BUSINESS NEWS
City hosts visitors from
China and Japan in hopes
of attracting companies to
South Valley area
R
ecently 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 its
connectivity, being smart bicycling devices, connectable 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 startup operation.
Livall plans for its local headquarters to be the hub for
its 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 56 th
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, Vice President of GC
Farms and a local agricultural expert; Gene Guglielmo, a
co-owner of Guglielmo Winery; and several regional product
distributors. They also visited with their 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 a wide range of available activities, leisure
and a 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 — all factors of their decision
making. After returning to Japan, they will begin a planning
project, followed by a return to Morgan Hill later this year for
in-depth business discussions.
2016 Friday Night Music Series Band Line-up
July 8 Pop Fiction
Non-stop dance hits, sing alongs,
and favorites from the 70’s to 2000’s
July 15 KJ All Stars
Top-40, Rock, Pop, Country, Blues,
Disco, R & B Jazz, Latin, and clean
Hip Hop Rap.
July 22 Take 2
Top hits from the 70’s to current hits
July 29 Extra-Large
Positive Fun & Funky Vibes
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN
JULY / AUGUST 2016
August 5 Busta-Groove
Northern California’s Dance Party Band
August 12 Forejour
Foreigner and Journey Tribute Band
August 19 Houserockers
Fusing Elements of Rock, Blues, Funk,
60’s Soul and R&B
August 26 Sage
R&B, Funk, and Soul
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