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At the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC), our International Trade team helps North Carolina companies navigate the challenges that come up when doing business internationally.
Sometimes that support comes in the form of export assistance and advocacy. AMTAI Medical Equipment, Inc. – a Raleigh-based manufacturer of surgical tables and other medical equipment – needed help in this area to keep a big order from falling through.
The Challenge: Urgent Export Documentation Needed to Fulfill International Order
AMTAI was preparing to ship a large order of surgical tables to a customer in Vietnam, but needed document legalization. This process, which requires official stamps and approvals on documents, signifies to another country that the exporter is legitimate.
In this case, to complete the export to Vietnam, the company needed document authentication from the North Carolina Secretary of State’s Office.
Without the required certification, the shipment could not move forward. While the authentication process typically takes two weeks, AMTAI needed the documents processed much sooner to avoid delays to the order.
With approximately $500,000 in sales at stake, the company began searching for a solution.
The Solution: Export Advocacy and Coordination with State Partners
“We have handled document preparation for export for many years, whether for dealership authorization or the many other certifications required by the countries we work with,” said Alan Lee, vice president of AMTAI Medical Equipment. “Normally, we have enough time to move through the full process: notary, state and federal authentication, and finally embassy legalization. This time, however, we were short on time.
The Amtai surgical tables features a notably sturdy and low-profile base. The intelligent design of the table provides benefits such as remarkable C-arm access, self diagnosis with instant error code display, and the prevention of sectional conflict.
“With roughly $500,000 in orders at stake, it was worth every effort to see whether an expedited path was even possible,” Lee added. “Normally, state-level authentication does not offer expediting service. Not knowing who else to turn to, we reached out to the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina. The person responsible for our industry sector happened to be traveling. Fortunately, Ms. Jeri Barutis, Senior Manager of International Trade, stepped in – even though our sector is not her responsibility. She went out of her way to help, making calls and coordinating with others to make it possible to expedite the state-level authentication process. The rest of the process remains challenging – traveling to Washington, D.C., visiting the Department of State and the embassy, and waiting on timelines that are largely out of our control. But thanks to the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, and especially Ms. Barutis, we are off to a strong start. I can only hope that the remaining steps will be met with the same level of professionalism and kindness.”
EDPNC called and coordinated meetings with officials from the North Carolina Secretary of State’s office to identify a path forward. Through those efforts, AMTAI connected with the appropriate staff and was guided through the expedited document authentication process.
As a result, the company was able to obtain the certifications required to move the export shipment forward.
The Impact: Supporting International Sales and Customer Relationships
By helping the company navigate a time-sensitive export requirement, EDPNC assisted AMTAI in keeping a major international order on track and maintaining its relationship with an overseas customer.
The effort also demonstrates how export success often depends on more than identifying new markets. Companies must also navigate documentation requirements, certifications, and regulatory processes that can vary from country to country.
Why Export Advocacy Matters for North Carolina Companies
International trade can present unexpected challenges, even for experienced exporters.
EDPNC’s International Trade team works with companies across North Carolina to provide export assistance, connect businesses with resources, and help resolve issues that could impact international sales. For companies like AMTAI, that support can help ensure that export opportunities become sales that strengthen North Carolina’s presence in global markets.
Do you need help exporting from North Carolina? Whether you need assistance with document legalization or planning your go-to-market strategy, the EDPNC international trade team is ready to support you.
