Published in the May 11-25, 2016 issue of Morgan Hill Life
Bill Gardner
During April two business opportunities from China and Japan were hosted by the Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce board of directors and city officials. It is part of our effort to attract companies from outside the area to South Valley.
Livall Technology Company is headquartered in Shenzhen, China, and is the manufacturer of smart and safe bicycling products, including helmets, bikes and accessories. Representatives from Livall visited the area in January, and found the community to be extremely “bicycle friendly” and quickly made the decision to locate their U.S. headquarters here.
In considering Morgan Hill, Livall found many bicycle accessory manufacturers and distributors in the Bay Area including Specialized Bicycle Components with headquarters in our city.
Each of the Livall products is characterized by their connectivity,being the first smart bicycling devices, connectible by Bluetooth to a smart phone, and the “Livall Riding” app for iPhones and Android phones. In addition, the Livall helmets incorporate helmet lighting and LED turn signals for safety and security, connection via cell phone for music, microphone and camera. The Livall app also features an emergency notification call in if the rider becomes disabled or endangered.
There were many factors involved in Livall’s decision to locate in Morgan Hill, including the proximity to high technology developments in Silicon Valley, the attractive business environment and the lowered costs associated with a traditional start-up operation.
Livall plans for its local headquarters to be the hub for nationwide sales and marketing efforts, and support for consumers, distributors and dealers. The company is now organizing in the Seagull Building located on Concord Circle.
The second group of visitors hosted last month came from Yachiyo City, Japan. Yachiyo city officials and business consultants traveled here to familiarize themselves with the community and surrounding areas. They’re interested in bringing products and agricultural technologies from Japan and expanding into the U.S. Products discussed included Yachiyo Sakura Sake, Yachiyo Nashi (Pears) and ichigo (Strawberries).
The group’s initial stop in the city was to attend the 56th annual Haru Matsuri Japanese spring festival. The visitors quickly made new friends and discussed plans to attend the popular festival as sponsors next year.
The group also met with Bill Chiala, owner of Chiala Farms and a local agricultural expert, Gene Guglielmo, a co-owner of Guglielmo Winery, and several regional product distributors. They also visited with hosts at the CordeValle resort, the home of the 2016 U.S. Women’s Open.
The Yachiyo City visitors saw business opportunities in the area as well as the wide range of available activities, leisure and sense of community. They appreciated Morgan Hill’s hospitality and its closeness to the companies of Silicon Valley, the availability of experienced farming partners and the security and safety of the downtown in their decision. After returning to Japan, they will begin a planning project, followed by returning to Morgan Hill later this year for in-depth business discussions.
Bill Gardener is a member of the Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. He wrote this column for Morgan Hill Life.
