Ceilings Plus Named Ex-Im Bank Small Business Exporter of the Year

April 9, 2012

(Ex-Im Bank) Growing Export Sales Helps California Company Add More Than 70 Jobs

Washington, D.C. – Ceilings Plus, a California small business manufacturer and installer of high-quality aluminum and wood ceilings and wall panels, will receive the Small Business Exporter of the Year award from the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank). The award will be presented at the Bank's 37th Annual Conference, "Ex-Im –Your Competitive Edge," on April 12 in Washington, D.C

In cooperation with Bank of the West as the guaranteed lender, Ceilings Plus has been using Ex-Im Bank's working capital loan guarantee since 2007. The company, which now exports to 5 countries, recorded $30 million in sales this year and created 73 American new manufacturing jobs.

"Ceilings Plus is a great example of a small business that has been extremely successful in the international marketplace," said Fred P. Hochberg, chairman and president of the Export-Import Bank of the United States. "With 95% of the world’s customers outside the United States, it is critical that we encourage our small business owners to sell more products to more customers in more countries."

"Thanks to Ex-Im Bank, more than 50% of our business now comes from exports and we have created 73 new jobs," said Nancy Mercolino, president of Ceilings Plus. "Exports have increased our bottom line, and I am looking forward to reaching more international markets."

In Fiscal Year 2011, Ex-Im Bank authorized nearly $400 million in financing for California small businesses, making it one of the leading states in the country for Ex-Im small business financing. Over the past three years, the Bank's small business financing has increased by more than 70 percent, from $3.3 billion in FY 2008 to $6 billion in FY 2011, and it is up $1 billion from last year.

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