Nine companies graduate from state export program

Nine Virginia companies have increased their exports substantially since joining a state-run international trade program.

The companies are graduates of the Virginia Leaders in Export Trade (VALET) program, which is offered by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership. Two hundred sixty-nine Virginia companies have completed the program since it began in 2002.

The new VALET graduates are: ComSonics Inc. (Harrisonburg), Command Post Technologies Inc. (Suffolk), Germane Systems and IMCI Technologies (Fairfax County), Prevailance Inc. (Virginia Beach); Regional Conveyor Systems Inc. (Salem), Steel Fab (Russell County), sweetFrog (Chesterfield County), and Wako Chemicals USA (Richmond).

The governor’s office said these companies have increased their exports an average of 50 percent since joining the VALET program two years ago.

The program assists companies that are committed to international exporting as an expansion strategy. Participating firms are chosen based on their dedication to growth through exports.

Forty-eight companies are currently participating in the VALET program.  Virginia exports more than $35 billion in goods and services annually.