ECD Announces 2013 Governor's Award for Trade Excellence Winners
NASHVILLE—The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development today announced that Magneti Marelli in Pulaski, Lodge Manufacturing Company in South Pittsburg, and BIOQUANT Image Analysis Corporation in Nashville are recipients of the Governor’s Award for Trade Excellence. The GATE Award honors large, medium and small-size companies who have achieved excellence in engaging in global trade. The winners will be presented their award on Friday, Oct. 4, at the 60th Annual Governor’s Conference on Economic and Community Development during the Governor’s Luncheon.
“Tennessee continues to improve its export value, nearly tripling in the past decade and outpacing U.S. growth as a whole,” Hagerty said. “All three of the GATE Award winners have made significant contributions to our state in the amount of capital they’ve invested and the new jobs they’ve created. I congratulate them for their outstanding achievements in bringing Tennessee-made products to the global stage.”
Magneti Marelli is the recipient of the GATE Award in the large company category. A global automotive supplier, Magneti Marelli has been operating in Tennessee as a suspension systems manufacturing plant since late 2009 in Pulaski, and in June 2012, the company announced expansion plans to include a lighting division with an investment of $53.7 million. Magneti Marelli in Tennessee produces shocks, struts, headlamps and tail lamps, which it exports to Mexico, Canada, Brazil and Poland. Exports account for approximately 36% of Magneti Marelli’s total sales.
Lodge Manufacturing Company is the recipient of the GATE Award in the medium company category. Lodge, located in South Pittsburg, was founded in 1896 and produces cast iron cookware. Over the past year, through distribution networks in five continents, Lodge recorded nearly $3 million in export sales.
BIOQUANT Image Analysis Corporation is the recipient of the GATE Award in the small company category. Founded in Nashville in 2002, BIOQUANT is a digital pathology company that provides unique software, hardware, and contract services for basic life science research in bone biology, vision research, and neuroscience. With partners in India, China, United Kingdom, and Europe, exports account for approximately 20% of BIOQUANT’s total sales.
Tennessee companies exported $31.1 billion worth of goods and services to other countries in 2012, an increase of over 167% over the past ten years. Tennessee is the 14th largest exporting state in the U.S. and one of the country’s fastest growing exporters.
The 60th Annual Governor’s Conference on Economic and Community Development will be held Oct. 3 – 4 at the Music City Center in downtown Nashville. For more information on the conference, please visit www.tnecdcon.com.
About the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development
The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development’s mission is to develop strategies which help make Tennessee the No. 1 location in the Southeast for high quality jobs. The department seeks to attract new corporate investment in Tennessee and works with Tennessee companies to facilitate expansion and economic growth. Find us on the web: tn.gov/ecd. Follow us on Twitter: @tnecd. Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/tnecd.
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