (NAB) show in Las Vegas on April 15-19, ¶2007. Mr. Jihad Ghanem of Ghanem Electronic Devices SAL, who is a member of the Lebanese delegation, met representatives from the U.S. firm Omnia Audio during the show and negotiated an agency agreement to represent them in Lebanon. On August 18, 2007, Ghanem Electronic Devices signed an agency agreement with Omnia Audio to represent them in Lebanon and placed orders worth USD 15,000 of electronic equipment. ¶6. Date: January 29, 2008 Post: Beirut Action Officer: Maya Barhouche, Commercial Assistant Country: Lebanon Company: Arizona, Alabama and Alaska Offices of Tourism Company Headquarters (state, zip code): Arizona, Alabama and Alaska. Issue/project: Media campaign to promote tourism to the United States. Specific Actions Taken: CS Lebanon has launched a media campaign to promote tourism to the United States. The centerpiece of the campaign is a series of articles profiling individual American States. In January 2007, Commercial Assistant Maya Barhouche, in coordination with the U.S. Commercial Service in Egypt, published three articles featuring the states of Arizona, Alabama and Alaska and placed them at www.naharnet.com, the online English portal for the Arabic AnNahar Newspaper in Lebanon. SISON