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Growing International Business

When it comes to the challenges of the global marketplace, Greater Omaha is providing the answers. Working together, the City of Omaha and the Chamber’s International Target Advisory Group are leaving the light on for business around the world seeking a home.

Marisa Ring, the Greater Omaha Chamber’s manager of international business development, leads the effort to build a relationship infrastructure among more than 350 foreign-owned companies in Nebraska with more than 19,000 employees, government agencies and the business culture to support international trade.

In September 2008, the Greater Omaha Economic Development Partnership, the Chamber’s economic development program, joined with Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman for the Reverse Trade Mission, which brought 140 guests from 10 countries to the area for four days.

Ring visited Asia in April 2009 for a series of follow-up meetings to link businesses specializing in renewable energy, transportation and logistics, among other industries, with potential options in Omaha.

“We wanted to continue the conversations from the Reverse Trade Mission and build on those relationships, both to keep the business we have as well as attract new international business to Greater Omaha,” added Ring. “Building that trust is enormously important both to improve our existing ties and laying the groundwork for new ones.”

Also in September 2008, Nebraska Secretary of State John Gale and the Greater Omaha Chamber co-hosted “Nebraska: America’s International Heartland.”

Ring visited Europe in October 2008, making a point to connect with companies at a trade show in Munich, Germany, and explored economic development opportunities in Naas, Ireland, as part of the sister city relationship Omaha enjoys with them.

In November 2008, the Greater Omaha Chamber, the Greater Omaha Alliance for Business Ethics, Creighton University, Gallup and the Latino Center of the Midlands hosted former Mexican president Vicente Fox for a discussion on the U.S.-Mexico relationship and business opportunities between the two countries.

Omaha’s Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) No. 19, opened in 2006, continues to do booming business.

The FTZ subzone operations allow a waiver of import and export duties and tariffs that gives Greater Omaha a competitive advantage. Companies such as Syngenta can keep packaging operations in the U.S. rather than shipping those jobs overseas. Syngenta also took advantage of the subzone tariff savings (more than $25,000) to invest $2 million in production of its new Axial® herbicide for its Omaha plant.

“Without the existence of Omaha’s FTZ subzone,” explained Ring, “the company may have decided to produce their new herbicide at one of Syngenta’s Canadian locations. Instead, we kept those jobs here, and increased the trade opportunities for one of our local companies.”

Working as a team, Greater Omaha, Ring, and the Chamber’s International Target Advisory Group are showing that when it comes to global trade and business, the area is a cutting-edge consumer and a forward-thinking provider of worldwide goods and services.

Developing a Pheomenon

The city of Omaha is flush with dynamic and innovative entrepreneurial energy at the Omaha headquarters of Phenomblue, a nationally-recognized, multi-platform interactive development company.

Phenomblue’s constantly growing team of artists and software developers work with some of the biggest names in the advertising, marketing and corporate worlds. Projects range from high-profile, high-end Web properties to interactive exhibits and video games.

“We did all the interactive work for Gatorade’s G2 brand last year. G2 was voted one of the ‘Top 10 Brands of 2008’ in Ad Age magazine. That was almost 99 percent ‘ours’ from an interactive standpoint. We built an interactive lounge for the Super Bowl launch of that brand, which was a big reason why it won the award,” said Joe Olsen, Phenomblue’s co-founder and CEO.

In addition to Gatorade maker PepsiCo, Phenomblue’s impressive list of clients includes giants like Quaker, Frito-Lay and Samsung.

“We built Samsung’s mobile phones in 3D on their Web site so people can interact with them.” He added, “Most of our work is in the new technology and new brand space.”

Olsen said while 90 percent of the company’s workload comes from its advertising and marketing clients, the other 10 percent is direct business, non-advertising projects, including proof of concept work for companies like Microsoft.

The software titan enlists Phenomblue to “test drive” and give pre-release feedback on various Microsoft products, including the new "Surface,” a 30-inch tabletop display that allows users to grab and move digital content with their hands.

“We work really closely with Microsoft to push the boundaries with that technology,” said Olsen.

Launched in 2004, Olsen ties Phenomblue’s dramatic success to its talented cast of employees, with a relentless work ethic and a work environment that fosters their creativity, expression and growth. He said the company’s Omaha location is fertile ground for young entrepreneurs.

“The city is working hard to build a lot of support using the Chamber and other resources,” said Olsen. “We‘re continually getting more technology businesses here, which is great. It‘s fun to be part of a growing entrepreneurial city.”