Hong Kong's Ricky Wong of Universal Plastic (right) and Japan's Miyoji Nakai of Grit (centre) made the right connection fast, and developed a solid relationship through HKTDC Business Matching.

Grit Co Ltd, an importer and trading company based in Tokyo, sources products ranging from auto accessories to aluminium alloy doors for elevators. When searching for Hong Kong companies with production facilities in the Chinese mainland, it frequently uses the Business Matching service of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC). Recently, Grit turned to the HKTDC looking for a supplier of protective steering wheel covers for automotive repair work.

HKTDC Business Matching specialists screened more than a hundred companies, looking for candidates that could best meet Grit’s requirements for performance, product quality, delivery and lot size, among other criteria. The HKTDC whittled the list down to three promising matches and put them in contact with Grit. Within three months of its initial HKTDC inquiry, Grit had concluded a contract with a new Original Equipment Manufacturer partner.

“Finding an inexpensive yet dependable offshore partner for low-margin, labour-intensive products is normally next to impossible,” said Grit Executive Director Miyoji Nakai, an international trade professional with 25 years experience in the business.

“But by using the HKTDC Business Matching service, we can hook up and develop a solid relationship with a quality company. Since the HKTDC specialists handle all the advance arrangements and introduce us to interested companies, one call is all it takes to set up interviews with prospective partners. In international business, speed is the game, and a quick and easy service like this is just the ticket.”

HKTDC Business Matching helps local and overseas companies look for potential partners for business development. For more information, email businessmatching@hktdc.org. You can also call (852) 1830 668, or the Hong Kong Trade Development Council office near you. For more information, click here.

Rewritten from Nikkei Business, Japan, 18 September 2006