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OGDEN — Northern Utah's fastest-growing outdoor industry hub is working to have even more international firms stake their U.S. expansion claim in the Beehive State.
Ogden has signed a charter of cooperation agreement with 20 cluster organizations participating in the EU4Sports Clusters Alliance to create an official partnership aimed at growing the area's outdoor industry and outdoor-related companies.
The alliance is comprised of four European partners, including INDESCAT of Catalonia, Spain; Sports & Technology, of the Netherlands; European Platform for Sports Innovation, Cluster Montagne, France; and Flanders' Bike Valley, Belgium.
Speaking Tuesday during the ceremonial signing at the Ogden Eccles Conference Center, Ogden Mayor Mike Caldwell said the relationship will be the foundation for exploring future opportunities between the city and its new alliance partners.
"Hosting the EU4Sports Alliance will connect Ogden with outdoor industry partners and discover synergies for business growth," Caldwell said. "We want to open doors to global outdoor brands and support their efforts as they look to Ogden's mountain to metro community as their partner for U.S. market expansion."
The goal of the agreement, he said, is to support members of the alliance in their quest to expand internationally into the coveted American market. This can be done by establishing a U.S. branch in Ogden or a cooperation with a distributor located in Ogden or Utah, the mayor said.
"We can help make connections with some of the distribution channels we have already existing in Ogden," Caldwell said. "There is a lot of international distribution that goes on in and out of here, and we want to find ways to enhance and bolster that. If we can just find ways to break down some barriers, I think everybody is better at the end of the day for it."
Over the past few days, several EU4Sports companies have been participating in an inbound trade mission with Ogden with a goal of increasing access to resources in the outdoor recreation industry, explained Werner Couck, public relations manager for the EU4Sports Clusters Alliance.
"We came to Utah with 20 companies who all have the American dream. They want to do business in the United States," Couck said. "This is a first step to establish business relations."
While the new collaboration is promising, the process of establishing ongoing, mutually beneficial relationships between members will take time, he said.
"New business does not happen overnight," Couck said.
Supporting the opportunity for U.S. sports-related companies to expand their business to Europe is also a high priority, he said, with the possibility of establishing an European Union branch at one of the clusters in Belgium, Spain, France or Holland.
One of the keys will be installing “ambassadors” in Europe and the U.S. with the goal to service and support companies that want to expand their intercontinental business, Couck said.
Because the alliance companies are all small- to medium-size firms, the collaborative effort will give them opportunities they may otherwise not have, he added.
"They would not be able to establish a business (in the U.S.) on their own," Couck said. "If you come here with a company of 20 employees, you are not likely to be received by the mayor, and it's not likely that the city staff would provide you with market research and set up meetings for you. But if you join forces, then you can say you mean something."
Having "allied forces" is so important for small- and medium-size companies, he said.
"With the city of Ogden, we really found the best possible partner," Couck said.
Quinton van Loggerenberg, business development manager for Belgian high-tech sports clothing manufacturer Bioracer, said the agreement will help his small company achieve its goal of international expansion.
"The American market is a huge market, and it's a good market to be in," he said. "But Europeans find America quite daunting due to its size. It's a vast country."
Van Loggerenberg said establishing a "toehold" is critical to be able to find success as a foreign business. A city like Ogden is ideal because it contains all the elements required for an outdoor sports company to thrive, he said.
"We have to start somewhere to have a base of operations," van Loggerenberg said.
Regarding new trade policies that may be employed by the Trump administration, he said there is some trepidation from his companies and others in the alliance.
"Purely seen from the outside point of view, that gives us concern, but we're also taking a longer-term view," van Loggerenberg said. "Politics are transient. They change every four years."
Meanwhile, Caldwell credited the years of work to develop Ogden's outdoor industry as the reason the city is able to strike such promising deals with international business partners. He said the next year to 18 months will include lots of groundwork to get concrete agreements made and expansion taking place in both directions.
"Our outdoor industry ecosystem is growing," the mayor said, "and it's something we'll look to continue to grow." Email: jlee@deseretnews.com Twitter: JasenLee1
