How do I find information about a particular overseas company?

There are a number of public and private resources that have services designed to help U.S. exporters find information about overseas companies:

The International Partner Search, a service of the U.S. Commercial Service, helps U.S. companies find qualified international buyers, partners, or agents without traveling overseas. CS trade specialists will deliver detailed company information on up to five pre=screened international companies that have expressed an interested in the U.S. firm's products and services. Fees depend on the scope of the work. Orders for this service can be placed through local U.S. Export Assistance Centers (USEAC). USEACs are listed on the Export.gov website by clicking on “Find a Local U.S. Office" under "Contact Us" or by calling 1-800-USA-TRAD(E) and speaking with a TIC international trade specialist.

Private companies/organizations that maintain information on foreign companies include:

Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) produces company lists, country profiles, risk analyses, and other types of reports and information on topics related to business and trade. D&B can be contacted by telephone at 1-800-932-0025, or accessed on the Internet at http://www.dnb.com.

Standard & Poor's Rating Service provides credit reports, country profiles, risk analyses, and other types of information for individual countries and regions. S&P can be contacted by telephone at (212) 438-2400, or accessed on the Internet at http://www.standardandpoors.com.

Graydon America, Inc. provides business services in the fields of credit management and marketing information on overseas companies. Graydon can be accessed on the Internet at http://www.graydonamerica.com.

Other private corporations that provide credit reporting services include:

The Kreller Business Information Group (telephone – 1-800-444-6361; Internet website – http://www.kreller.com)

LIDA Credit Agency, Inc. (telephone – 1-800-423-0026)

Owens OnLine, Inc. (telephone – 1-800-745-4656; Internet website – http://www.owens.com)

Veritas Business Information Corp. (telephone – 1-800- 626-3223; Internet website – http://www.coface-usa.com/)

Other general information on international business and marketing research can be accessed through International Business Information on the Web (IBI) at http://www.infotoday.com/ibidirectory.htm.

Note: This document does not include all private sector sources of trade information nor does it represent an endorsement of any particular service or source by the U.S. Department of Commerce.

For further assistance, please contact the Trade Information Center:

Tel: 1-800-USA-TRAD(E) (1-800-872-8723)

Fax: (202) 482-4473

E-mail: tic@mail.doc.gov

Internet: http://www.export.gov