Bentley's Dr. Alfredo Castrejon Joins U.S. CAFTA Trade Mission Delegation
Exton, Pa. - Oct. 12, 2005 - Bentley Systems, Incorporated today announced that Dr. Alfredo Castrejon, Bentley vice president, Latin America, will join U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez and executives from 17 other U.S. businesses on a trade mission to Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador October 16-22, 2005. The mission, which is the first to the region since the passage of the Central American-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR), will highlight new U.S. business opportunities and stronger trade ties with Central America.
Though companies in the delegation represent diverse industries and range in size from large corporations to firms with as few as 20 employees, they all have one thing in common, said Gutierrez: "They recognize opportunity in Central America, and they are eager to begin doing business in those markets. Their interest will mean more investment, more trade, and eventually more new jobs in the United States and in Central America."
Commenting on his upcoming trip and on what he hopes to accomplish during the mission, Dr. Castrejon said, "There are tremendous similarities among Bentley's infrastructure software and the needs of these countries. However, there are also a number of obstacles to overcome before Central America can fully capitalize on the benefits of our technology. CAFTA-DR is definitively a step in the right direction.
"We are going in with great enthusiasm, seeking opportunities that will permit us to develop these markets more rapidly and, at the same time, procure a tangible contribution to improve social conditions for the people of Central America. This approach should lead us into a sustained relationship with these countries."
Dr. Castrejon continued, "The main objective in this first mission is to make contact with government officials, private-sector leaders, and academic representatives to present to them a long-term plan, along with the corresponding social and financial benefits of our vision."
U.S. companies in the trade mission delegation include: Alice Mills, Inc.; American Textile Machinery Association; Baxter Healthcare, Inc.; Bentley Systems, Incorporated; Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association; Distance Diagnostics through Digital Imaging; Eastman Chemical Company; Energy Conversion Devices, Inc.; Energy International, Inc.; FBM Trading Co., Inc.; Ford Motor Company; HACH Company; Hewlett-Packard Company; K&M Group of Companies; S&C Electric Company; Sabre Holdings Corporation; Stryker Corporation; and The Shaw Group.
The delegation will make three stops: Guatemala City, Guatemala; San Pedro Sula, Honduras, and San Salvador, El Salvador. In each city, participants will meet with key government and business representatives, chambers of commerce, industry and trade associations, and local companies.
In Guatemala, the delegation will also participate in a conference hosted by Caribbean-Central American Action (CCAA). Under the theme "A Common Destiny," the conference will bring together business and government participants from throughout the region to discuss the steps needed to insure the successful implementation of CAFTA.
For more information on this trade mission, visit www.buyusa.gov/centralamerica/en/.
About CAFTA-DR
CAFTA-DR reduces trade barriers between the United States and Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, and El Salvador. It creates the second largest export market in Latin America for U.S. goods, and the tenth largest market in the world. More than 80 percent of U.S. exports of consumer and industrial goods will become duty-free in Central America immediately.
About Bentley
Bentley Systems, Incorporated provides software for the lifecycle of the world's infrastructure. The company's comprehensive portfolio for the building, plant, civil, and geospatial vertical markets spans architecture, engineering, construction (AEC) and operations. With 2004 revenues exceeding $300 million, Bentley is the leading provider of AEC software to the Engineering News-Record Design 500 and major owner-operators.
