Fargo company to benefit from Colombia trade agreement
Wday News | April 12, 2012, 10:20 PM
Fargo company to benefit from Colombia trade agreement
By: Kevin Wallevand, WDAY
Fargo, ND (WDAY TV) — No one is more excited about the new free trade agreement with Colombia than some of our local ag and aviation companies.
Lance Thoreson of Dakota Air Parts says news of the Free Trade Agreement with Colombia can only benefit companies in North Dakota like Dakota Air, whose parts are used by law enforcement and drug investigators here in the US and around the world.
Dakota Air Parts is a quiet, rather anonymous company that has, for the last few years grown to supply friendly governments and civilian organizations around the world with spare parts for aircraft. The company even goes Hollywood.
Tucked back in Fargo’s old airport terminal grounds is a an aviation company that travels the world to buy up inventories of helicopters and other aircraft, then often sells parts to commercial and military operators, often around the world.
Lance Thoreson – Dakota Air Parts: “It doesn’t end, and when you try to compete world-wide with military surplus, it is extremely competitive but I think we do a good job.
Lance Thoreson:”I think it will open the door for more opportunity working directly with Colombia.”
Our lawmakers agree, saying in the last 13 years North Dakota exports to Colombia have grown more than 300%.
Rick Berg – (R) North Dakota: “Huge opportunities here and I think a lot of people in North Dakota might think, “Well, what I’m doing I sell locally and regionally there is maybe not an opportunity.” But I think with our US Commercial Service, they understand those opportunities, and the people that understand Colombia there is a huge opportunity so please make that call.”
Dakota Air Parts is never sure when or how their product gets used. Like when Hollywood calls…
Lance Thoreson: “It is all special effects, but they usually need a fuselage or static display to start with and then they do what they do.”
Overseas trade takes time and effort, and the US Commercial Service office and the ND trade office are now actively working with dozens of companies in the area, like Dakota Air Parts, to do business when tariffs are disappearing and trade is waiting to blossom.
Dakota Air Parts has most recently been doing business in Vietnam.
