CINCINNATI, OH – Automotive International of Cincinnati, OH, has been awarded a 2008 Exporter of the Year award from ThinkGlobal, Inc., publisher of Commercial News USA, the official export promotion magazine of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Commercial News USA is a catalog-style magazine distributed to an estimated 400,000 readers in 176 countries worldwide. Awards are given to one U.S. company in each of 15 categories. Privately held Automotive International was named Exporter of the Year in the Automotive/Aviation/Marine Category.
Winners were chosen based on the total number of documented export deals completed in 2006, total percentage increase in sales in 2006 compared to 2005, exports as percentage of total sales, the company’s commitment to exporting, the company’s commitment to customer service and the company’s innovation and originality in marketing p rod ucts or services.
To be eligible for the award, the company must currently be exporting from the U.S.
Automotive International distributes environmental protection chemicals, prep/reconditioning chemicals, body shop compounds/polishes and retail car care chemicals for the automobile industry. Some of its major customers include GM, Ford, Chrysler, Mazda, Hyundai, Nissan, Saturn, Saab and Mitsubishi. The company reported a 73 percent increase over 2005 in total export sales for 2006. Exports now represent 23 percent of the company’s total sales.
Founded in 1971, Automotive International began exporting in 1984. “It is a tremendous honor that Automotive International has been awarded Exporter of the Year award given annually by Commercial News USA,” said Richard Hallberg, president and CEO of Automotive International. “Exporting has been a major emphasis for our company and continues to be a large part of our growth plans. With the valuable assistance from Debbie Dirr of the U.S. Department of Commerce and their worldwide team, we continue to gain significant new business each year.”
Gregory Sandler, publisher of Commercial News USA, said that Automotive International’s success is indicative of how American companies can benefit from exporting. “With 95 percent of the world’s market outside the U.S. , there is significant growth opportunity for American manufacturers and service providers. Current economic conditions – particularly the low value of the dollar – have made American p rod ucts very appealing to foreign buyers. There is no better time than now for U.S. companies to export their goods and services.”
For more information on the Exporter of the Year awards, go to: www.exporteroftheyear.com.
