City Aims to Increase Trade Options for Local Companies

When more business is done by Murrieta-based companies, they can create more jobs and therefore pump more money into the local economy.

This is the reasoning behind the founding of an International Business Resources Center at City Hall. Companies like Nimbus Water Systems, which is already producing water purification products that are exported to more than 15 countries, say the center will be of huge benefit.

"To do business internationally when you haven't done it is very, very difficult," said Anthony Capone, president of Nimbus Water Systems, which has been based out of Murrieta for seven years.

"By having that center, it allows businessmen to see which countries are good to do business with," Capone said. "Every businessman wants to know if something is safe."

City Council unanimously approved the center earlier this month, which will have dedicated office space at City Hall. The center will house training and workshops for local business owners, including Export University, a program through California Inland Empire District Export Council (CIEDEC).

Councilman Rick Gibbs, who was appointed by the U.S. Department of Commerce to be a member of CIEDEC, said contrary to what many believe, the U.S. is still No. 1 in manufacturing in the world.

"It is still a huge power," Gibbs said. "You put that together with Obama's goal of doubling manufacturing in the country--there is no country that can compare."

Bringing it back to relate to the local economy, Gibbs said there are more then 3,000 manufacturers in Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

"So with this, we will be serving our local businesses. We'll find out how many are exporting and if they even know how to do it, or if they are too timid. What we are trying to do is encourage businesses to succeed and part of that is facilitating that training."

The center at City Hall will be made available to CIEDEC, the U.S. Department of Commerce, World Trade Center of Riverside and UC Riverside's School of Business.

"We'll be able to give (business owners) U.S. points of contact in foreign embassies and lead them to banks for funding," Gibbs said.

The City is working to help its companies in other ways, too.

Bruce Coleman, Murrieta's economic development director, said the City is applying to be a part of San Diego's foreign trade zone. According to Coleman, trade zones are an incentive from the government to encourage exporting. Companies within a foreign trade zone do not have to pay customs duties when they import components necessary to produce larger products.

"It will help our companies make a higher value product because the whole time they are making it, they are not paying those fees," Coleman said.

"The whole focus is to encourage our companies to grow and grow locally."

Nimbus Water Systems is one of the companies that is already benefiting from the City's efforts. Foreign delegations who have visited the City have been given tours of the company's 23-000-square-foot warehouse, located on McAlby Court.

"The City has brought us more international recognition than any other city we've been in," Capone said. "We've been in business for 42 years, and Murrieta has by far been the best in the support they give."

Delegations from Pakistan and Vietnam have visited the Murrieta factory that employs 30 people. The company is currently in negotiations with China to provide residential water purification systems.

With about 30 employees, Nimbus manufactures water purification devices--some which run on solar power--which are then sold to distributors. The company's devices are currently being used in Haiti, providing clean water for 500 orphans along with German doctors.

"The products we produce can be used in natural disasters," Capone said, which makes them of high interest to foreign countries.

"From an international standpoint, when something says 'Made in the U.S.,' it is huge.

"As far as this center goes, it is going to be hugely important."