International News

Naverus Inc. has become the global leader in Performance-based Navigation systems through the use of Required Navigation Performance technology, making their products more environmentally and economically efficient. Headquartered in Kent, Naverus distributes more aeronautical navigation devises than any other company; with customers in Australia, Canada, Peru, South Korea and Sweden, to name a few.

Naverus Inc. has recently expanded its market to include Lhasa, China. Due to the surrounding Himalayan Mountains, the Lhasa airport is one of the highest and most difficult airports to pilot. However, a successful validation flight using a Naverus navigation system has increased the accessibility of this airport. China Southern Airlines has invested in Naverus equipment to increased service to this area of China. Now the Lhasa airport can function during all hours and all weather conditions.

Today’s Seattle Times article about Deutsche Telekom  considering an initial public offering for Bellevue-based T-Mobile USA, reminds me of all the foreign investment in our region.  Whether it is German investment  in our cell phone industry, French aerospace companies located here or Bahrain investment in the new Shops at Bravern development, our region is full of international funds. In fact, the last figures (which unfortunately date to 2006) show that foreign-owned businesses employ 84,000 people in Washington state. The top sources for foreign investment include Canada, Germany, Japan and the UK.  As the rest of the world develops, we’re likely to see more foreign investment in our region.

Despite the economic downturn, there has been an increase in passengers flying on Alaska Airlines in comparison to last year. According to the airline, Alaska’s occupancy rate increased from 71.6% to 77.6%, an increase of 6% since the previous year. Simultaneously, Alaska Airline’s punctuality performance rate increased from 71.5% to 85.7%.

Half of the passengers at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport fly through Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air every year. Alaska Airlines has a huge global passenger base and a successful frequent flyer program. Despite only accounting for just 3% of the U.S. airline capacity, Alaska has managed to continue to pull in profits and increase its revenue by 2.3%.

The Seattle-based airline operates to 92 cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Washington state has been granted $16.8 million for biofuels research from the U.S. Department of Energy. The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Washington State University and University of Washington will share this grant amongst other Washington state companies.

This grant will help stimulate the local economy through job-creation and ultimately generate new ways to reduce our dependence on fossil fuel. One aspect of the research will focus on converting algae into a substance compatible with diesel and jet engines.

With in a few short years, Maria Cantwell hopes the information discovered through biofuels research will produce biomass that can function in “existing refineries, pipelines and cars”, making Washington state and the rest of the world more environmentally friendly.

Kick off the year right by attending the Trade Alliance’s Winter Schmooze event on Thursday, February 11.  This year’s Winter Schmooze will be from 5:30-7:30PM at PATH’s new office in South Lake Union. Bring your business cards because this networking event is great for those who want to mingle with business leaders as well as meet representatives from the education, non-profit and local government sector.

The Korean themed event will coincide with the international study mission to Daejeon and Seoul. Delectable Korean foods such as kimchi and Korean BBQ will be yours to taste.  While you are gorging on the food, representatives leading the mission will be present to discuss the potential Korean adventures. You’ll also have the opportunity to learn about the highly anticipated and exciting Business and Trade Mission to Taiwan and Hong Kong. This mission will include a one day trip to Mainland China, meaning this will be the first American business mission to go to Taiwan, Hong Kong and the Mainland in one trip.

The highlight of the event will consist of a silent auction. Up for grabs are tickets from Asiana Airlines, a gift package from Starbucks, and gift certificates from Ivars, the Children’s Museum and the Fairmont Hotel.

Remember, register for this fun event because if you don’t schmooze, you lose!

                                For more information contact Samantha Paxton or call at 206-389-7319

Sister City Relationships in the Greater Seattle region lead to all kinds of economic, social and cultural activities. For example, the Mayor of Gdynia Poland, Wojciech Szczurek, has asked the Seattle/Gdynia Sister City Association and Washington Business Week to once again present and operate a summer school session teaching Polish high school students and a selected number of secondary teachers basic business principles from an American viewpoint. The training will be in a campus environment in a school with dormitory rooms in Gdynia Poland running from Friday August 20 through Thursday August 26, 2010.

The program model, designed by Washington Business Week, includes a camp environment with activities scheduled from 9:00am-9:00pm everyday during which students engage in small teams, in large group activities and lectures, and through individual work time in an experiential learning environment. The objective of the program is to create and facilitate an open and collaborative problem solving business environment that challenges students to put aside their emotional reserve and preconceived notions of hierarchical social organization and participate in an open and egalitarian way to solve real-world business problems.Representatives from Gdynia Business Week at the U.S. Embassy

The first program held last August in Gdynia was opened by US Ambassador Victor Ashe greeting and welcoming all the students and teachers.  The program was supported by the City of Gdynia, Seattle/Gdynia Sister City Association, Washington Business Week, the Boeing Company – Eastern European division, and the US Embassy in Warsaw, Poland.

Starbucks, the Greater Seattle coffee giant, has signed an agreement with Arla Foods to make and distribute its bottled coffee beverages in Europe. Arla is a Scandinavian milk producer and distributor based in Århus, Denmark. The ready-to-drink beverage market in Europe is estimated to be worth about $550 million a year.

“The success we have had bringing ready-to-drink coffee products to consumers in North America and Asia demonstrates the global potential of the business,” said Rich DePencier, Starbucks’ global consumer products vice president.

Institute for Systems Biology research papers have the highest scientific impact in the United States and the third highest in the world, according to a recent report by the SCImago Research Group, based in Spain. The report analyzes the impact of scientific papers published by more than 2000 research institutes around the globe. The institutes were scored on research output, number of times publications were cited, international collaboration and the quality of the journalists that publish work.

Based in Seattle, ISB is dedicated to the study and application of systems biology. ISB’s systems approach integrates biology, computation and technological development, allowing scientists to analyze how all elements of a biological system interact to generate health or disease.

“This achievement is first and foremost due to the talent and scientific insights of all the members of the institute,” said Alan Aderem, co-founder and director of ISB. “It demonstrates that our scientists are effective in working with each other across multiple disciplines to conduct truly groundbreaking research and shape scientific inquiry worldwide.”

“It’s great to see that an independent analysis of outcomes demonstrates that we were on track 10 years ago when we launched the world’s first systems biology focused research institute,” said Leroy Hood, co-founder and president of ISB.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner completed initial airworthiness testing this week, which means more airplanes and more crew members will join the flight test program.

The 787 made its first flight in mid-December, and 15 test flights have been conducted so far, totaling nearly 60 hours of flying. The plane has reached an altitude of 30,000 feet and a speed of Mach 0.56.

“The pilots have told me the results we are seeing in flight match their expectations and the simulations we’ve run. That’s a real tribute to Boeing’s expertise and the international team that helped develop and build the airplane,” said Scott Fancher, Vice President and General Manager of the 787 program, Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

Washington State Algae Alliance, comprised of bioscience firm of Seattle, Inventure Chemical of Gig Harbor, and Washington State University in Pullman, will receive $2 million in funding through WSA as part of the 2010 Senate Energy and Water Development appropriations bill. Each partner in the alliance will develop a specific project: Targeted Growth will develop strains of blue-green algae to improve product yield; WSA will develop production and harvesting technology of the algal strains; and Inventure receive the algal biomass for conversion into fuel and other products.

“This funding will support cutting-edge research that will create jobs and continue to position Washington state as a leader in the clean energy economy. It provides a shot in the arm for Washington state biofuels research,” said U.S. Senator Patty Murray.