New Guide Introduced to Help US Manufacturers In Exporting Products

Attention, high-end audio manufacturers ready to crack the exporting nut: The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) has just released its "General Guide for the Export of Consumer Electronics," providing a step-by-step process which the CEA says manufacturers can use to navigate the often uncharted and challenging regulatory waters of the export market. According to the CEA, the guide focuses on assisting manufacturers in exporting their products to the South American and Pacific Rim countries of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan. The organization reports that, in a survey of its membership, these countries were identified as primary growth markets of interest.

CEA research has found that exporting consumer electronics products can be a complicated, time-consuming and expensive process for manufacturers, especially for small- and medium-sized US businesses. In addition to taxes and tariffs, before bringing products to foreign markets, manufacturers often must demonstrate compliance with difficult-to-understand regulations covering such areas as safety and electromagnetic compatibility.

The CEA points out that the compliance guide was initially developed to assist US-based manufacturers of high-end audio products. "The US is the world leader in the manufacture of high-end audio products, such as component preamplifiers and amplifiers," says the trade group. "As small, entrepreneurial businesses, these companies often lack the regulatory compliance staff and resources of their larger, international counterparts. Instead, they turn to outside consultants and third-party test houses for compliance solutions." After the guide was completed, it became apparent to the organization that the information would be of value to all sectors of the consumer electronics manufacturing industry looking to place products in these emerging markets.

The guide is available free to CEA members through the CEA Web site at www.CE.org as well as through CEA's affiliated market research website www.eBrain.org. Also, the guide is available for download to non-members at a cost of $600 and in hard copy for $800. To order, non-members should contact the CEA Customer Service Center at 703-907-7600.

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