Ventrac Receives Presidential Award For Export Growth

WASHINGTON – May 20 -- U.S. Acting Secretary of Commerce Rebecca Blank today presented Venture Products, Inc. with the President’s “E” Award for Exports at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. The “E” Awards are the highest recognition any U.S. entity may receive for making a significant contribution to the expansion of U.S. exports.

“I am delighted to be recognizing this year’s Presidential ‘E’ Award winners for their outstanding contributions to U.S. exports and congratulate Venture Products, Inc. on its outstanding export achievement,” said Acting Secretary Blank. “It is businesses like Venture Products that are strengthening the economies of local communities, creating jobs, and contributing to the worldwide demand for ‘Made in the USA’ goods and services.”

“Exporting has enabled us to diversify our revenue streams and weather changes in the marketplace. It allows us to mitigate risk while boosting our competitiveness and bottom lines,” stated Dallas Steiner, President of Venture Products. He adds, “Our products are exported to over 20 countries, with the strongest countries of export being Sweden, Japan, South Korea and Australia.”

Randy Kitzmiller, Director of Operations for Venture Products said, “Export sales over the past three years have grown 80 percent. This growth has allowed us to double our work force and build a new manufacturing facility in Orrville, Ohio.” 

Venture Products, Inc., located in Orrville, Ohio, is the manufacturer of Ventrac compact tractors and commercial grade attachments. Ventrac tractors are unique; the design includes an articulating frame, front-mounted attachments, and all-wheel drive traction in a compact design..

U.S. exports hit an all-time record of $2.2 trillion in 2012, and supported nearly 10 million American jobs. President Obama’s National Export Initiative, which aims to double U.S. exports by the end of 2014 and support an additional 2 million jobs in the United States, is opening new avenues for U.S. exporters through enhanced export assistance and a strengthened trade agenda that is targeting emerging markets and industry sectors across the globe.

President Kennedy revived the World War II “E” symbol of excellence to honor and provide recognition to America's exporters. The “E” Award Program was established by Executive Order 10978 on December 5, 1961. A total of 57 U.S. companies were presented with the President’s “E” Award this year.

U.S. companies are nominated for the “E” Award for Exports through the Department of Commerce’s U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service office network, located within the Department’s International Trade Administration, which has offices in 108 U.S. cities and more than 70 countries to help U.S. exporters.  Four years of successive export growth and an applicant’s demonstration of an innovative international marketing plan that led to the increase in exports is a significant factor in making the award.

Ventrac Breaks Ground on New Ohio Facility

Orrville, Ohio – June 26 -- Venture Products, Inc., recently broke ground for a new manufacturing facility, located on their twenty-one acre site at 500 Enterprise Drive, located just north of Smith Dairy at 1381 Dairy Lane in Orrville’s newest industrial park.

In attendance was Dallas Steiner, President and CEO of Venture Products, Inc., along with company executives, city officials, and community development members. “We are excited for this opportunity as we focus on the future and expand our capabilities and capacities to make this location the corporate/global headquarters for Ventrac,” states Dallas.

Ventrac has experienced significant growth the past few years and find they are exceeding the capacities of their two current manufacturing facilities. The new 116,400 sq-ft facility will allow Ventrac to house all operations at one location. The project will be completed in three phases, taking place over the course of three years. Phase one will house research and development, fabrication, welding, parts and warehouse departments. When completed, all operations, including corporate offices, assembly, paint, purchasing, marketing, and sales will be conducted under one roof.

“Ventrac has been blessed to be in this position of growth and are grateful for the strong dealerships that carry our products,” says Dallas. “Our dealers and customers are very important to us and this new facility will allow Ventrac to better meet their needs.” Mark Steiner, Vice President and Facilities Manager, added, “the new expansion will allow Ventrac to grow its manufacturing capacities, add continued improvement to LEAN manufacturing principles and allow additional purchase of state of the art machinery.”

Dallas thanked employees for stepping up to meet the ever growing sales demands. “Our employees have stepped up and gone above and beyond to help us meet production goals, and I thank each one for their contribution as we grow and expand our product line throughout the world.”

The company will be adding new jobs as a result of the building expansion. “We are looking forward to the expansion project because it will become the future home of Ventrac, which will not only house the current employees,” states Randy Kitzmiller, Director of Operations, “but will also allow us to grow and add even more employees in the future.”

Dallas and Mark Steiner concluded the groundbreaking event by scooping dirt with two of the companies’ Ventrac tractors with power bucket attachments as a symbolic gesture to this new beginning.