This week, Deputy United States Trade Representative Miriam Sapiro visited a local manufacturer in Farmington, Connecticut and recognized its success in exporting to new markets. The business, J.F. Fredericks Tool Company, makes precision metal parts and assemblies and supplies major corporations throughout the world in the aerospace, electronics, fluid controls and medical industries.
Ambassador Sapiro, along with Congressman Christopher Murphy and Anne Evans, the Director of the local U.S. Export Assistance Center, presented J.F. Fredericks with an Export Achievement Certificate. This award was created to recognize small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that have successfully entered the international marketplace for the first time or that have successfully entered a new foreign market. J.F. Fredericks ships its products to large international aerospace/defense firms in countries in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
Don Stoltz, Vice President of Quality, shows Ambassador Sapiro some of the products manufactured at J.F. Fredericks
After touring J.F. Fredericks’ facility, Ambassador Sapiro delivered remarks before a group of representatives from businesses on the District Export Council. She discussed the importance of SMEs like J.F. Fredericks as the primary source of jobs for Americans and a key component of the President’s National Export Initiative, which has the goal of doubling exports over the next 5 years and creating 2 million new jobs.
She also touted Connecticut’s contributions to the National Export Initiative. Exports from Connecticut to the rest of the world are up 16% this year, and sustain thousands of Connecticut businesses. Over 5,000 companies exported from Connecticut in 2007, and almost 90% of those were small and medium-sized enterprises with fewer than 500 employees. Exporting also creates jobs. In 2008, Connecticut’s goods exports supported approximately 83,000 jobs, and jobs supported by goods exports pay an estimated 13 to 18 percent higher than the national average wage.
Ambassador Sapiro and Congressman Chris Murphy (third from left) present the Export Achievement Certificate to Company President Ash Patel (center) and members of the J.F. Fredericks team
The highlight of the visit was seeing the “Help Wanted” sign hanging at the entrance. Because J.F. Fredericks has expanded its exports, it is now seeking to hire 3 new employees. Pointing out the sign, Ambassador Sapiro applauded these efforts, and stated “We’d like to see a lot more of those signs hanging in Connecticut and across the country.”
