By Patrick McCreless
patrickm@cullmantimes.com
Over the last few years, Axsys Technologies of Cullman has feverishly pursued new export markets. On Thursday, Gov. Bob Riley will recognize the company for its efforts.
Axsys is one of eight Alabama companies chosen to win the 2008 Governor’s Trade Excellence Award. Initiated in 2006, the award was created to identify Alabama’s successful and innovative exporters and to promote exporters as role models to the Alabama business community.
“Alabama continues to move forward and prosper due in large part to a sustained growth in exports,” Riley said in a press release. “Exports have helped to generate jobs in our state and it is an honor and a pleasure to recognize these eight companies and their achievements.”
Martyn Acreman, general manager of Axsys, said he was glad Riley understands how important the exporting business is for Alabama’s economy.
“Alabama has done a lot to support exporting ... it’s a good thing for the state and a good thing for business,” Acreman said.
Acreman said exporting has greatly helped his company, particularly recent exports into growing European markets. Last year, Axsys closed a $5.6 million deal with the European Commission to export equipment for nuclear fusion research over to the United Kingdom.
“Right now with the exchange rates, it’s (European) a good market to be in,” Acreman said.
According to a press release, the value of Alabama’s exports grew by 33.58 percent between 2005 and 2007, totaling over $14.4 billion last year. This surpassed the national growth rate in exports of 28.56 percent during the same time frame. In recent years, more than 2,350 Alabama companies exported and of those more than 80 percent were small and medium-sized enterprises with fewer than 500 employees.
More than 100,000 jobs throughout the state are directly linked to trade and 15 percent of all manufacturing workers in Alabama depend on exports for their jobs.
“It is vital that we continue pursuing new export markets so that Alabama companies can further increase their share of the nation’s export business,” Alabama Development Office Director Neal Wade said in a press release. “The tremendous export growth experienced by the state in recent years has shown that we are headed in this direction.”
For over 40 years, Axsys has designed and delivered accurate optical and motion control equipment to the U.S. government and to high performance commercial markets. The company’s optical technology can be found in thermal weapons systems, nighttime surveillance cameras, satellites and precise medical imagers.
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