Suniva, Inc. (Norcross, GA), a manufacturer of high-efficiency solar cells and modules, received the 2010 Green Transaction of the Year award from the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) at the Bank's annual conference in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, March 11th.
Suniva used a $2 million Ex-Im Bank short-term multi-buyer insurance policy to offer a $500,000 credit line to a customer in India to buy its solar equipment, and has a number of potential export deals in the pipeline. The company plans to expand its U.S. facilities and add U.S. jobs to meet growing demand.
"Suniva exemplifies the innovative spirit behind the development of America's leading-edge green technology, and its export to the global marketplace," said Ex-Im Bank Chairman and President Fred P. Hochberg. "This company is growing global business and U.S. jobs at a time when many small companies are wary of exporting. We hope Sunivia's receipt of this award will inspire other U.S. small businesses to increase sales through exporting, with the support of Ex-Im Bank."
Suniva grew out of the Department of Energy-funded University Center of Excellence in Photovoltaics at the Georgia Institute of Technology, a key site for silicon photovoltaics research in the U.S. Export sales represent 90 percent of the company's business. Seventy of its 130 employees were hired in the past year in an area that has been hard-hit by manufacturing plant closures. New Suniva employees were hired from closed auto company plants in Atlanta as well as other shuttered companies. Approximately 23 percent of its employees are military veterans.
"Having the backing of Ex-Im Bank is of tremendous value in selling even more U.S.-made products in the global marketplace," said Suniva Chief Marketing Officer Bryan Ashley. "There are many situations where Ex-Im Bank availability can make the difference between whether we are short-listed or not. We now have five potential deals in the pipeline where Ex-Im Bank availability is critical to winning the sale. We're currently expanding our facilities in Georgia, and will be hiring additional employees to support that expansion."
Clipper Windpower Inc. (Carpinteria, Ca), a manufacturer of wind turbines received the 2010 Deal of the Year award from the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) at the Bank's annual conference in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, March 11.
Clipper achieved a number of firsts when it broke into the global marketplace by exporting 27 Liberty 2.5-megawatt wind turbines to Mexico, backed by an Ex-Im Bank $80.66 million direct loan.
"Clipper Windpower's transaction was the first export of its wind technology outside of the United States, the first Ex-Im Bank project financing for a wind power sale, and the first large U.S. wind technology sale in Latin America," said Ex-Im Bank Chairman and President Fred P. Hochberg. "The transaction is keeping U.S. workers employed while furthering renewable energy and green technology exports."
The Liberty wind turbines were installed at La Ventosa-La Mata in Oaxaca, Mexico and are currently starting operations. The 67.5-megawatt project is owned by Electrica del Valle de Mexico (EVM), a subsidiary of France's EDF Energies Nouvelle. The project area is home to one of the world's best wind resources with average wind speeds of 12 meters-per-second, and a total estimated wind resource of 6,000 megawatts.
"The Ex-Im Bank funding provided support for Clipper's sales efforts at a time when project financing was tough to get," said Clipper CEO Doug Pertz. "The export helped keep people working in our Iowa factory at a time when many companies in America were downsizing. We're confident that this first export for Clipper also will encourage additional international sales for us in the future, and support additional green jobs for America."
DemeTech Corporation (Miami, Fl), an exporter of surgical sutures and blades headquartered in received the 2010 Small Business Exporter of the Year award from the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) at the Bank's 2010 Annual Conference in Washington, D.C., on March 11th.
Using an Ex-Im Bank multibuyer export credit insurance policy, DemeTech has expanded into a large number of global markets that want cutting-edge U.S. technology but could not buy it without the Ex-Im Bank support.
"DemeTech tapped the resources of both the private sector and three U.S. government agencies to expand its export of top-quality medical equipment to some 80 countries from Latin America to the Middle East to Asia," said Ex-Im Bank Chairman and President Fred P. Hochberg. "We hope this proactive company's example will inspire many more U.S. small businesses to use government resources to expand globally while supporting U.S. jobs at home."
"Ex-Im Bank insurance enabled us to offer better terms to customers," said DemeTech President and CEO Luis M. Arguello. "We were able to convert small buyers into big buyers, and to begin selling in about 15 additional countries. In just two years, we've increased our work force from 15 to more than 40 employees, and we expect to grow to 100 employees over the next two years."
Arguello attended a course on exporting offered by the Commerce Department's U.S. Commercial Service in Florida about two years ago. Both Ex-Im Bank and the Small Business Administration (SBA) participated in the event, as did commercial lenders, insurance brokers and other private sector entities. As a result of the meeting, Arguello became a user of Ex-Im Bank multibuyer insurance and SBA Export Working Capital Program financing. Insurance broker Risk Protection International introduced Arguello to Ex-Im Bank. Arguello receives his SBA working capital financing through First American Bank.
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