AmTrade International Bank: Financing Latin American trade.

When U.S. exporters and their Latin American customers need financing for capital purchases, they turn to AmTrade International Bank. A specialist in trade financing, AmTrade provides creative solutions to complex export problems that include a wide array of secured and unsecured credit structures.

AmTrade International Bank and the Export-Import Bank of the U.S. (Ex-Im Bank) have teamed up to provide flexible and attractive equipment financing for the customers of U.S. exporters. In doing so, they have created an exceptionally high standard of quality and performance that has become a benchmark of excellence.

"Our goal is to be known to U.S. exporters, foreign importers and correspondent banks in selected markets as the premier provider of trade finance solutions," said Manuel V. Sicre, president, AmTrade. "Our continuous commitment is to provide the most value and responsive service in the market place, while exhibiting an unsurpassed level of expertise and market knowledge. We view our production in 2000 as a step towards our goal of increased growth. AmTrade remains committed to the trade finance business and we view it as one of the core components of our success."

AmTrade provides trade financing services in all areas where capital equipment is involved, including telecom, construction, textiles, packaging and food processing, says Michael P. Filchock, vice president and former Ex-Im Bank employee. "Our role is trying to help as many borrowers as possible obtain Ex-Im Bank financing."

For the year ending Sept. 30, 2000, AmTrade had 31 Ex-Im transactions approved, totaling US$37 million -- virtually all from Latin America. That total, which was more than double the 15 transactions in the prior year, made AmTrade the number one bank in the Southeast in terms of generating loans with Ex-Im medium term insurance.

"We achieved a 100 percent approval rate for transactions we submitted to Ex-Im Bank for our clients," says Susanne Keough, AmTrade vice president and former director of export finance programs for the State of Georgia.

Examples of transactions approved by Ex-Im and arranged by AmTrade include a $9 million Ex-Im Bank supported credit facility last year for lmpsat to import U.S. telecom equipment into Colombia. The bank also assisted SEMSCO International in securing Ex-Im financing to cover a $4 million water treatment system for the Water and Sewer Authority of Belize.

"AmTrade was very helpful in obtaining funding through Ex-lm's Environmental Exports Program, a unique program that that allowed us to finance some local Belize costs as well," says Frank Marino, vice president, SEMSCO International in Boynton Beach, Florida.

In 2001, AmTrade plans to expand its services into Latin America and other locations throughout the world, says Charlotte Starf ire, vice president. "We view Latin America as a critical market for U.S. exporters and their customers, and we plan to enhance our level of support in the region."

AmTrade's services include:

* Medium-term financing of capital equipment

* Short-term import financing

* Inventory financing for importers abroad

AmTrade is an institution with the expertise of a money center bank and the warm, highly personalized service of a smaller institution. "We are able to react to our customers needs immediately", says Starfire. Transactions under $1 million receive the same personal attention and responsive service as those over $10 million.

"Our trade finance specialists travel frequently to Latin America to meet with importers, a U.S. exporter's distributors and potential clients and structure financing that helps close the sale," adds Starfire. "We do all the work necessary for the Ex-Im Bank approval process, minimizing the need for exporter involvement."

AmTrade International Bank is unique among U.S.-based financial institutions. It was chartered as a true international trade finance bank, dedicated to facilitating and expediting international trade. Led by Lord Michael Sandberg, former chairman and chief executive officer of The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, and Manuel V. Sicre, president and chief executive officer, AmTrade's principals bring with them a life-long commitment to international trade finance.