CommercialNewsUSA

ThinkGlobal, which also manages the USA Export Expo, selects the Exporter of the Year Awards. The 2012 Exporter of the Year program is sponsored by DHL.

Commercial News USA is a catalog-style magazine that reaches more than a quarter-million readers in 178 countries worldwide in print and online. Awards are given to one U.S. company in each of 13 industry categories. Privately held West Coast Corporation was named Exporter of the Year in the Consumer Products category. Awards will be presented on March 27 during the Asia/Pacific Business Outlook conference in Los Angeles. All Exporter of the Year award winners also will be profiled in the May/June 2012 issue of Commercial News USA.

West Coast Corporation, based in Ontario, California, is an employee-owned company that manufactures and distributes innovative high quality products that provide security and convenience to their customers worldwide.

"We initiated our international sales back in the early 1970's, and ever since then we have maintained our recognition for high quality products and excellent service around the world," said Maria Gasparini, International Account Executive. "We are proud of the long lasting business relationship we maintain with our international customers, and we continue expanding our globe coverage based on these same principles. Our exports accounts now for about 26% of our total sales, and we’re expecting their incidence to grow considerably over the next years."

Criteria on which winners were selected include the total number of documented export transactions, the total percentage increase in sales, exports as a percentage of total sales, the company's commitment to exporting, the company's commitment to customer service, and the company's innovation and originality in marketing products or services. To be eligible for the award, a company must currently be exporting from the United States.

"West Coast Corporation is indicative of how proactive American companies are growing by exporting," said Gregory Sandler, president of ThinkGlobal. "This year's winners reflect the diversity of American exporters, 97 percent of whom are small-medium sized enterprises. Exporting is a critical part of the U.S. economy, accounting for 12.5 percent of the nation’s GDP. In fact, 70 percent of the world's purchasing power is located outside of the United States."

"DHL is pleased to be part of this national program that recognizes excellence in exporting," said Ian Clough, CEO of DHL Express U.S. “These winners underscore how important it is for U.S. companies to participate in the global marketplace."

About ThinkGlobal

ThinkGlobal Inc. is a print and online publishing company that manages the USA Export Expo and produces Commercial News USA, the official export promotion magazine of the U.S. Department of Commerce. ThinkGlobal also is a corporate marketing partner with the U.S. Commercial Service, part of the International Trade Administration within the Commerce Department. www.thinkglobal.com

About DHL

DHL is part of Deutsche Post DHL, the global market leader in the logistics industry. The company's global network is composed of more than 220 countries and territories and about 300,000 employees worldwide. www.dhl.com

Information about the Exporter of the Year awards, including profiles of all the winning companies, is available online at www.exporteroftheyear.com.