Four southeastern Wisconsin firms are among eight statewide which have received Governor’s Export Achievement Awards. The awards were presented at the recent Wisconsin International Trade Conference in Milwaukee. The award winners are:
Small Industrial: BTIO Educational Products, Eau Claire. BTIO Educational Products began operations with the creation of an infant simulator, a doll that strives to give teenagers the most realistic experience of caring for an infant short of parenting a real child. Utilizing a number of Wisconsin vendors, BTIO offers the simulators, an entire package of accessories, educational and promotional materials, and manuals. The firm has expanded its efforts to include a smoking and education program. BTIO has worked closely with the Department of Commerce’s overseas offices to analyze markets and meet with government health and social agency officials to answer the unique challenges that each culture faces in regards to teen pregnancy and smoking. Each year BTIO hosts an international distributor conference that allows people from all over the world to share problems and solutions to help meet these challenges. (BTIO founder Mary Jurmain was recently named the national first runner-up in the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Small Business Person of the Year awards program, and is also a finalist in the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in the manufacturing category.)
Medium Industrial: PDQ Manufacturing, De Pere — PDQ Manufacturing is a global leader of touch-free, brushless vehicle washing technology. The firm’s products are famous for their durability and reliability in all climates. In October 2001 PDQ’s LaserWash 4000 received the "gold" award as the most technologically innovative equipment at the Equip’Auto Exposition in Paris, one of the largest trade shows featuring auto-related products and services. PDQ Manufacturing has experienced consistent double-digit growth in its sales to other countries since 1995. The firm has 25 international distributors that sell product in over 50 countries including Canada, Brazil, Russia and China. PDQ Manufacturing achieved ISO 9001 certification in May 1998 and was recertified in March 2001 with zero non-conformances, a very rare accomplishment.
Small Service: Medica International Ltd., Saukville — Medica International serves as the export department for several Wisconsin companies in the pharmaceutical and healthcare fields. Sales have grown by more than 30 percent in each of the last four years, and grew by nearly 55 percent last year. The services of the firm ensure that no matter how small or inexperienced a Wisconsin manufacturer may be, its products can find markets overseas.
Large Industrial: Rite Hite Corp., Milwaukee — Rite Hite is a world leader in the manufacture of loading dock and industrial door safety products. The firm directly employs approximately 1,000 people and maintains over 30 different representative relationships at over 100 locations throughout North and South America, Asia, and Europe. In order to foster strong relationships, Rite Hite brings staff from its foreign representatives to the Milwaukee headquarters for a full year of training. These trainees have the opportunity to interact with the internal sales, engineering, marketing, and support staffs in order to ensure that Rite Hite products address local market conditions.
Export Plus Award: NACM of Wisconsin, New Berlin — The National Association of Credit Management (NACM) of Wisconsin is a not-for-profit, member-owned association that services commercial credit professionals and works for the advancement of the Wisconsin commercial credit community. Within NACM, the International Credit Executives group meets bi-monthly, allowing experts to share news and knowledge of credit and payment conditions in markets around the world with their peers. The activities of the group ensure that firms find international markets profitable and encourage other businesses to follow in their footsteps. The 113 corporate members of NACM account for at least 50 percent of Wisconsin’s total exports.
Small Food, Agriculture, or Forestry: Dairy Strategies, LLC, Madison — Dairy Strategies is a small financial management consulting company that provides various services, including business and strategic planning, human resource training, and risk management decision support, to dairy processors and dairy-related businesses. Serving 32 countries, its international business grew by 50 percent in 1999, nearly 100 percent in 2000, and over 200 percent last year. Dairy Strategies is ensuring that dairy operators and related agri-businesses around the world look to Wisconsin for the newest business strategies and technologies as well as dairy equipment and supplies.
Large Food, Agriculture, or Forestry: Jones Dairy Farm, Fort Atkinson — Jones Dairy Farm is a 103-year-old, family-owned manufacturer of various sausage, ham and bacon products. It has been exporting for 15 years to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. Jones Dairy Farm reformulates its product by changing the blend of meats and spices to both fit local tastes and benefit from more favorable tariff treatment. The firm participated in Governor McCallum’s trade mission to Mexico and was able to finalize a deal that would allow its products to be sold at Sam’s Club outlets in Mexico.
Large Service: Foley & Lardner, Milwaukee & Madison — Foley & Lardner is the largest and oldest law firm in Wisconsin and the 11th largest law firm in the United States. The firm’s International Business Team provides special legal counsel and represents U.S. and foreign clients in a variety of cross-border commercial transactions. To better support client business within the European Union (EU), Foley & Lardner has an office in Brussels that offers advice on EU regulations and represents clients before the EU Commission. The firm has participated in eight governor-led trade missions.
The Governor’s Export Achievement Awards are presented annually to state companies actively involved in export trade. Criteria include degree of export-related growth; innovative techniques and approaches that resulted in the company’s success; and demonstration of extra effort in capturing worldwide markets. For further information on the Governor’s Export Achievement Awards, contact Mary Regel, Department of Commerce at 608-266-1767.
May 24, 2002 Small Business Times, Milwaukee
