US office for Bartimpex and Lockheed Martin opens

Bartimpex and Lockheed Martin (LM), supplier of 48 multi-purpose F-16 fighter planes worth $7 billion for the Polish army, will open an office in the US as part of the offset deal. It will be responsible for helping Polish SME's to get access and orders from the American market. The partners decided that making business on the tough US market requires arranging meetings with entrepreneurs and direct presentation of their offers on the spot. It is still unknown when the project would be carried out, but "It might be launched at the beginning of November," informed the LM office in Fort Worth. The Finnish government at the beginning of the '90's applied the same idea when the country used the offset program after acquiring 64 F-18 Hornet planes. The effect of this strategy was surprising, as entrepreneurs from small niche sectors signed the most lucrative contracts, while the deals continued after finishing the offset agreement. (Rzeczpospolita, p. B4) M.M.