Slade Inc., a manufacturer of high tech valve and pump packing has made its first sale into the Chines market.  This new-to-market sale is the result of a Gold Key Matching service organized in February 2005 by Commercial Service (CS) offices in Charlotte and Singapore.  In November 2004, Greg Raty, Vice President of Slade, approached Greg Sizemore, CS Charlotte, for assistance in setting up a series of Gold Keys in Asia.  Commercial Specialist Luanne Theseira, and Commercial Assistant, Jayacely Joseph of CS Singapore, provided pre-Gold Key assessments and organized the one-on-one meetings between Slade and potential distributors in Singapore.  Prior to Raty's departure for Asia, CS Charlotee provided him with cultural tips to use during these Gold Key meetings and the Doing Business section of each country's Country Commercial Guide.

In a December 2005, follow-up conversation with Sizemore, Mr. Raty informed Sizemore that ZC Industries, one of the contacts gained during the above described Singaporean Gold Key purchased Slade products through ZC Industries' Shanghai office for distribution throughout China.  Presently, Slade and ZC Industries have established distribution and purchased products in China, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia.  Also, a Slade Shanghai Office is also about to be opened in the summer of 2007 in order to better serve the Asian market.

Mr. Raty had informed CommSpec. Theseira, from CS Singapore about this match in an earlier email and periodically updates her on Slade's progress in the region, through their Singapore distributor, ZC Industries.  He and Mr. Rene Dussaq, Slade's International Sales Manager were very very pleased with the high level of service and quality contacts provided by CS Singapore and recently wrote, "We were talking about you and the service of your office this morning to a group of 30 folks.  Singapore is always an example we use to explain 'how it is done to assure success'.  Keep up the good work."

Slade has worked closely with the CS since 1995.  Since 1995, Sizemore has provided them initial market selection guidance and started off their first probes into overseas markets with Gold Keys.  Since 1995, Slade has regularly tapped into the Gold Key Service and per the advice and referral of Sizemore, Export-Import Bank's Export Credit Insurance Program, to increase export sales to over 60% of total sales in more than 46 countries.