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RR RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHROV
DE RUEHLB #0316/01 0601536
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R 291536Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY BEIRUT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1161
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
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