International Expansion Case Studies
Real success stories showing how tva helps companies achieve global growth.
German Technology Company → Asia-Pacific Expansion
Industry: Industrial Automation | Timeline: 18 months | Markets: 6 ASEAN countries
€50M
First-year revenue
40%
Cost savings vs. direct setup
6
Markets entered simultaneously
Challenge
A leading German industrial automation company sought to expand into the ASEAN region to capitalize on rapid manufacturing growth across Southeast Asia. They faced a fragmented regulatory landscape, complex import duties on industrial equipment, and the need to establish local service and support operations in six different countries simultaneously.
Solution
- Market Analysis: Conducted comprehensive market analysis across 6 ASEAN countries, identifying entry priorities based on manufacturing growth, regulatory complexity, and competitive dynamics.
- Shared Infrastructure Model: Designed a cost-efficient shared infrastructure approach using Singapore as the regional hub, reducing setup costs by 40% compared to establishing fully independent operations in each market.
- Local Partnerships: Identified and vetted local distribution partners, system integrators, and service providers across all six markets to build a comprehensive go-to-market ecosystem.
- Regulatory Compliance: Managed product certifications, import licenses, and industry-specific compliance requirements across all six markets, reducing time-to-compliance by 60%.
- Technical Support Network: Recruited and onboarded local technical teams in each market, including engineers, sales staff, and service technicians with industry-specific expertise.
Results
Within 18 months, the company had fully operational subsidiaries in all six target markets, generating over €50M in first-year revenue. The shared infrastructure model delivered 40% cost savings compared to direct setup, while the phased approach allowed them to apply learnings from each market to accelerate subsequent launches. The ASEAN operation now represents the company’s fastest-growing region globally.
Chinese E-Commerce Platform → European Market Entry
Industry: E-Commerce Technology | Timeline: 12 months | Markets: EU + UK
1M+
Active users year 1
15
EU countries launched
100%
GDPR compliance
Challenge
A major Chinese e-commerce technology platform wanted to enter the European market but faced significant regulatory hurdles including GDPR compliance, vastly different consumer behaviors, and entrenched local competition. Previous attempts by competitors had failed due to data privacy violations, poor localization, and misunderstanding European consumer expectations.
Solution
- GDPR Infrastructure: Worked with the client’s engineering team to redesign their data architecture for full GDPR compliance, including data localization within the EU, consent management, and cross-border data transfer mechanisms.
- Irish Entity: Established an Ireland-based European headquarters with a VAT-optimized structure, including One-Stop Shop (OSS) registration for simplified cross-border e-commerce taxation.
- UK Subsidiary: Set up a dedicated UK subsidiary post-Brexit, ensuring independent compliance with UK data protection and consumer regulations while maintaining seamless operations with the EU entity.
- Localized Payments: Implemented compliant payment processing across all markets, integrating local payment methods (iDEAL, SEPA, Klarna, etc.) while meeting PSD2 Strong Customer Authentication requirements.
- Adapted Marketing: Developed market-specific branding and marketing strategies tailored to European consumer expectations, including localized content, culturally appropriate messaging, and region-specific promotional campaigns.
Results
The platform launched successfully across 15 EU countries and the UK within 12 months, achieving over 1 million active users in the first year. The company maintained 100% GDPR compliance with zero data protection violations, establishing a sustainable growth trajectory in a market where competitors had struggled. The adapted marketing approach and localized payment infrastructure drove strong adoption rates, positioning the platform for continued expansion across the European market.
US Clean Technology → Global Expansion
Industry: Renewable Energy | Timeline: 24 months | Markets: Asia, Europe, Australia
$200M
International contracts
12
Countries with operations
300%
Revenue growth
Challenge
A US-based clean technology company with proprietary solar panel and energy storage technology needed to expand internationally to capture the accelerating global demand for renewable energy solutions. The energy transition was creating enormous opportunities, but the company needed to navigate vastly different regulatory frameworks, secure government incentives in multiple jurisdictions, and establish manufacturing partnerships across three continents simultaneously.
Solution
- Third-Country Routing: Designed an optimized corporate structure using Singapore as the international hub, enabling efficient third-country routing of goods and capital to minimize tariffs and maximize treaty benefits across all target markets.
- Joint Ventures: Established strategic joint ventures with local partners in key Asian markets, providing market access, manufacturing capacity, and government relationships while protecting the company’s core IP.
- Government Incentives: Secured feed-in tariffs, tax credits, and government grants across all target markets, significantly reducing the effective cost of market entry and ongoing operations.
- Certification: Managed product certifications including IEC, UL, and regional standards for each jurisdiction, ensuring compliance with local energy regulations and grid interconnection requirements.
- Project Financing: Structured project financing arrangements across multiple jurisdictions, leveraging local development banks, export credit agencies, and green bond frameworks to fund large-scale installations.
Results
Over 24 months, the company expanded from a single-market US operation to a global clean technology leader operating across 12 countries in Asia, Europe, and Australia. The expansion generated $200M in international contracts, representing 300% revenue growth. The optimized third-country routing structure and joint venture partnerships delivered significant cost advantages, while the comprehensive certification strategy enabled rapid market entry. The company is now positioned as a top-tier global player in renewable energy and continues to expand into additional markets.
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