Since August 2000, TTT Development Project Associates are actively supporting the requirements of the Croatian Food Production Company DONA d.o.o.

In the initial phase, the Croatian company identified its requirements as:

• Support in the process of modernization and process technology optimization
• Support in the process of acquiring and utilizing US tools available to potential importers/buyers of US made technology/products and services
• Market Research of the NAFTA markets with regard to the production portfolio of the DONA Company
• Identification of US made equipment and other components that are subject of DONA interest
• Negotiation with various US companies with regard to their interest of doing business in Croatia, i.e. with a Croatian company as a partner
• Exploration of available sources of financing for US exports to Croatia
• Point of contact in the USA

During the August 2000 till December 2002 time frame, in a joint effort by DONA and TTT the following tasks were accomplished:

• Facilitation and support of a US Trade Development Agency grant for a definitional mission to DONA and later a full feasibility study carried out by a reputable US consulting group.
• Market research in the US regarding the requirements which DONA would need to comply with in the order to access some of the NAFTA markets, previously not directly served by the Croatian company (this included the industrial standards needed for Dona production facilities, logistics, packaging, pricing and allocation of potential food brokers and warehouses that would handle such exports).
• Point of contact in the USA for facilitation of various correspondence with third parties as well on-site support of negotiations and inquiries with US companies as well US development and financial institutions (USTDA, USEXIM, USAID, etc.)
• Development of customized CAD/CAM production building layouts as well allocation of cost effective solutions for the production and export of building components (this utilizing the broad portfolio of patents and licenses which are proprietary to TTT and significantly lower the total price of US manufactured products - where TTT patents and licenses apply).
• Support in facilitation as well identification of different sources of financing, including but not limited to US venture funds, banks and else.
• Support in acquiring latest information regarding industrial and food processing standards as required in the case of DONA d.o.o.
• Negotiations with US manufacturers of food processing equipment.
• Networking with other TTT development partners (from Africa) in the order to increase the sale leads and explore B2B relations for all parties involved.
• Exploration and facilitation in the development of US based training programs for DONA staff at US academic institutions and/or utilizing US education opportunities abroad.

Further, TTT Development Project Associates have provided the lead in Project Management for a number of the above listed tasks. Last but not least, it is the interactive relationship between TTT and DONA, as well other TTT Development Partners and associates that enable a quite complex development project provide results that have been identified at the beginning of this relationship. TTT's support to this project is now in its third year of activity and together with the Croatian partner we anticipate to be able to finish this phase of development in Q3/2003.

This will include transfer of technology; provision of acceptable financing conditions as well the provision of additional, future sources of revenue for the Croatian partner in the form of technology licenses and distribution rights for CEE and SEES countries.

This is a sample case of utilization of mutual potentials and knowledge, Internet communication and de-centralized use of expert associates on a part time basis as required. Thus, such an approach is matching the results of dedicated business development departments found in medium to big size companies, at only a fraction of the costs that such a dedicated business development department actually costs to entertain.

More information about this project is available from the TTT President, Anthony Avila, aavila@ttthg.com.