Israel Diamond Institute Hopes to Expand Trade With New Website
January 27, 04
Amidst much fanfare the Israel Diamond Institute (IDI) on Tuesday officially launched its new website aimed at helping Israeli diamantaires to expand trade by more easily making contact with trading partners around the world.
During a festive event in the decorated rough trading hall, complete with music, a bar and buffet lunch, IDI President Efraim Raviv introduced the new site.
Industry leaders said the new site, which has been two years in the making, would play a vital part in making the Israeli diamond industry more up to date and efficient in its marketing operations. The IDI is responsible for maintaining the image of Israel’s diamond industry as a leading world diamond centre.
Launching the new site, Uri Schwartz, President of the Israel Diamond Manufacturers Association, and one of the leading forces in the creation of the site, said it aimed to improve trading opportunities for small and medium-size businesses.
Foreign traders who fear visiting Israel due to the unstable security situation would be able to contact Israeli diamantaires and do business over the Internet, Schwartz said. The number of foreign visitors has fallen since the outbreak of a violent Palestinian uprising more than three years ago.
In addition to general information about the Israeli diamond industry, a diamantaires directory and a who’s who of the Israeli trade’s organizations, the site features news, a tradeshow calendar and import-export information.
For registered users, there are bulletin boards, discussion groups and an online calendar that can be accessed from anywhere in the world.