Finalists for Exporter of the Year Announced (August 22, 2005)

The three finalists for this year’s STEP Exporter of the Year Award are ADXSTUDIO Inc. of Regina, Ground Effects Environmental Services Inc. of Regina, and Larson Hides Ltd. of Leross. The winner of the award will be announced during “Growing Locally – Succeeding Globally”, Canada’s National Export Conference organized by STEP and Custom House Global Foreign Exchange, which will be held September 26 & 27, 2005 in Regina.


The Annual STEP Exporter of the Year Award sponsored by Export Development Canada, acknowledges these companies for their success in tackling world markets.


“These three finalists who among hundreds of exporters in Saskatchewan represent the key drivers of the provincial economy,” said Mr. John Treleaven, President and CEO of STEP. “Saskatchewan’s booming economy is based on innovative, flexible and dynamic businesses such as these who have thrived through good and not so good times. Driven by strong entrepreneurs, inspired by the future they see, the finalists ably represent the spirit of Saskatchewan in our Centennial year.”


ADXSTUDIO Inc. is an established web application development firm with specific expertise in .NET integration and extensible content management solutions built for Microsoft® infrastructure. ADXSTUDIO Inc. has been exporting for 3 years and has seen their export sales increase 212% over the previous year. Their target markets include the United States, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, England and other European nations. “Export sales are a foundational component of our long-term business plan” said Mr. Doug Schneider, President of ADXSTUDIO Inc. “We’re excited with our recent success and are well positioned for progressive growth as information and content management sectors continue to expand. Saskatchewan is the ideal home for our operation, and with our investment in graduate hires from the Universities of Regina and Saskatoon, we’re creating strategic information technology service and solution offerings that have proven attractive to world markets.”


Ground Effects Environmental Services Inc. designs, manufacturers, installs and monitors systems that pull contaminants including gasoline, nitrates and diesel fuel from the ground. Ground Effects has been actively exporting for 5 years with their export sales constituting 96% of their total sales. Their target markets include Canada, Unites States, Japan, China, Trinidad and Australia. “We are living in interesting times, marketing is not the same as was ten or fifteen years ago, consumers have more choice than ever and information is a simple point and click away, borders are disappearing and competition is fierce, “said Mr. Mike Staffen, Marketing and Sales, Ground Effects Environmental Services Ltd. “We’ve had great success in international markets because our technology is superior more innovative and cannot be found anywhere else in the world. If you cannot provide a more advanced or cost effective product you will be domesticated.”


Larson Hides Ltd. deals in the processing of hides from beef, bison, pigs, sows, sheep and wild-game. Larson Hides has been exporting for the last 5 years and attributes 100% of their 5 new employees to their export sales. Larson has spent time targeting Asia as a new market this past year. “There is an exciting market place out there,” said Mr. Greg Larson, President, Larson Hides Ltd. “The world is always changing, with labor movements, stricter environmental laws in developing countries, and the increasing cost of fuel; the onis is on us to continue to expand our business, and to further process here. I believe that as the decades go by we will see the products that leave our facilities, being closer and closer to there finished state, until eventually we will be exporting actual leather goods. This will require millions in capital and hundreds of employees, at Larson Hides Ltd., we are committed to making this happen.”


STEP is a non-profit, membership driven, government/industry partnership, designed to promote the growth of Saskatchewan's export industry. STEP assists provincial businesses realize global marketing opportunities through specially tailored services and programs. STEP pursues growth in existing foreign markets and opens doors to new ones. Members include both businesses that are experienced and those that are new to international trade. The team of professionals has the experience, knowledge and international contacts to help companies meet their international marketing objectives.