The Illinois SBDC International Trade Center (ITC) provides information, counseling and training to existing and new to-export companies interested in pursuing international trade opportunities. Since 1989, the ITC has assisted over 1,100 companies and has been credited with supporting over $1bn in export sales. The success of the ITC was recognized when it received the U.S. President’s eAward – the country’s highest honor in recognizing export success.
The ITC receives a combination of funding from the State of Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the U.S. Small Business Administration, and matching funds from Bradley University. This funding allows us to provide this assistance at no cost to our clients (although special projects with extensive research and in-house training may have a minimal fee).
Services include:
- Evaluation of a company's readiness to export
- Access to foreign market information
- Automated trade leads
- Linkages with trade representatives
- Identifying potential export markets, foreign buyers and distributors
- Assistance with foreign market entry
- International business planning
- Export documentation training and assistance
- Trade-lead matching from US embassies
- Financing export growth and foreign receivables insurance
- Trade compliance support including product classification and FTA rules of origin
- Seminars, forums, workshops and in-house training