WICHITA, Kan. – July 2005 – BG Products Inc. has received the 2005 Kansas Governor’s Exporter of the Year award for its outstanding results in the area of export sales.
Gov. Kathleen Sebelius presented the prestigious award to BG President Galen Myers during a ceremony in early June in Topeka, Kan., during the annual Kansas Cavalry Encampment. The event kicked off Kansas Business Appreciation Month, an annual tribute to Kansas businesses sponsored by the Kansas Department of Commerce and supported by the Kansas Cavalry.
“BG Products is an excellent role model for other Kansas companies pursuing international markets to grow their business,” said Gov. Sebelius. “We are proud to honor the accomplishments of this successful Kansas-grown business.”
BG manufactures and distributes products used in automotive maintenance. These services are performed by more than 100,000 shops, dealerships and technicians worldwide. BG also distributes the specialized tools and equipment for each application by professionals, specifically trained in their use.
Since it began in 1971, BG has kept pace with the ever-changing automotive industry, becoming a leader in the field of preventive maintenance. The privately held corporation employs 170 people at its Wichita facilities with over 1000 distributor representatives around the world. BG works hard to expand its global reach. It exports to more than 40 world markets comprising more than seven percent of total sales.
“When it comes right down to it, it’s not about the 40 percent increase in sales over last year’s numbers, the 200 percent increase in business to China or even the 285 percent increase in business to India,” said Mr. Myers. “It is about giving back to the community. Whether it’s hosting a golf tournament to raise $50,000 for the American Cancer society, providing a warehouse to store Wichita State’s rowing team’s boats, or sending hundreds of cases of bottled water to our distributors in Florida to provide relief during the recent hurricanes, these are the types of things that make me proud of BG Products.”
Harold Erwin, vice president, says the company’s export business is growing despite some logistical challenges. “If you ship to Germany, you’ve got to have German-only labels on the cans. If you ship to other places, you need a seven- or eight-language label on the can.”
Now in its 17th year, the Exporter of the Year recognition is co-sponsored by the Kansas Department of Commerce and the Kansas International Trade Coordinating Council, an organization comprised of both public and private business entities.