Going Global.

• Author: KRONEMYER, BOB
• Position: Industry Overview - Statistical Data Included

From popcorn to piccolos to power boats, Hoosier companies are selling more overseas.

Indiana's export growth continues to outpace the nation's. And last year was a banner year for Hoosier companies, with nearly $14 billion in sales to other countries, a 4.2 percent increase. The U.S. averaged only a 1.8 percent increase over the same period.

Success has come from a confluence of factors including a wealth of quality products from small entrepreneurial manufacturers and agribusinesses, and proactive assistance from the Indiana Department of Commerce's International Trade Division.

As the world gets smaller and new markets continue to develop, these and other Indiana companies will continue to reap the benefits of marketing their wares beyond the U.S. borders.

MAPPING SUCCESS

A firm established two years after the Civil War has mapped a road to success that now embraces practically the entire world. Since the early 1990s, George F. Cram Co. in Indianapolis-a manufacturer and publisher of maps, globes and geography-related materials-has sold its products in 40 countries. The company began its international sales in Canada, followed by the United Kingdom and Mexico.

With just under 100 employees, George F. Cram Co.'s international sales hover around 6 percent. "We hope our foreign sales will eventually reach double digits," says Bill Douthit, CEO and chairman. The company has a manager of international sales based in the corporate office, plus distributors in several countries. "The only place where we have a representative who is active is in Canada," Douthit notes.

Material is available in Spanish, French and English. "Anything that has to do with geography is educational, so we have the ability to present something that is good not only for the consumer market but also for the education market," Douthit says.

Globes, in particular, have become a hot item for export. However, the globes, made of plastic and fiberboard, take up considerable space and are expensive to ship. The company has overcome this obstacle in many markets by establishing distributors who are also assemblers. "We will send globes in hemispheres rather than set up," Douthit says.

In Argentina, the government requires approval of maps before importing. "The government doesn't distort any legitimate geographic map, but the country insists on certain boundaries, particularly along the Andes," Douthit says.

George F. Cram Co. has received assistance from both the Indiana Department of Commerce and the U.S. Department of Commerce. The state agency helped the company identify and screen potential distributors and customers. In addition, "they will go with you to translate and make sure that you arrive at your destination safely," says Douthit. The U.S. Department of Commerce has similar services for a nominal fee through its Gold Key Service. "They've even helped us to identify assemblers for our globes," he says.

THINK SMALLER

Sometimes bigger isn't better when penetrating a foreign market. Take the example of Delco Remy International in...