NATCHEZ &8212; If you asked the group of Swedish inventors who were showing off their various products Tuesday afternoon what is the one thing that makes a good inventor, they would all say the same thing.

It&8217;s not the idea or the design or a patent or even the fininancing.

The thing that makes an invention great is a good market.

And that is what the eight companies were looking for when they displayed their inventions in the Historic Natchez Foundation conference room.

From baby handprint keepsakes and plastic drink trays for your patio to an innovative guardrail system for scaffolding to a &8220;smart&8221; house alarm system each of the innovative products offered were looking for the same thing &8212; someone who believed in the products enough to help finance and distribute them.

&8220;We have nine million people in Sweden. That market is too small,&8221; Erik Persson of the Swedish Inventors Association said.

That is why the inventors were in Natchez Tuesday &8212; to expand their market.

&8220;We hope to make Mississippi the gateway to the North American market,&8221; Persson said.

Steve Vassallo, President of the Swedish American Chamber of Commerce, said the inventors are touring the state of Mississippi and surrounding area this week to find outlets for their technologies.

From Natchez the group plans to show their products in New Orleans, Jackson, Ridgeland and Oxford.

&8220;These are people who want to partner with people who want to make money off of their products.&8221;

The visit is a part of the relationship formed by the Swedish Chamber of Commerce and Natchez Mayor Phillip West, said Vasallo.

If anyone is interested in the various products presented Tuesday they may call Vasallo at 601-594-1919 or by e-mail at

sovasallo@aol.com

.