Congressman Dennis Hastert and Assistant Secretary Al Frink Award S.I. Tech with Export Achievement Certificate
On June 20, 2005, Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert and Assistant Secretary of Manufacturing and Services Al Frink addressed the 70 participants at the International Trade Assistance and Development Conference at Waubonsee Community College in Sugar Grove, Illinois; the event was sponsored by the Office of Congressman J. Dennis Hastert in cooperation with the U.S. Export Assistance Center and Applied Strategies International. Topics highlighted included importance of trade alliances and agreements to open markets, education and innovation, as well as trade adjustment assistance available to manufacturers. AS Frink commended the expertise within the Commercial Service and expressed interest in creating councils of manufacturers within each state.
Both dignitaries presented Illinois exporter and DEC member S.I. Tech with an Export Achievement Certificate. S.I. Tech, a high technology company formed to develop and market fiber optics systems, has been on the leading edge of this technology since its early years. An early entrant in this industry, S.I. Tech has developed numerous well-known fiber optic products and application engineering solutions for customers worldwide. "Mission critical" applications everywhere depend on S.I. Tech - from an oil rig somewhere in Asia, to a factory in Europe, or a university in the United States.
S.I. Tech’s president, Ramesh Sheth, is an active member of the Illinois District Export Council. S.I. Tech is regular user of US Dept of Commerce Commercial Service counseling, market research and programs to support growing exports. S.I. Tech has pursued several new markets this year and is exporting to Finland, Norway and Korea for the first time. In 2003, export sales represented 5.5% of company’s sales, in 2004, company did 7% of sales in exports, in 2005 company is running at a rate of 10% export sales. This represents increases in both dollar amount and number of countries served. S.I. Tech is currently marketing in over 25 countries, a significant achievement for a small company.
Flurida Industries receives Export Achievement Certificate
On June 20, 2005, Congresswoman Judy Biggert and Assistant Secretary for Manufacturing and Services, Al Frink, presented Flurida Industries of Naperville with an Export Achievement Certificate. Flurida Industries is a successful and growing exporter of US manufactured components to China's leading home appliance makers. Since 1997, Flurida Industries has exported an increasing amount of US manufactured components to China’s leading home appliance makers. Flurida represents 10 US companies in China. Flurida’s export sales of high-quality, cutting edge components to China tallied $8M in 2003, $13.6M in 2004 and Flurida expects 2005 sales to reach $18M.
As Frink noted similarities between himself and Flurida's CEO Jeff Ding, an immigrant who has successfully created an export enterprise, and built quality and brand.
Flurida Industries works closely with the U.S. Dept of Commerce Commercial Service offices in Chicago and Beijing. Through this relationship Flurida’s success has been enhanced: Additional US companies are in discussions with Flurida regarding China market representation; Flurida Industries has elected to join the US Dept of Commerce Pavilion at the SinoCES show in Qingdao; The Commercial Service represented the USG at the 2005 opening of a sales office in Shanghai, and US visits of Flurida’s key PRC buyers and its sales manager for China have been made possible thru visa assistance. USEAC Network Director Mary Joyce and Chicago USEAC Director Julie Carducci joined the ceremony.
Illinois Companies Honored with Export Achievement Awards
Neal Burnham, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Domestic Operations with the U.S. Commercial Service, presented the U.S. Commerce Department’s Export Achievement Award to Quickset International, Inc., of Northbrook; Gisco, Inc. of Darien; Chicago Dial Indicator of DesPlaines; and Dickson Co. of Addison in March 2005. The award recognizes U.S. companies that have benefited from the Department’s Commercial Service export assistance to make their first export sale or open new foreign markets.
Quickset, Inc. manufactures durable elevation mounts and tripods for use in the surveillance, communication, and mobile military applications. Working with Commercial Service offices in Chicago and London, the firm participated in the Gold Key Service that provides pre-arranged business appointments overseas, which resulted in a $378,000 sale to a British firm.
Chicago Dial Indicator is a machine tool/metal working manufacturer of precision measuring products such as digital and mechanical gauges used in aeronautics, hydro-electrics, civil engineering, and mechanical construction. The firm utilized customized Commercial Service market research to make a new-to-market sale to Greece last year, contributing to the company’s growth over the last few years and enabling it to hire additional employees.
Dickson Company manufactures instruments used to monitor and record temperature, humidity, and pressure for building facilities and other applications. Dickson utilized the Commercial Service in Chicago and worldwide for export counseling, international partner searches, Gold Key Service, and market research to appoint representatives and make export sales in more than 20 new countries in Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. As a result of exporting, the firm has been able to add new staff.
Gisco, Inc. manufacturers machinery for the cast polymer industry, and is the first in its industry to build cast polymer machinery controlled by computers. Gisco benefited from Commercial Service counseling, market research and trade event information to meet key Chinese contacts at a composites show in Shanghai. As a result, Gisco received an order from one of the Chinese companies with a total invoice value of US $238,000.00.¨
Learning Resources is an Illinois manufacturer of innovative, hands-on educational materials and toys. In February 2004, this new-to-market firm contacted the U.S. Commercial Service office in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, to request advocacy assistance in connection with their participation in a government tender involving a rural education project. The company had serious concerns regarding several of the tender elements, including technical specification changes, requirements, and presentation date extensions. CS Tegucigalpa submitted a letter to the Rural Education Project of the Ministry of Education, highlighting the U.S. bidder’s experience in executing contracts for similar goods and amounts in educational market around the world. The letter also emphasized the Embassy’s hopes for a transparent international competitive bidding process. Throughout the year, CS Tegucigalpa maintained contact with the U.S. firm’s International Bids Coordinator and continued to provide valuable guidance in connection to local government procurement practices. The company is a client of Director Robin Mugford, Libertyville EAC, and they receive counseling on CS programs and services from Director Mugford and Senior International Trade Specialist Debra Rogers who handles the education industry in the Chicago USEAC.