In recent months, the Chattanooga area has attracted several foreign businesses to the region. Germany's Volkswagen and Wacker (Vocker) Chemical to France's Alstom Power make up just a few. Now, some Chattanooga based companies look to Japan to grow *their* operations. WDEF News 12's Joe Legge explains.

Delegates from Japan want to know more about Aquashield and other Chattanooga businesses for the possibility of marketing environmentally friendly products in Japan.

In recent months, the Chattanooga area has attracted several foreign businesses to the region. Germany's Volkswagen and Wacker (Vocker) Chemical to France's Alstom Power make up just a few. Now, some Chattanooga based companies look to Japan to grow *their* operations. WDEF News 12's Joe Legge explains.

Buried beneath the ground, lies a system of tubes and basins designed to keep rain from flowing into sensitive waterways. From special grating in the parking lot... To gutters that drain below ground...

We're able to capture and treat the storm water and what we're able to do is use that water for our lavatories and also our irrigation water.
-Kelly Williamson/Aquashield

Aquashield's products eliminate the need for a storm water retention pond, freeing up land for use. That's caught the attention of Kitakyushu, Japan.

Because their population is much denser than we are here, that's very important to them. So possibly we'll be able to work with them on treating the storm water before they reuse it in their parks... Provide good clean water for them.
-Kelly Williamson/Aquashield

Delegates from that city want to know more about Aquashield and other Chattanooga businesses... And whether some of the environmentally friendly products made here could be marketed in Japan.

There are companies that are very much interested in working together and forming some type of alliance.
-Nahoko Sako/translated

Chattanooga recently formed a trade alliance with Kitakyushu, Japan... Backed by funding from a Japanese trade organization. That group will pay for local business leaders to venture overseas to market their wares.

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