Iraq Investment and Reconstruction Task Force of the U.S. Department of Commerce

July, 2004, edition

Feature: Commercial Success in Iraq
Home Essentials, a medium-size furniture leasing operation out of Dallas, Texas, has announced the opening of its office in Baghdad, Iraq. Home Essentials has entered into a partnership with URUK Furniture Design, an Iraqi furniture enterprise.

With this move it has become the first foreign furniture leasing operation to have a direct presence in Iraq. Home Essentials initial investment exceeds $500,000. The Iraq venture and partnership has already resulted in 15 new Iraqi jobs, however, the company anticipates this number increasing.

U.S. Department of Commerce officials assisted and advised Home Essentials in its venture into the Iraqi market. Assistance by the Iraq Investment and Reconstruction Task Force has been extremely helpful in helping Home Essentials expand its venture into the Iraq marketplace.

Home Essentials presence in Iraq is one example of the numerous private sector trade and investment opportunities in Iraq. Mr. Chris Exline, President of Home Essentials, stated, "Those that deem Coalition contracts and U.S. contracts as the reason for entering Iraq miss the picture. Iraq has a need for everything. The consumer market and general population require consumables, raw materials, products, real estate expertiseŠanything we have in the U.S. is needed in post-conflict Iraq. The best days are ahead.