NH Companies Find Opportunities in Poland After Trade Mission

Sen. Regina Birdsell speaking at a luncheon with the Mayor of Gdańsk. (Courtesy of Firebrand International)

A NH trade mission to Poland in September is already opening new markets for Granite State businesses. A delegation of 30 business leaders and politicians—including Rokon International, a manufacturer of all-wheel-drive motorcycles in Rochester, Argen Tech, and NH Sen. Regina Birdsell—made the trip to test the waters for potential partnerships.

Poland has one of the largest economically stable markets in Europe, says Dawn Wivell, who served as NH’s trade director for over 20 years and now runs Firebrand International in Portsmouth. Out of the roughly 190 countries across the globe that NH does business with, Poland ranks 15th among the state’s largest trading partners. About 80% of that business was in aerospace and aviation products.   

The trade mission, sponsored by Sheehan Phinney law firm, included lunch with the mayor of Gdańsk and meetings with former Polish president Lech Walesa. On the second day, Birdsell says the group met with an organization called Invest in Pomerania, a region of Poland on the Baltic Sea that Birdsell compares to NH. “Poland is a gorgeous country, and we had the chance to listen to a full day of presentations about industries the group would like us to invest in,” Birdsell says, adding that two companies from the NH delegation signed contracts following the meetings.

Michael Barrett, the founder of a company focused on creating net zero energy homes, says he participated in the trade mission to explore the possibility of expanding his operations in Europe. Barret’s company is in “stealth mode” while awaiting patent approval on several products. One of those products is a nano filter that Barrett says will cut energy consumption drastically by reducing water usage for daily tasks like showering.

Wivell, who organized the trade mission, says the trip was important for NH business leaders because it opened doors for potential partnerships. “The next step is business development,” she says. “The main reason people go on trade missions is for the access they provide and the attention people get. It can validate your company and raise its profile.”