Bio-Microbics, Inc. and Held & Associates, Inc. hosted an event welcoming the visiting delegation of the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria. The purpose of the visit was for the delegation to participate in AG CONNECT at the Kansas City Convention Center, Jan. 29-31, 2013. The AG CONNECT is an international trade show for the agriculture industry to introduce “a world-class event that brings together the very latest in equipment, technology and ideas from all areas of agriculture production — all around the globe.” 

While in Kansas City, the U.S. Department of Commerce-Kansas City set up plant tours with local companies, such as Bio-Microbics. The delegation, led by Terence McCulley, U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Mission Nigeria Senior Commercial Officer Rebecca Armand, and Chamberlain Eke, Lagos Commercial Specialist, U.S. Commercial Service, accepted these off conference meetings for an opportunity to enhance their understanding of the technologies available in the U.S. for onsite wastewater and stormwater treatment. 

Other participating members of the delegation included representatives from the U.S. Commercial Service, U.S. Department of Commerce in Kansas City: Regina Heise, Director, Kansas City U.S. Export Assistance Center; Ruby Sirna, International Trade Specialist; and Ali Khan from Aggregate & Mining (ASTEC Industries, Inc.). 

“Why is Bio-Microbics in Kansas City?” Bio-Microbics President Robert J. Rebori asked the crowd. “Is it the weather? The beaches? The mountains? Kansas City has several things that people may not know. We have an enormous amount of creative and engineering talent in the water and wastewater field here in the Midwest. Also, Kansas City is the shipping capitol of the world. We have more intermodal, more rail, and more truck access than any place else in the world … and, we do it with the help of Held & Associates.” 

Ambassador McCulley addressed the team at Bio-Microbics, representatives for Held & Associations, and the audience, explaining why Nigeria is important to the U.S. “We have a great delegation of 55 Nigerian companies looking at a real key sector. It’s all about introducing great American companies to our Nigerian delegation, networking, building partnerships, and encouraging American companies to look at Nigeria as a potential destination for investment. Bio-Microbics, with your international footprint, is a perfect company to look at this model with 70 percent of your business overseas. It’s exactly what President Obama was talking about when he introduced the National Export Initiative. 

“Clearly you know what it is about [exporting] … and the importance to establish a relationship with Nigeria. Nigeria is really important to the United States. It is the fifth largest supplier to the U.S. for oil. It’s an important commercial relationship. It’s an important diplomatic relationship. It’s an important strategic relationship. I think it is the poster child for the [U.S.] President’s Doing Business in Africa Initiative.” 

The program’s mission is to understand opportunities and challenges with regard to water; and, learn of current projects with the already established distributor Bio-Microbics has in Nigeria. The interactive session included a plant tour, a few installation videos of residential, community, commercial, and marine-based wastewater and stormwater treatment systems in other countries with various applications. Some of the engineering professionals among the delegation asked more in-depth questions for the treatment quality and water reuse opportunities offered by Bio-Microbics and Scienco/FAST’s Fixed Integrated Treatment Technologies (FITT) for the purpose intended. After the presentation, delegation member Eng. Naiyeju Festus said, “Bio-Microbics is treating water for life.” 

Currently, the Nigerian economy is undergoing transformations that will position the private sector to take ownership of the capital, financial and entrepreneurial services in order to stimulate growth in the productive sector. Ambassador McCulley understands that for Nigeria’s economy to move forward, they must establish more relationships like those with Bio-Microbics. Nigeria, like the rest of the world, comes to America to find and buy the most innovative and best-made products in the world. 

To learn more about Bio-Microbics Inc., visit www.biomicrobics.com.