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Click on one of the following common questions for your answer.

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS BY APPLICANTS OF INTERNATIONAL FOREIGN AGENCY STATUS
(EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTORSHIP, DEALERSHIP, ETC.) 

● WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS TO BECOME AN "EXCLUSIVE FOREIGN AGENT-DEALER"?

● IF WE  BUY LESS THAN THE MINIMUM REQUIRED, WHAT MUST WE DO TO BE YOUR EXCLUSIVE DEALER IN OUR TERRITORY?

● WHAT IS THE DURATION OF THE " EXCLUSIVE AGENCY" RELATIONSHIP?
● WHAT IS THE MINIMUM SALES REQUIREMENT?

● IF I BECOME YOUR EXCLUSIVE AGENT/DEALER, I WILL NEED MY WORKERS TO BE TRAINED. HOW CAN YOU HELP?

● CAN I USE MY ARCHITECTURAL DRAWINGS INSTEAD OF YOUR STANDARD PACKAGES?

● CAN WE REQUEST REINFORCED STEEL FRAME KITS FOR NATURAL DISASTER AREAS?

● I WOULD LIKE TO VISIT YOU IN ATLANTA. WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP ME UNDERSTAND YOUR OPERATION BETTER?
● WE BUILD STEEL FRAME HOMES. TELL US WHY WE SHOULD BUY YOUR PRODUCT?
 

 

 

 

WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS TO BECOME AN "EXCLUSIVE FOREIGN AGENT-DEALER"? The 3 requirements that are essential to start a Foreign Agency relationship are:
1.    Applicant (person or company) must have experience in a business associated with the local construction industry.
2.    Applicant (person or company) must place an order equal to $200,000 in light gauge steel framing materials or combination of steel and other construction materials at the time of signing the Exclusive Foreign Agency Agreement. The minimum purchase amount for exclusive dealership status represents (the engineering, fabrication of steel frame packages and the related construction materials) approximately 12 low cost emergency houses, 6 mid-scale houses, or 3 Luxury houses.
3.    Applicant person or company must be able communicate business matters in one of the following 3 languages: English, Spanish or French.  

IF WE  BUY LESS THAN THE MINIMUM REQUIRED, WHAT MUST WE DO TO BE YOUR EXCLUSIVE DEALER IN OUR TERRITORY? In the event the applicant wishes to secure its “Exclusive Agency” position within its  protected market territory, the applicant may deposit a collateral deposit of $60,000 to secure and  guarantee its position as the Exclusive Foreign Agent for American Steel Frame Housing, Inc. in its region. This amount will be refunded in amounts equal to 10% of the sales made until minimum sales requirement is satisfied. “Minimum sales requirement” must be satisfied no later than 6 months after the signing of the contract and the receipt of the 60K deposit. 

WHAT IS THE DURATION OF THE " EXCLUSIVE AGENCY" RELATIONSHIP? Exclusive Agency contract commences with a 2-year period and automatically renews itself as long as annual sales quotas are met.  

 WHAT IS A MINIMUM SALES REQUIREMENT? Minimum sales requirement to start an exclusive relationship and be an Exclusive Foreign Agent” (Distributor or  Dealer) is $200,000.00.  Minimum annual sales quantities are determined based on population, income generated in the region and potential of the territory represented. It could vary between $500,000 up to $15,000,000 annually. 

IF I BECOME YOUR EXCLUSIVE AGENT/DEALER, I WILL NEED MY WORKERS TO BE TRAINED. HOW CAN YOU HELP? American Steel Frame Housing, Inc. offers two training programs for their foreign dealers, distributors, agents and builders. 
OPTION 1.   Factory training. This is a two days of hands on training in one of our plants and 2 days of field trips to the steel frame construction sites in the Atlanta Area. The fee for this program is $125/day per trainee (Total $600). This training program teaches only the erection of the steel frame systems and nothing else. The trainees pay all travel expenses.   
OPTION 2.   Job site training. Upon the purchase of minimum 12 homes by the foreign agent or by the customer of the foreign agent, ASFH will send its training team to the country where steel frame houses will be built. ASFH training team will help construct one of the houses purchased and in the process train up to 15 workers. The job site training overseas will take a minimum of 21 days and can be as long as 60 days depending on the size and the specialty of the project. Upon the substantial completion of the first residential structure trainees will have developed sufficient construction skills in building with American construction products, in the following areas:
1. Steel Framing, 2. Roofing Installation, 3. Gutters and down spouts, 4. Exterior siding installation, 5. Interior walls and ceilings (Sheet rock work), 6. Application of Insulation, 7. Windows, 8. Exterior and interior doors. If kitchen and bath materials are purchased from USA, trainees will also be trained in installing kitchens and baths. Job site training expenses are provided by the foreign project and training fees will apply. 

CAN I USE MY ARCHITECTURAL DRAWINGS INSTEAD OF YOUR STANDARD PACKAGES? Yes, you don’t have to buy our standard designs and steel frame kits. ASFH’s core specialties are engineering and providing materials from customer’s architectural Drawings. Standard designs and steel frame kits are available for our buyers as a convenience (as well as for economical reasons).  

CAN WE REQUEST REINFORCED STEEL FRAME KITS FOR NATURAL DISASTER AREAS? Engineering that is applied to standard designs and kits meet and supersede the standard construction codes. For natural disaster regions of the world, standard kits are engineered to resist the worst possible conditions. See pricing notes for additional steel material charges. 

I WOULD LIKE TO VISIT YOU IN ATLANTA. WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP ME UNDERSTAND YOUR OPERATION BETTER? Give us an advanced notice and we will make a program to show you our facilities. During your visit you can visit with our engineers, manufacturing staff and our management teams. You can watch our production line and walk through acres of stocking yards. When you return to your country, your experience and your confidence about our abilities will exceed your expectations. 

WE BUILD STEEL FRAME HOMES. TELL US WHY WE SHOULD BUY YOUR PRODUCT? American Steel Frame Housing, Inc. and Dietrich Steel Frame Industries are in strategic partnership to provide light gauge steel framing systems to their international customers around the world. The group of manufacturing plants operating under the Dietrich name together makes the biggest steel frame manufacturing entity in the world. 27 manufacturing plants produce and ship over 300 trailer-load framing materials everyday. American Steel Frame Housing, Inc. can offer steel framing systems to its customers 10%-15% below their competitors. Value engineering, dependability and supporting programs offered by its professional team makes ASFH the preferred Export Housing Company of USA.

SteelFrameHousing.us®  |  PHONE: 1  (678) 382-0335  |  FAX:  1 (678) 382-3710  |  Updated DECEMBER 22nd, 2005