A local businessman specializing in international trade gave the Central Pennsylvania World Trade Association new ideas for improving overseas trade practices last night.

"You have to do research. You have to find the country that is best for your market," said Jed Doyle, vice president for international development with Supelco Corp. in Pleasant Gap.

Doyle spoke about his company's dealings with agents and distributors overseas at the meeting of the association at the Toftrees Resort, 1 Country Club Lane.

Companies that trade overseas have the option of using either an agent or distributor. An agent can get the manufacturer together with an overseas buyer, while a distributor will buy the product directly from the manufacturer and resell it.

Doyle said manufacturers have two options for finding an agent or distributor. The agent or distributor can go to the manufacturer or the manufacturer can seek them.

"At Supelco we've always found it more successful when the agent comes to us," Doyle said. "When they come to you it usually means that they know something about your market."

Doyle said that most of these agents handle many companies and stressed the importance for companies to find out who else their agents are servicing.

"You have to compete with other companies for these agents. Ask your agents who else they do business with. If they won't tell you, then forget about them. The relationship between you and your agent must be a close one and a reliable one," Doyle said.

Martin Lasater, head of Penn State's Center for East Asian Studies, also spoke at the meeting. He urged members of the association to look into the benefits the center can provide for them.

"We would like to help improve trade between Asia and companies right here in Central Pennsylvania," Lasater said. "The Center can be very effective in briefing businessmen on aspects of Asian countries that they may be dealing with and those aspects can be political, economic, or cultural."

Many companies in State College are experiencing the benefits of overseas trade.

"We deal with agents and distributors from all over," said Dean Bunnell, president of Maxtech, a microwave telecommunications company at 2820 E. College Ave. "About the only two places that we don't deal in are the Eastern bloc and Africa."

Bill Harris, president of Real Time Devices, said his company has had good experiences dealing with agents overseas. Real Time Devices, 820 N. University Drive, produces circuit boards that measure real life phenomena.

"Things have gone so well that we are now in the process of developing a subsidiary in Europe," Harris said.

The association, which was formed to assist business people in areas of importing and exporting, meets at Toftrees on the third Wednesday of every month.

"We encourage graduating students to attend these meetings because they are an excellent way to make contacts," said Cassandra Ghinos, an export specialist with the Southeastern Development Association of the Council of Governments.