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Twenty-Five Georgia Companies Recognized for Expanding into 70 International Markets in 2021

Staff Report

Tuesday, May 24th, 2022

The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) today announced the recipients of the 2022 GLOBE Award. Managed by the Department’s International Trade team, this state-led awards program highlights Georgia companies that expanded sales to new international markets in the previous year. During calendar year 2021, the 25 GLOBE winners collectively exported to 70 countries. 

“I am thrilled that so many of this year’s GLOBE winners are small businesses,” said Governor Brian P. Kemp. “Supporting small businesses and working with companies to bring opportunities to hardworking Georgians around the state has been a key goal during my time in office. Congratulations to this year’s winners, and thank you for your contributions to our Peach State!” 

The 2022 GLOBE Award winners come from across the State of Georgia, and 80% of this year’s winners are small businesses with fewer than 100 employees. The winners built successful market entry strategies demonstrating their commitment, determination, and willingness to leverage export resources. Eighty-four percent of the winners engaged with GDEcD for export assistance in the last two years. 

“Georgia has continued to break trade and export records, and companies like our GLOBE award winners are the reason why,” said GDEcD Commissioner Pat Wilson. “In the face of logistics and supply chain challenges, Georgia companies adapted, expanded, and succeeded beyond expectations. Congratulations to the 2022 GLOBE Award winners and the International Trade team for another fantastic year!” 

Three outstanding companies were also named 2022 Exporters of the Year in the small, medium, and large company categories. Additionally, Universal VAT Services won a Global Grit Award for its notable determination and long-term commitment to export development through reinventing itself and identifying new, successful revenue streams.

The 2022 Exporters of the Year are:

“We are thrilled to celebrate the dedication of these 25 remarkable companies, and it is always a pleasure to work with businesses one-on-one to develop a successful export strategy,” said GDEcD Deputy Commissioner for International Trade Mary Waters. “Whether it’s supporting a company that’s exploring exports for the first time or helping a long-time exporter break into challenging markets, we are delighted to work beside these winners who have increased their global reach to new customers.” 

The Georgia Department of Economic Development’s nationally recognized International Trade team is committed to creating opportunities for Georgia businesses to increase exports across the world through meaningful partnerships, unique international connections, and expansive export resources. GDEcD’s export team works in all industry sectors statewide and provides solutions-focused trade consultations to Georgia companies seeking to expand their global presence. For additional information about the state’s International Trade team, visit www.georgia.org/international/trade.

The complete list of 2022 GLOBE Award winners: 

The GLOBE Awards program began in 2014 to recognize local businesses contributing to Georgia’s economic growth through global trade. Since 2014, GDEcD has presented 296 GLOBE Awards for companies across 45 Georgia counties. 

Recognized for their 2021 export activity, this year’s winners collectively expanded their sales to six continents and 70 separate countries. Italy, the UK, China, France, and Japan were the most active new markets. Of the 2022 GLOBE winners, 64% of the winners entered markets where the State of Georgia has representation.

Exporter of the Year, small company: Athens Research and Technology

This Athens-based company supplies leading research universities, institutions, and large pharmaceutical companies with research and diagnostic test materials, and it proved itself adaptable in overcoming pandemic challenges. The company is proud that they not only implemented new safety protocols to keep business going, they also adopted new product packaging to keep products in good condition in the event of shipping delays. 

Exporter of the Year, mid-size company: PureAir Filtration

PureAir has more international customers than they do employees, which the company notes is a testament not only to their dedication to international sales, but also to their effective marketing strategies and focus on collaborative relationship-building with their clients. The company says they are not afraid to pursue challenging markets and have seen success in markets that U.S. companies often have difficulty entering. 

Exporter of the Year, large company: Interra International

Long-time exporter Interra International experienced record-setting success in international markets in 2021 despite challenges from the pandemic. The company is dedicated to expanding in international markets, is willing to work in potentially difficult markets, and continues to invest in innovative market-entry strategies.