Will Frilly Sell in Chile?
A Vernon-based maker of lingerie is counting on it. Shirley of Hollywood is one of eight small, local companies sending representatives to South America this weekend as part of a weeklong trade mission to drum up foreign sales.
The trip will take the firms to the capitals of Chile, Argentina and Uruguay, where they’ll meet with potential buyers and trading partners, as well as U.S. government trade officials in those countries.
“We’re looking for distributors,” said Leticia Navarro, who is in charge of Latin American sales for Shirley of Hollywood. “We want to sell all over the world.”
The mission, organized by LA Trade, the regional export program administered by the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, is part of the group’s efforts to boost exporting among small and minority-owned firms located in disadvantaged areas. While Shirley of Hollywood already does some exporting into Europe and Mexico, many small firms, particularly minority-owned companies, lack the resources to pursue foreign sales on their own, according to Sacramento-based trade consultant Greg Mignano, who advises LA Trade.
A recent Los Angeles Times poll showed that L.A. County’s black and Latino small-business owners lag their Asian and white counterparts in exporting goods and services.
Indeed, Navarro says her company views international sales as the key to keeping its 150 manufacturing jobs in Vernon. While many competitors have shifted their production offshore, Navarro says she’s counting on the “Made in U.S.A.” label to open doors in foreign markets.
Other firms participating in the trade mission include: Act/Coleman, a Paramount-based manufacturer and distributor of wheel-making equipment; AlphaLead Technology Inc., a Santa Fe Springs-based distributor of computer products; Delta Vehicle Security, a Sun Valley-based vehicle alarm systems manufacturer; Henderson, Goldberg & Clarke, a San Diego-based commercial credit services company; Modulex Inc., a Compton-based maker of window and door frames; TransGlobal Services, an Irvine-based distributor of law enforcement and private security products; and Waljan Products Inc., a Santa Ana-based manufacturer of cleaners and degreasers for the food industry.
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Lee Romney can be reached by e-mail at lee.romney@latimes.com; Marla Dickerson is at marla.dickerson@latimes.com.
