A trade mission to Vietnam in 2019 is now paying off for Columbiana County and the Columbiana County Port Authority as officials prepare to welcome a Vietnam delegation to the port’s Global Investment Hub in Leetonia next week.

CCPA will host a luncheon for the visitors Monday to show off the Global Investment Hub and take them on a trip south to tour the intermodal facility in Wellsville.

CCPA Executive Director/CEO Penny Traina described the upcoming visit as a once in a lifetime opportunity. She said she couldn’t have perceived five years ago when she and county Commissioner Mike Halleck traveled to Thailand and Vietnam on a trade mission that the CCPA would end up opening the Global Investment Hub and have the chance to invite a Vietnam delegation to see what’s been built here.

“I just think it’s a great opportunity not only for the valley but for us here. We’re looking forward to it,” she said.

Traina announced the plans during Monday’s meeting of the CCPA board, with 11 delegates expected. She said the most amazing part of this is “to show off our assets here in Columbiana County. I’m really excited that we have that opportunity.”

“This gives us a chance to showcase the Hub,” she said.

CCPA and the Ohio Small Business Development Center Export Assistance Network at Youngstown State University joined forces to create the hub as a way to attract international companies to the area, with an ultimate goal of having them relocate operations here. They cut the ribbon to open the facility last fall at the Leetonia Industrial building the CCPA owns on Cherry Fork in Leetonia, site of the former NRM plant.

Mousa Kassis, director of the Ohio Small Business Development Center Export Assistance Network at Youngstown State University, credited the building of a relationship with the Ho Chi Minh City Chamber of Commerce since that 2019 trade mission for getting the Vietnam delegation here.

He had remained in contact with them and heard they were planning a mission trip to Texas, then talked them into visiting the Youngstown region.

The Ohio SBDC Assistance Network at YSU is hosting the trade mission in collaboration with the Ho Chi Minh City Chamber of Commerce from Sept. 29 to Oct. 3. The event is in partnership with YSU, the YSU Williamson College of Business Administration, Ohio SBDC Export Assistance Network, Youngstown Warren Regional Chamber, CCPA, Lake to River Economic Development and Rickenbacker International Airport.

Kassis attended the CCPA meeting and explained that the assistance network helps 208 companies from Ashtabula to Coshocton on a daily basis who export $500 million out of the United States and have an economic impact in the United States of $6 billion.

“We believe in the area, we believe in the valley, we believe in Columbiana County. Sometimes when you have an investment, it doesn’t really materialize until years later,” he said, referring to that mission trip from 2019.

He explained that in 2019, trade with Vietnam was at $65 billion, but as of 2023, the number doubled to $126 billion.

There are new opportunities with Vietnam and he said “this would access our area where we’re at not only to Vietnam but as a hub to all of Southeast Asia. He said two companies are interested in the Global Investment Hub coming from the delegates from Vietnam. He also has dialogues with Italy and Brazil.

“We appreciate all your work and effort,” CCPA Board Chairman Charlie Presley said.

Traina noted that the Vietnamese delegation represents various industries looking to export to Ohio including plastics, food and beverage, healthcare/beauty, natural rubber and more. Companies looking to import products from Ohio are in the construction/machinery, wastewater treatment equipment, food and beverage, plastics and other industries.

mgreier@mojonews.com