Roll-A-Ramp Named Exporter of the Year by U.S. Export Promotion Magazine
Roll-A-Ramp, of West Fargo, N.D ., has been awarded a 2007 ThinkGlobal/Commercial News USA Exporter of the Year award from ThinkGlobal Inc., publisher of Commercial News USA, the official export promotion magazine of the U.S. Commerce Department.
Roll-A-Ramp, a manufacturer of portable ramps, was named Exporter of the Year in the Consumer Goods category — one of 15 industry categories recognized. The company reported total export sales of $750,000 in 2005, a 33 percent increase from 2004. Exports now represent 45 percent of the company's total sales.
"Exporting Roll-A-Ramp outside the U.S. was a big step and important step for Roll-A-Ramp," said Roll-A-Ramp President and CEO Thomas E. Kenville. "Because we are a smaller company, it allowed us to both open up the world to accessibility, as well as to add to revenue growth. It was accomplished with the much-needed help of the U.S. Commercial Service. Roll-A-Ramp is now exporting to 26 countries."
Winners were chosen based on the total number of documented export deals completed in 2005, total percentage increase in sales in 2005 compared to 2004, 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 products or services. To be eligible for the award, the company must currently be exporting from the United States.
Gregory Sandler, publisher of Commercial News USA, said that Roll-A-Ramp'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 manufactures and service providers."
Commercial News USA is a catalog-style magazine distributed to an estimated 400,000 readers in 176 countries worldwide. For more information about the Exporter of the Year award, visit www.exporteroftheyear.com.
This article originally appeared in the January 2007 issue of HME Business.