| |
'Graduates' to Tell Exporting Successes at January Business Event
Four manufacturers who are successfully exporting their products to boost their bottom lines will share their stories at Enterprise Minnesota's Jan. 23 business event, Growing Your Business Internationally - Exporting Strategies in 2013, at Uponor in Apple Valley.
"Any size company can become a successful exporter," said Bob Kill, president and CEO of Enterprise Minnesota. "It's no longer just what big companies do." With more than 95 percent of the world's market outside the U.S. and 47 percent of all U.S. exports manufactured goods, exporting represents significant growth opportunities for medium and smaller size manufacturers.
Presenters on Jan. 23 will be:
• Joel Wittenbraker, president of MacTech, Red Wing
• Allan Cronen, president of GVL Poly, Litchfield
• Mike Wilcox, vice president of sales and marketing a
Delkor Systems, St. Paul
• Peter Lyle, vice president of international sales a
Schaefer Ventilation Equipment, Sauk Rapids
All four companies are "graduates" of Enterprise Minnesota's Global Market Strategy curriculum. Global Market Strategy shows manufacturers how to make strategic exporting decisions, guides them through the steps of discovering which foreign markets hold the greatest potential for their products and explains how to effectively target each market.
Enterprise Minnesota's Global Market Strategy has helped many manufacturers successfully diversify revenue sources, extend product life cycles and capitalize on a devalued dollar. At MacTech, a company that provides onsite machining tools and service to heavy equipment for oil and gas, power generation and shipbuilding industries, exporting dramatically grew its business after it found niches in regions to sell equipment. The company has added at least two international distributors per year in the last three years and sales have increased by approximately $500,000 per year.
Within a month after completing Global Market Strategy, GVL Poly, which manufactures specialty polyethylene attachments for agricultural machinery, shipped products to Ukraine. International sales jumped from five to 20 percent in 2012 and the company expects exporting to eventually generate 50 percent of its revenues.
At Delkor, which manufactures packaging machinery for the food industry, over 30 percent of the company's revenues in 2012 were from exporting, an all-time high. Exporting has increased threefold since 2008 and occurred at the same time its domestic business was also growing.
In 2012, Schaefer Ventilation, maker of thermal comfort products for agricultural, horticultural, industrial and commercial industries, had export sales of $3 million, up from $1.3 million in 2011 and $1.1 million in 2010. The company now has 14 dealers in countries as diverse as Pakistan and the United Kingdom.
Want to hear more about each company's exporting expertise and experiences? Register online now for the Jan. 23 Business Event. Learn more about Enterprise Minnesota's Global Market Strategy.
|
Growing Your Business Internationally - Exporting Strategies in 2013
Wednesday, Jan. 23
8-11am
Uponor
5925 148th St West
Apple Valley, MN
Cost: Early Bird, $79 by Jan. 8; Regular $119
Register Online
What to Expect: Exporting
has great potential to grow a company's profitability. Come hear from
these successful manufacturing executives to find out what companies are
doing to create a proactive business strategy to sell internationally
and how they're connecting with international business experts who help
navigate the export process..
Speakers: • Allan Cronen, President & CEO, GVL Poly
• Peter Lyle, Vice President of International Sales,
Schaefer Ventilation
• Mike Wilcox, Vice President of Sales & Marketing,
Delkor Systems
• Joel Wittenbraker, President, MacTech
Register Online Today!
Have news or events for e-trends? Contact Sue Roe at sue.roe@enterpriseminnesota.org |
|
|
|
Industry News STEM Internship Program Helps Minnesota Companies Meet Future Workforce Needs
The Minnesota High Tech Association is offering SciTechsperience, a paid internship program that matches college students studying science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) disciplines with small, for-profit companies with fewer than 100 employees. Hiring companies receive a dollar for dollar matching stipend for the intern's wages. The match is capped at $2,500 and is available on a first come, first hired basis while funding lasts. Eligible industries include manufacturing, mining, materials, processing, fuels, energy, ag, food, forestry, biotech and life sciences, aerospace and defense. Minnesota will need an estimated 188,000 STEM workers by 2018 in order to keep up with evolving technology and retiring baby boomers. This program is an important step in preparing the state's future STEM workers to meet real world challenges. For more information, go the SciTechsperience page on the MHTA website.
State Manufacturers Optimistic About 2013
Minnesota manufacturers are optimistic about the industry in the coming year, with 85 percent saying they expect production and employment levels to increase or stay the same, according to a survey by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) and the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. In the random survey of Minnesota manufacturers conducted in November, 44 percent of those that responded expect orders to grow in 2013 and one-fourth expect to hire more workers.
PositivelyMinnesota.com article continues
Enterprise Minnesota Looking for Service Delivery Consultant
Enterprise Minnesota is seeking a talented business professional to join its statewide team.
enterpriseminnesota.org
More Information
MnTAP Taking Proposals for Summer Program
The
Minnesota Technical Assistance Program (MnTAP) is currently seeking
project proposals from Minnesota businesses for its 2013 summer intern
program. Businesses interested in reducing waste and improving energy
efficiency are encouraged to apply for an intern in 2013. Each year, the
interns are chosen based upon their outstanding educational background
and leadership capabilities. Proposed projects are evaluated for
reduction potential, specific goals achievable in three months, relation
to previous projects, application of results to other Minnesota
businesses, and company interest and commitment. Projects should focus
on identifying specific options for reducing waste and increasing energy
efficiency. Proposals are due to MnTAP by February 1, 2013.
MnTAP article continues
Altec HiLine Plans to Expand Duluth Manufacturing Facility
Altec HiLine - which manufactures high-reaching, vehicle-mounted aerial devices - plans to expand its manufacturing facility in Duluth's Clure Public Marine Terminal. The expansion is possible because of a $1.8 million expansion and relocation of A.W. Kuettel & Sons from the marine terminal to a new building in the Duluth Airpark. The move will free up space in the terminal for Altec HiLine's expansion. Both expansions will result in the creation of more jobs, company representatives say. Altec HiLine's expansion, scheduled to happen this spring, will upgrade manufacturing equipment and related machinery. Based in Alabama, the company expanded to Duluth in 2002. It provides products for the electric utility, telecommunication, tree care and other industries.
DuluthNewsTribune.com article continues
Upcoming EventsMinnesota Green Chemistry 2013: Beakers to Business Plans
Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota
Jan. 25, 2013
8am
321 19th Ave S
Minneapolis
Register Now
GreenLean® - Eliminating Time & Energy Wastes to Cut Costs and Grow Business
Enterprise Minnesota Business Event
Feb. 13, 2013
8-11am
Great River Energy
12300 Elm Creek Blvd.North
Maple Grove
Register Now
State of Manufacturing Statewide Poll Release
Enterprise Minnesota
April 18
4-7:30pm
Minneapolis Convention Center Second Floor
Register Now for Free Event
|
|
