Florida Firm Wins SBA Exporter of the Year Award
April 20, 2016
(SBA)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Endoscopy Replacement Parts, Inc., of Newberry, Fla., has
been named Small Business Exporter of the Year by the U.S. Small Business
Administration. The recognition is part of the celebrations of National Small
Business Week, an annual event designed to honor the best small businesses of
the nation.
The award will be presented jointly by SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet
and Eileen Sanchez, Associate Administrator for the Office of International
Trade, on May 2 during a National Small Business Week event at the U.S.
Institute of Peace, in Washington, D.C.
David Peter Bello, Sr., ERPI’s founder and CEO, will receive the award on behalf
of his company.
The substantial, increasing importance of exporting to the U.S. national economy
cannot be overstated. In FY2015, SBA lending hit yet another record, with 1,777
loans for a total of $1.45 billion, which resulted in $3 billion in small
business export sales.
Small businesses like ERPI are taking advantage of opportunities created by
agreements such as NAFTA and, more recently, the Trans-Pacific Partnership. SBA
is proud to actively support these free trade agreements as we help American
small businesses grow and create jobs through exporting.
ERPI was launched in 1997 with four employees, much as a local provider of parts
and replacement products to endoscopy repair shops in the area. Thanks to
exporting, the company was able to expand and now has a staff of 14 employees,
handles more than 2,000 lines of products, exports to about 70 countries in all
continents, from Argentina to Vietnam, and reached sales of over $3.7 million in
2014.
ERPI won the award as SBA Exporter of the Year based on the following criteria:
- Increased sales, profit and/or growth of employment because of exporting
- Creative overseas marketing strategies
- Effective solutions to export-related problems, including trade financing, payment and currency issues; market-entry and logistical challenges; and cultural differences.
- Demonstrated encouragement for other small businesses to export
- Volunteer assistance to other small businesses entering the export market
- Cooperation with other businesses in the creation of export trading companies and/or introduction of unique trading relationships, products or services
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