American businesses are expanding their networks to include Central American countries as additional markets for their goods and services. With assistance from the Commerce Department’s Foreign Commercial Service, two U.S. companies are establishing new global export markets within Costa Rica.

 

The first company, Groomer’s GOOP Division of Critzas Industries, a Missouri-based industrial products company, selected a Costa Rican company called Importadora Quigo to represent and distribute their product. The company then created a formal distribution channel with Costa Rica starting in February of 2015. Critzas Industries reported their initial sale of $5,000 in exports, with much room for growth in the Costa Rican market. Billy Schleifstein, GOOP’s Vice President, reports that the entire chain order for Quigo increased to approximately $16,000, and looks forward to further business growth.

 

Similarly, Second Frontiers, a global technology consulting firm, has established U.S. exports in over 20 countries, one of which is Costa Rica. Again, with the help of the commercial service, Second Frontiers provided support, delivery, and an excellent partnership with Costa Rica resulting in $15,153 in sales since August 2014. As a result of this spike in export sales, Second Frontiers is exploring the option of hiring additional staff as well as an additional distribution center to handle warehousing.

 

In both of these cases, the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) was instrumental to these companies in doing business with Central American countries including Costa Rica. Groomer’s GOOP, Second Frontiers, and a wide variety of other companies and distributors can continue to grow if further trade agreements are advanced. Through new trade agreements, the United States will ensure American companies can compete on a level playing field in the world’s fastest growing markets. These agreements will also strengthen the competitiveness of our workforce by holding our trading partners accountable to high standards for labor and environment.