Exporting pays off - Intermark Group shows other firms the ins and outs of the export business - company profile

Business America, May 6, 1991

Exporters comprise about half the clients of a Southern California company that teaches other firms how to improve their sales effectiveness. The company will do as much, or as little, as a client desires-from identifying promising overseas markets to operating its international sales network to obtaining license approvals from foreign governments. We select our export success stories, not because we endorse any particular firm or its business plan and activities, but because we believe their experiences will instruct other companies to improve their export performance. We welcome your export success story. Write or call us: Business America, Room 3414, U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington, D.C. 20230; (202) 377-3251.

The INTERMARK Group of Rolling Hills, Calif., does not export-it shows other firms how to do it.

James C. McKay, who had been the chairman of Intertek, provider of quality control services, developed the concept of a business services company that would help its clients maximize their sales effectiveness both in the United States and in international markets. He established INTERMARK five years ago and is its chairman. Today, about half of INTERMARK's clients are U.S. firms who want to expand their exports. INTERMARK has 50 employees and maintains offices in several countries.

McKay explains, "A client comes to us and says, 'Hey, what countries should we go out and sell to?' We do market research and help him identify his best overseas markets. We deal with every type of product, service, and technology. "

INTERMARK locates foreign sales agents for its clients. If desired by the client, it negotiates terms with the agent, then monitors their performance; if an agent does not work out, it finds a replacement. The firm secures joint venture partners; handles procurement; arranges for technology transfer; and trains foreign sales people, who are always nationals of the country. It sets up marketing procedures; arranges for product literature in the language of the country; and obtains local license approvals from foreign governments.

INTERMARK will perform as many-or as few-of these functions as a client wishes. "We give individual treatment-customized service," McKay said. "We offer a full range of services. We arrange to get the job done, whatever the job a client wants accomplished. "

INTERMARK's clients looking for assistance in international marketing range from small firms that want to begin exporting to large corporations already involved in international business that want to do better. "We tell them we can substantially reduce their costs, problems, and uncertainties," McKay said.

One of INTERMARK's clients is Ramtron international Corporation of Colorado Springs, Colo., a newcomer to exporting. Ramtron retained the services of INTERMARK to assist with the marketing of its memory chip technology and to establish strategic manufacturing partners in this country and overseas. INTERMARK, working with the U.S. Department of Commerce, helped set up a multi-million dollar co-development and licensing agreement between Ramtron and ITT Semiconductors in Germany. The agreement led to additional codevelopment and licensing agreements with Seico Epson and NMB Semiconductors Ltd. of Japan.

In guiding its exporting clients, INTERMARK works closely with trade specialists at the Los Angeles District Office of the Commerce Department's International Trade Administration.