Printable
ShareThe debut of Port Lansing's website, www.portlansing.com means that regional businesses seeking to expand into global markets now have a powerful portal to the international marketplace.
"This new international website was developed by the Capital Region Airport Authority to further advance the development and coordination of international business in Michigan, through the Capital Region International Airport," said Robert Selig, Executive Director of the Capital Region Airport Authority.
"The Port Lansing website is one of the most dynamic, content rich web sites of its kind anywhere in the country," said Brent Case, Director, Foreign Trade Zone/International Market Development at the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce. "An organization entering or expanding its global presence can learn everything from the very basics about Foreign Trade Zones, to a comprehensive list of service providers who can help facilitate their international program."
Case noted that www.portlansing.com was intentionally designed to educate newcomers to international markets and at the same time meet the needs of organizations that desire more advanced services to grow their global market share. An online savings calculator is included for organizations that want to explore utilizing the Foreign Trade Zone at Port Lansing. The calculator takes general inputs to roughly estimate if using the Foreign Trade Zone makes financial sense for their business. The website also includes a comprehensive on-line directory with information about a variety of service providers available through Port Lansing.
"We strongly encourage service providers in the logistics industry to contact us about getting listed in the Port Lansing Directory," said Case. "The website offers the capability for an organization to create their own listing in the directory."
Port Lansing is mid-Michigan's only U.S. Port of Entry that allows for goods and passengers to clear customs through the U.S. Customs & Border Protection. What this means for the public and business community is these significant functions can be performed locally without having to travel to congested metro hubs like Detroit and Chicago. International travel, importing and exporting can now be done with businesses, customs brokers, freight forwarders, and logistics coordinators, located here in the Greater Lansing region - supporting companies and jobs here in our area. A fully operational U.S. Customs & Border Protection Federal Inspection Station (FIS) is available to allow for processing of international general aviation, corporate aviation and air freight.
"For over 25 years, Plas-Labs has manufactured and exported isolation and containment life science research equipment to over 100 distributors worldwide," said Patrick Regan, Plas-Labs Vice President Sales and Marketing. "Having Port Lansing within 4 miles of our manufacturing facility allows us to provide faster lead times and lower exporting costs to our international customers and distributors. Port Lansing is wonderful marketing tool for us to promote international business for Plas-Labs and the mid-Michigan economy."
Port Lansing offers many site benefits as a port of entry including a central location with convenient, interstate access to major highways and easy access to Michigan east and west coast cities as well as northern Indiana and Canada. Capital Region International Airport is located on a primary NAFTA trade agreement corridor connecting Canada and Mexico. A CSX mainline railroad runs adjacent to the airport commerce park. Lansing's Capital Region International Airport has the longest runway outside of Detroit Metro and Grand Rapids with the ability to develop additional runways as necessary
The development of Port Lansing and the Foreign Trade Zone are expected to create significant economic activity in the mid-Michigan region over the next few years. The international facilities should result in significant investment and jobs in warehousing, distribution, logistics and advanced manufacturing industries.
Capital Region Airport Authority and the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce have partnered to help promote Port Lansing and develop a cluster of international businesses and logistics service providers around the Port.
