Montréal, March 3, 2015 – On Friday, the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal and its team of international trade experts, the World Trade Centre Montréal, concluded a trade mission to Japan. As guests of the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, four companies from the city’s clean tech sector and the Écotech Québec cluster took part in the 2015 Kansai-Canada Greentech Forum. This event gave them the chance to showcase their expertise to potential partners. The next stop on the trade mission was Tokyo for the World Smart Energy Week 2015, an internationally renowned trade show. This mission was made possible thanks to the considerable support of the General Delegation of Quebec in Tokyo, who facilitated the collaboration between the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal and the Osaka Chamber of Commerce.
“We were particularly pleased with this invitation from the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which is the direct result of our efforts during our last trade mission to Japan in January 2014,” said Michel Leblanc, President and CEO of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal. “The relationships established between our two boards of trade are generating concrete benefits for the city’s businesses. There is booming demand for green technology in Japan, and local companies enjoyed a unique opportunity to demonstrate their savoir-faire.”
“Japan’s potential is underexploited by local businesses,” Michel Leblanc said. “It is the third largest economy in the world, but only the seventh destination for Quebec exports. Clean tech is a promising sector to break into the market, because Japan is one of the planet’s main investors in renewable energy, with investments of over US$28 billion in 2013. It is also a market that prefers quality and innovation over price, which puts our SMEs in a good position.”
“Japan is indeed an important market, particularly for companies that specialize in green energy production,” said Denis Leclerc, President and CEO of Écotech Québec. “Participating companies were delighted with the quality of discussions and meetings organized with the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry. We are confident that the contacts made last week will generate concrete benefits for companies in the coming months, and we are grateful to the Board of Trade for organizing this trade mission.”
About the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal has over 7,000 members. Its mission is to be the voice of Montréal’s business community and to promote the city’s prosperity. It is involved in key areas of economic development, advocating a philosophy of action based on engagement, credibility, proactivity, collaboration and innovation. The Board of Trade also offers a range of specialized services to individuals and to business of all sizes to support them in their growth at home and abroad.
About the World Trade Centre Montréal
With the help of its World Trade Montréal experts, the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal offers international trade services to the extended business community, with the support of Canada Economic Development.
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Source:
Michelle LLambias Meunier
Advisor, Media Relations
Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
Tel.: 514 871-4000, ext. 4042
mllambias@ccmm.qc.ca
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