Minnesota

Jonti-Craft, Inc., of rural Wabasso, Minnesota, is a family company that has been a leading manufacturer of children’s furniture since 1979. Exports have been critical to the company’s longevity and success.
Jonti-Craft sells early childhood furniture that is used in early childhood institutions, schools and daycares.

U.S. educational funding allocated to furniture peaked in 2008, and since then has been relatively flat. Therefore, in 2009, the company started looking internationally to increase sales. The company hired an international sales manager and started the search for international partners. Since then, its international business has gone from being 1 percent of total revenue in 2008 to over 12 percent in 2014. Now,
Jonti-Craft has direct trade partners in over 30 countries and employs approximately 25 people who have jobs related to international sales.