Obama Official to Honor New York City Companies for Export Achievements

WASHINGTON, Dec. 10, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Suresh Kumar, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Trade Promotion and Director General of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service will present U.S. Department of Commerce Export Achievement Awards to Signature Fencing & Flooring, LLC and Astonfield Renewables, Inc., in New York City on December 13, 2010.  The award is presented to U.S. companies that have benefited from export services of the International Trade Administration's U.S. Commercial Service (CS) to make their first export sales or expand into new foreign markets.

Signature Fencing & Flooring utilized export counseling and business matchmaking services to make multiple sales to Japan, and U.S. Export-Import Bank assistance to make sales to South Africa, UK, and India.  The company estimates its export sales have increased from 17 percent to about 37 percent of total sales for the year, helping it sustain and add new jobs.  The firm also made major sales to the United Nations for Haiti relief efforts.  

Astonfield Renewables, a minority-owned firm, participated in a U.S. Commercial Service Solar Trade mission to India, helping it secure over $140 million in solar development contracts from the Government of India.  As a result of exporting, Astonfield has hired additional local staff at its headquarters.  

As a result of CS export assistance, both companies have added jobs to the local economy.  Kumar will draw attention to the fact that President Obama's National Export Initiative (NEI)  is working to help create jobs and grow the economy in New York and nationally.  

After the presentation, Kumar will tour the NYU-Poly Incubator site of the New York City Accelerator for a Clean and Renewable Economy.

International Trade Administration

The International Trade Administration (ITA) is the premier resource for American companies competing in the global marketplace. ITA has 2,100 employees assisting U.S. exporters in more than 100 U.S. cities and 77 countries worldwide. For more information on ITA visit www.trade.gov.

SOURCE U.S. Commercial Service