NPES The Association for Suppliers of Printing, Publishing and Converting Technologies has been chosen by the Russian Printing Industry Association to develop and operate a Eurasia Sales and Service Center for Graphic Communications Technologies in Russia. The Russian association received a $164,600 grant for the project from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency as a part of its program to promote the use of U.S. technology, goods and services overseas. The goal of the project is to provide a convenient location for printers and distributors in Russia and neighboring Eurasian countries to see demonstrations of the latest U.S. technology and receive training and assistance with service and parts. The TDA's one-year contract with the Russian Association names NPES as the sole contractor to establish the Center in the Moscow area. NPES will be responsible for selecting and equipping the site; hiring a local manager; recruiting U.S. suppliers and Eurasian distributors to participate as Center partners, and organizing training seminars and demonstrations. Once established, the Center will conduct technical sales seminars; stage demonstrations to show the benefits of U.S. equipment in operation; provide after-sale training and technical assistance in proper product operation, maintenance and servicing; offer scheduled maintenance services and stock and supply basic spare parts. In addition to training and demonstrations at the Center, the project will organize and sponsor special seminars at printing trade shows in Ukraine, Uzbekistan and other countries. Distributors from Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and other Eurasian countries will be invited to attend seminars and demonstrations, along with their customers, and will also be invited to participate as partners in the Center and receive training on a regular and on-demand basis, as new U.S. equipment and products are introduced. "The Center represents an important new cooperative opportunity, both for U.S. suppliers to show their products to a large market, and for printers and distributors in the region to gain first-hand experience of the value of the latest technologies," said NPES International Trade Committee Chairman Don Ohlig, Managing Director of OLEC Corporation. "The new Center takes advantage of NPES experience in managing a training and demonstration center in Shanghai, China since 1997, and expands the Shanghai model by offering technical service for distributors and ther customers and a supply base for spare parts." TDA's funding of the project covers the project's set up and first year of operation, during which time it is expected to transition to self-sustaining operations using participation fees from U.S. suppliers and Eurasian distributors. The project will be under the direction of Boris Kuzmin, President of the Russian Association, and NPES Market Representative for the region Leonid Shakhmundes. For more information and details on how to participate, contact NPES Director of International Trade Michael Hurley at 703/264-7200 or e-mail [email protected].