Region/Countries: All Countries Industry: Multiple Sectors Date: May 2017

2017 Governor’s Export Achievement Awards

Since 1981, the Governor of Wisconsin has recognized through the Governor’s Export Achievement Awards companies that have contributed to the state’s export growth by achieving extraordinary results in international markets while elevating Wisconsin’s competitiveness in the global economy.

The awards serve multiple purposes, including the recognition of individual companies’ good work, and highlighting examples of best practices in export growth so other Wisconsin companies can learn and apply similar tactics.

2017 winners

Three Wisconsin companies were recognized with the Governor’s Export Achievement Award to highlight their growth in global business development.

CMD Corporation, founded in 1980, designs, manufactures and services high-performance converting machinery to produce plastic bags, pouches and flexible packaging. Since 2013, CMD has seen a 66 percent increase in its exports, which have played an instrumental role in the company’s overall growth.

“CMD has installations in over 40 countries, and our work on developing a market-focused culture has helped us grow our international footprint and jobs here in Wisconsin,” said Steve Sakai, CMD President. “We would like to thank the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) for its support of our international sales and marketing efforts, including participation in important global trade shows, and our employees and our international agents, for their dedication and hard work.”

CONNOILS LLC is a leading global manufacturer and distributor of raw material ingredients including oils, oil powders and protein powders used in a variety of products. The company was founded in 2007, and over the last four years has gone from selling its products primarily in Canada to exporting to 13 countries on five continents.

“It’s an honor and delight to be a recipient of the Governor’s Export Achievement Award. I’m sure there are many deserving companies in the state of Wisconsin, and we congratulate our fellow award winners,” said Stacy Peterson, CEO of CONNOILS. “Growing our export business has allowed us to expand our customer base beyond our borders and provide high-quality nutritional products to support health and wellness globally.”

Lucigen Corporation, founded in 1998, provides more than 300 biomedical research products and services that enable life-science professionals to perform their research and testing more efficiently and effectively. Lucigen has been distributing its products overseas for more than 15 years but has experienced rapid growth in the last few years. In 2016, the company’s exports hit an all-time high, up 34 percent over the previous year.

“We are extremely honored to receive this distinct recognition. Lucigen is proud to be a Wisconsin-based company committed to export expansion, and we want to thank WEDC, the Madison International Trade Association and ExporTech for their support of our efforts,” said Lucigen President Jeff Williams. “Our dedicated employees and strong distributor partnerships have been integral to achievements like this. We’re excited to continue providing accessible, affordable products worldwide – while growing jobs right here in Wisconsin.” The winners were recognized at the Wisconsin International Trade Conference in Milwaukee on May 11, 2017.