EDC and PROFIT Magazine announce winners of inaugural Canada Export
Achievement Awards
"The dogged perseverance of the winners in the face of significant exporting challenges during a global recession are shining examples of Canadian companies that are among the very best in the world," said
"This year's winners clearly demonstrate the value of foreign markets to Canadian companies, no matter how small or how young a business is," said Ian
The new awards program was created by EDC and PROFIT to inspire and encourage Canadian companies to expand internationally by celebrating the export achievements of successful Canadian small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The winners are:
- Jewel Pop Inc. of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, is a producer of jewelry
with interchangeable beads. With over 89 per cent of Jewel Pop's
sales originating outside of Canada, they have overcome several
challenges specific to Canadian exporters, such as currency-exchange
transaction fees and shipping charges. In addition, Jewel Pop
developed a tiered purchase program to help encourage stronger sales
support from its distributors.
- FreeBalance Inc. of Ottawa, Ontario, develops financial-management
software for governments around the globe. Half of FreeBalance's
revenues are generated in Asia, the Middle-East, Africa and Latin
America, which can be challenging markets at the best of times.
However, FreeBalance's products are geared toward helping states deal
with their distressed markets, requiring significant amounts of
flexibility from both its products and its exporting approach.
FreeBalance also established a client advisory board that helps
direct up to 20 per cent of its R&D, engaging clients from around the
world.
- Via Vegan Ltd. of Montreal, Quebec is a designer of handbags made of
recycled plastic bottles. Via Vegan has been global from the
beginning. Last year, more that 45 per cent of the firm's total sales
were generated internationally thanks to ingenuity in locating
developing foreign distributors and sales agents. Their exporting
approach, developed with market-specific research including legal
services and marketing, has been standardized so that they can focus
on strategy. In addition, Via Vegan outsources production to Asia and
is planning a push into emerging markets.
- Alta Exports International Ltd. of Calgary, Alberta produces breeding
cattle and bovine genetic materials and technologies. Alta recovered
from the BSE crisis to become a major exporter to Russia after
organizing trade missions to the key regions with representatives
from Alberta Agriculture, Canadian Food Inspection Agency and several
cattle industry organizations. These missions helped educate the
market and bring strong credibility to the Canada cattle industry
overall. Alta also established a commission-specific platform for its
foreign sales agents.
- Bioteq Environmental Technologies Inc. of Vancouver, British
Columbia, develops waste-water treatment plants and technologies for
the mining industry. Originally, Bioteq's sales were all domestic,
but the company now generates 80 per cent of its sales from foreign
markets. Bioteq's experience in developing the right markets in China
and the opening of their in-market office is a case study in export
development. Bioteq also leveraged the services National Research
Council and the Canadian Trade Commission to enhance their
credibility in foreign markets.
The five winners were selected based on geographic distribution, with one winner from each Canadian region defined as Pacific, Prairies and the Territories, Ontario,
Winners will also receive national media coverage in PROFIT and L'actualité magazines, in addition to other marketing and public-relations opportunities. Official recognition as a
About EDC
EDC is Canada's export credit agency, offering innovative commercial solutions to help Canadian exporters and investors expand their international business. EDC's knowledge and partnerships are used by more than 8,300 Canadian companies and their global customers in up to 200 markets worldwide each year. EDC is financially self-sustaining, a recognized leader in financial reporting and economic analysis, and has been recognized as one of Canada's Top 100 Employers for nine consecutive years.About PROFIT Magazine
PROFIT: Your Guide to Business Success is Canada's pre-eminent publication dedicated to the management issues and opportunities facing small and mid-sized businesses. For more than 25 years, Canadian entrepreneurs across a vast array of economic sectors have remained loyal to PROFIT because it's a timely and reliable source of actionable information that helps them increase their revenues, boost their profitability and get the recognition they deserve for generating positive economic and social change. Visit PROFIT online at http://www.profitmagazine.ca
For further information: Media contacts: Phil Taylor, Export Development Canada, Tel: (613) 598-2904, Blackberry: [email protected]; Louise Leger, PROFIT: Your Guide to Business Success, Tel: (416) 764-4125, E-mail: [email protected]
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