Governor recognizes 37 West Virginia exporters, announces STEP grant funding
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (August 24, 2016) – Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin, along with West Virginia Department of Commerce Secretary Keith Burdette, today awarded the International Market Entry Award to 37 companies from across the Mountain State. These awards honor West Virginia companies that successfully exported to a new country. In 2015, West Virginia companies exported more than $5.8 billion in products to more than 140 countries.
During the award presentation, Gov. Tomblin also announced that West Virginia has been once again selected by the U.S. Small Business Administration to receive funding through the State Trade and Export Promotion (STEP) grant initiative. These funds will support the West Virginia Development Office’s export assistance program to help small businesses offset the costs of international business.
“Today we celebrate West Virginia companies that have proven our state can compete successfully in the global market. Exports are a vital tool for economic growth,” Gov. Tomblin said. “These businesses are an asset to our state as we continue to grow our business landscape and diversify West Virginia’s economy. I always look forward to this opportunity to recognize their successes.”
The Governor’s Commendation for International Market Entry Awards honor companies that have successfully exported to a new country in the previous year. Each company receives a framed piece of currency from each new country to which the business began exporting. The presentation is based on the tradition of displaying the first dollar a business earns.
Companies receiving the Governor’s Commendation for the first time this year are Probe America in Beckley, Mountain State Hardwoods in Bancroft, and Mountaineer Brand in Shepherdstown. In a special presentation, Wheeling Truck Center received its 100th export award. Since making their first export sale in 2010, the company has exported to more than 100 countries.
The West Virginia Development Office International Division helps small- to medium-sized West Virginia businesses enter new foreign markets. For more information on export development services offered by the state, visit www.worldtradewv.org.
Commendations were awarded today to the following businesses:
Berkeley County
Library Corporation, Inwood. Countries: Ethiopia and Madagascar. Product: Automation software for libraries. Countries: Ethiopia and Madagascar.
Power Sonix, Inc, Martinsburg. Country: Cote D’Ivoire. Product: Public address systems.
Brooke County
American Muscle Docks & Fabrication, Wellsburg. Countries: Mexico and Norway. Products: Boat docks, hardware, and marine accessories.
Eagle Manufacturing Company, Wellsburg. Countries: Canada; France; Mexico; and South Korea. Products: Safety cabinets, safety cans, spill containment, material handling.
United States Gypsum Company, Weirton. Country: Jordan. Product: Building material – corner bead.
Cabell County
Steel of West Virginia, Inc., Huntington. Countries: India and Thailand. Product: Steel rolling mill.
Fayette County
The Robbins Company, Fayetteville. Country: Albania. Product: Conveyor equipment.
Grant County
Allegheny Wood Products, Petersburg. Country: Australia. Product: Hardwood lumber.
Greenbrier County
Almost Heaven Saunas, LLC, Renick. Countries: Costa Rica and Czech Republic. Products: Indoor and outdoor saunas.
American Foam Technologies, Inc., Maxwelton. Country: Netherlands. Product: Phenolic and urethane foam.
Appalachian Electronic Instruments, Ronceverte. Country: Brazil. Product: Textile quality/ process control equipment.
Ezebreak, LLC, Frankford. Country: Norway. Product: Micro-Blaster kits and accessories.
Falcon Analytical Systems & Technology, LLC, Lewisburg. Countries: Brazil, Ireland and Russia. Product: Gas chromatographs.
Hardy County
Peacock Manufacturing Co., LLC, Wardensville. Country: Honduras. Product: Custom cabinetry manufacturing.
Harrison County
FMW Rubber Products, Inc., Bridgeport. Country: Japan. Product: Ground expedient refueling system (GERS).
Jackson County
Constellium Rolled Products Ravenswood, LLC, Ravenswood. Country: South Africa. Products: Aluminum sheet, plate, coil products.
Niche Polymer, LLC, Ravenswood. Country: China. Product: Plastic compounding, extrusion.
Jefferson County
Mountaineer Brand, Shepherdstown. Country: Sweden. Products: Natural beard and body care products.
Schonstedt Instrument Company, Kearneysville. Countries: Dominica; Mexico; Panama; Paraguay; and Republic of Macedonia. Products: Underground utility locators.
Kanawha County
Cyclops Industries, Inc., South Charleston. Country: Iraq. Product: Cyclops safety sight glass.
NGK Spark Plugs (U.S.A.), Inc., Sissonville. Countries: China; Germany; Thailand; and United Kingdom. Products: Spark plugs, oxygen sensors.
Preiser Scientific, Inc., Charleston. Country: Nepal. Products: Laboratory testing equipment for the coal industry.
Resolute Forest Products, Fairmont. Countries: Australia; Italy; Japan; South Korea; Spain; and United Kingdom. Product: Recycled bleach kraft pulp.
Marshall County
Tecnocap, LLC, Glen Dale. Countries: Brazil; Mexico; and Sri Lanka. Products: Metal closures for packaging.
Monongalia County
Gurkees®, Morgantown. Countries: China; Cyprus; Finland; Israel; Poland; Switzerland; Taiwan; and United Arab Emirates. Product: Rope sandals.
Z Electric Vehicle, Westover. Countries: Indonesia and United Arab Emirates. Products: Electric vehicles, EV components.
Morgan County
Caperton Furniturworks, LLC, Berkeley Springs. Countries: Uganda and Vietnam. Product: Wooden furniture.
Ohio County
Direct Online Marketing, Wheeling. Countries: Costa Rica and Germany. Products: Digital marketing; search engine marketing.
TROY Group, Inc., Wheeling. Countries: Chad; China; Cyprus; Dominican Republic; El Salvador; Ethiopia; French Polynesia; Hungary; Indonesia; Iraq; Kuwait; Malaysia; Mozambique; New Zealand; Pakistan; Panama; Paraguay; Spain; Thailand; and Turkey. Product: Security printing solutions.
Wheeling Truck Center, Inc., Wheeling. Countries: Ethiopia; Moldova; Guatemala; and Panama. Product: Truck parts.
Putnam County
Kanawha Scales & Systems, Inc., Poca. Country: Australia. Product: Coal train loadout.
Mountain State Hardwoods, Bancroft. Countries: China; Egypt; United Kingdom; and Vietnam. Product: Lumber.
Multicoat Products, Fraziers Bottom. Countries: Canada; China; Costa Rica; Greece; Japan; Mexico; and United Arab Emirates. Product: Construction coatings.
Raleigh County
American Airworks, Sophia. Countries: China; Indonesia; Lithuania; Nigeria; Panama; Qatar; Spain; and Sweden. Products: High pressure breathing apparatus and compressed air components.
Cogar Manufacturing, Beckley. Country: Austria. Product: Feeder breaker.
Englo, Inc. dba Engart, Inc., Beckley. Countries: Philippines, Thailand; and Trinidad & Tobago. Product: Dust extraction.
Probe America, Inc., Beckley. Countries: Bahamas and Canada. Products: Odor and dust control products.
Wood County
Baron-Blakeslee SFC, Inc., Williamstown. Countries: Costa Rica and Egypt. Product: Industrial cleaning systems.
Photo courtesy of Office of the Governor
# # #