They grew a significant part of their business from exports
5/15/2017 1:00:00 PM
International trade is a key part of the Minnesota economy. Minnesota companies generated more than $19 billion in sales from exports of agricultural, mining and manufactured products last year. Businesses exported 1,044 different products to 207 countries in 2016. Exports support almost 120,000 jobs in Minnesota.
Six Minnesota companies – successful exporters that can inspire other Minnesota businesses to pursue international trade – have been awarded the 2016 Governor’s International Trade Award from the Minnesota Trade Office.
The six were selected for developing and growing a significant part of their business from exports, for increasing or maintaining jobs in Minnesota to support international sales, and for developing novel approaches for competing globally. Check for photos of the 2016 winners here.
More background on the companies:
This privately owned company – selling under the name of Big John Games – designs and develops all aspects of its video games, including artwork, the game code logic and music. Big John Games sells to customers in the U.S. and 28 countries worldwide, via Nintendo and its distributor networks. Export sales of $2.2 million were 80 percent of the company’s total sales in 2015. Relationships with Nintendo and a distributor named Arc were strengthened during a recent visit to Japan. The company believes their current relationships will allow future game releases to continue to reach worldwide markets. “We are thrilled that a small company from Minnesota is a worldwide brand,” the company said.
Crown Iron started as a small Minnesota blacksmith shop in 1878. In 1948 it diversified into food processing by introducing the “Solvent Extractor“ for processing oilseeds such as soybeans. After successfully selling in the U.S., Crown Iron began to design and build for overseas markets in the 1960s. Today, there are more than 400 Crown-designed and built oilseed plants in 50 countries. Their customers, including Cargill, Bunge, and Louis Dreyfus are world leaders. Half of the world’s soybeans are processed with Crown equipment. In 2015, Crown export sales were $42 million, 57 percent of its total sales.
This company was started in 1974 and is still owned by one of the co-founders. DCM designs and manufactures machine tools and surface grinding equipment for niche markets. Sales and service are handled factory-direct. DCM’s customer base had been primarily U.S., Canada and Mexico, however in the past 15 years it has grown to include 19 countries in the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia. DCM’s growing reputation, U.S. customers expanding into global markets, and from DCM’s website-generated sales resulted in export sales of $ 1.02 million, 14 percent of total sales.
Privately held Great Plains Processing manufactures and ships animal feed supplements to 42 countries, amounting to 65 percent of its total sales. In the past three years, international shipments have grown 9.2 percent to 2.3 million kg. The number of employees grew from 12 to 19 during the same time. The company grows its international sales through regular phone calls, emails, and international company and plant visits. GPP is currently developing a new line of animal feed supplements that they expect will grow their business exponentially. Plans are being developed to expand their operation with a second facility possibly within the next few years.
Ralco is a third-generation, over 40-year-old family business with distribution in 25 countries. Ralco provides advanced technologies in animal nutrition, animal health and enhanced plant performance products. It has 15 Ph.D, and Masters level staff as well as a veterinarian. In the past three years, the company has added six export country destinations, expanded exports to more than $7 million, or 8.8 percent of total sales, and has increased FT employees from 135 to 188. It has also invested in state-of-the-art manufacturing processes and has built a new distribution center. Ralco is well positioned for both increased domestic and global markets.
www.toptool.com
Founded 1966, Top Tool Company is a family held, woman-owned, precision metal stamping manufacturer with a reputation for quality and service. Early product mix included building tools and dies for Minnesota companies Honeywell and 3M. Several years later the company left the commodity sector to move to the highly regulated, more specialized market space where tolerances are measured in microns and millimeters, using exotic alloys such as platinum iridium. Top Tool received a grant from the State of Minnesota for Lean manufacturing in 2005. In 2008 it became ISO 9001 certified. In subsequent years Top Tool Company became ITAR Compliant for defense work and achieved ISO 13485 Medical Certification. With its first direct export sale in 2010, Top Tool is now very active in export creation. Over the past three years, its exports have risen from $251,000 to $922,000.
DEED’s Minnesota Trade Office is focused on increasing state export sales in foreign markets and attracting foreign direct investment to Minnesota. The Trade Office promotes international trade by providing export information, export education and training, and one-on-one counseling to Minnesota companies that wish to sell manufactured goods and services in the international marketplace.
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