NJMEP’s Made In New Jersey Participant, International Products Corporation (IPC), Hosts Lt. Governor Guadagno
International Products Corporation (IPC) in Burlington, a participant in NJMEP’s Made in New Jersey program, hosted a visit from Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno. The visit kicked off her 2014 statewide tour highlighting New Jersey businesses that have a strong international client base. IPC received $1,800 in STEP grant awards to support its participation in the International Trade Administration’s US DOC Gold Key Services program, which assists US manufacturers develop a global trading program or to expand into new markets.
IPC is an award winning manufacturer of high quality specialty cleaners and lubricants. Its products are manufactured in a safe, zero discharge facility and are marketing proudly as MADE IN THE USA. The company reaches its international markets through a combination of distributors, direct sales, and internet marketing techniques as well as through IPCW Inc. its wholly owned subsidiary that serves as a sales and distribution office for its products in the UK and European Continent.
The State awarded the STEP Grant funds to IPC to cover the cost of the Gold Key programs that its President Kathy Wyrofsky attended in Beijing and in Seoul. Both programs resulted in new distributor agreements and sales (two new Chinese Distributors, and one new distributor in S. Korea). “In addition,” Ms. Wyrofsky explained, “We received some additional funding to cover the costs of a Corporate report on a company in Germany that we considered hiring to promote our products. We did not however, come to terms with this company, but found the report to be most detailed and helpful.”
“The Lt. Governor’s visit gave us the opportunity to discuss challenges to exporting for New Jersey companies. These include travel costs, meeting foreign government regulations and requirements (such as the *REACH initiative in the EU), legal costs, competition, and language and cultural differences,” Ms. Wyrofsky added. “We are extremely grateful for the support and expert guidance we have received from the state and it was indeed an honor to have Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno visit our company,” said Wyrofsky.
International Products Corporation has received two awards over the past two years for its line of P-80® Rubber Lubricants. In 2012, they were the recipient of the 2012 Frost & Sullivan North American Product Leadership Aware for automotive assembly lubricants. P-80 received recognition again in 2013 from the Suppliers’ Partnership for the Environment for Demonstrating Environmental Innovation in the Manufacturing Process.
For manufacturers interested in exporting, NJMEP offers ExporTech™, a collaboration between the MEPs, U.S. Export Assistance Centers, and other partners including District Export Councils, State Trade Economic and Development, Ex-Im Bank and SBA. The program is intended for C level executives, who are both new-to-export companies and those that have done some exporting, but have not fully exploited global opportunities. To learn more about ExporTech visit NJMEP.org.
*REACH is the Regulation on Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals. It is the legislative framework on chemicals of the European Union (EU). All manufacturers and importers of chemicals must identify and manage risks linked to the substances they manufacture and market.