An Amherst County business hopes to have its international sales boosted thanks to state aid.
Hermle North America was selected for the Virginia Economic Development Partnership’s Virginia Leaders in Export Trade program, a two-year program also known as VALET.
Hermle wanted to join in the program because last year it had “significant success” in selling its products to China and Russia and wants to add more countries to its international sales, said Chad Eby, general manager. Hermle North America makes clock movements and finished clocks.
Entry to the program comes with access to $15,000 in reimbursement money from the state for trips to countries the company is trying to expand into and other expenses, said Suzanne West, communications manager for the Economic Development Partnership. The partnership has access to a team of international service providers including attorneys, translators, web designers, bankers and others to help the company for free.
Eby said he hoped the program could help Hermle expand into Saudi Arabia, Japan and India. He said they plan to sell finished, mechanical clocks to those countries.
“We felt like the VALET program would help us move into additional countries,” he said. “That’s the reason for the VALET program is to give Virginia companies a tool to help them export.”
He said through the program they will have a state representative working with them to target the three countries that seem a good fit for the company’s growth. The state also will have people in those countries to try to find potential customers, which will be followed by visits from company officials, he said.
Hermle has been in Amherst County since 1977 and has been in business since 1922, Eby said. There are about 20 employees at the Amherst County plant.
West said companies are selected based on their dedication to growth through export.
The VALET program started in 2002. The program currently has 50 companies participating, she said. Overall, more than 165 companies in Virginia have been helped since the program’s inception.
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