The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1916-02-02
Bureau to Report on Foreign Credits.

Inc WOrk OIL winning foreign mar
kets for more American goods re
ceives decided impetus in the Ameri
can Express company's announcement
Of its new service department for
American manufacturers seeking for
eign trade-plans for which have been
in process for nearly year.
According to Pres. George C. Tay'
lOr, of the American Express company
this department has been organized to
help American manufacturers get their
goods into foreign markets-by max.
ing use of the chain of exclusive Of
fees OF that corporation in Europe,
South America and the far east. The
services offered by this foreign trade
information bureau includes confiden.
tial reports on the business standing
of foreign houses and specific, trade
Investigations of competition. ruling
prices, credit terms and local condi.
tions that may affect the sale Of any
American product, as we'll as the buy.
ing of foreign samples in overseas mar
kets for inspection and study by home
manufacturers. Still another nova.
ton is found in the use of an intro.
ductory service at the foreign branch.
es of this company, to insure interest
ed consideration for American products
from foreign importers.
In the months of our investigation
with this work" says Mr.. Taylor, I've
found two classes of American manu-.
facturers. First were the limited mum.
Der Of concerns with an established
foreign business and their own travel
Der of American manufacturers who
wanted foreign business. but were un-
able or unwilling to go directly after
it. They needed assistance of defin-
lite sort, and they appealed to our for
eign organization for help, such as Sc
curing foreign credit reports, display
ing American catalogues. preparing
lists of forein importers, collection of
accounts, trade mark registration, etc.
lin particular, they emphasized the I'M
portance Of. an established chain Of Of
fees, keenly interested in the devel-
opment of American trade.
"This service is intended to supple
ment in a specific fashion the splendid
work of the bureau of foreign and do
nestle commerce, by taking up for
eign trade promotion at the point
where the limitations of the govern
ment service come into play. For in
stance, the regulations of the Ameri-
can consular service prohibit our con-
sular officers from furnishing credit
information -0n foreign concerns, col
lecting accounts, etc. On the other
hand, the American Express company
has practically mo service limitation
in the foreign field. except that it can
not sell goods on commission or any
other basis.
s'The development OF this specific
foreign trade service is an outgrowth
of our financial, freight and travel traf-
fic in the foreign field. If we can pi0-
neer the way for more American man
ufacturers into foreign trade fields: If
the presence of our own organization
in foreign countries can be made of
additional material assistance to Amer
ican business-thst opportunity for
trade promotion will never be neglect
ed. Our foreign Offices can help make
connections. but the selling OF Ameri.
can goods and the control over foreign
connections must always remain in the
hands of the American manufacturer
himself"