Today, U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker visited APS Technology (APS) in Wallingford, Conn., as part of her nationwide listening tour. Secretary Pritzker is traveling across the country meeting with business leaders and entrepreneurs to discuss how the administration and the Department of Commerce can work with the private sector to help strengthen the economy and create jobs.
First, Secretary Pritzker toured APS’ facilities with company executives, including APS President Bill Turner and Senior Vice President Denis Biglin, along with Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy. She was able to see some of the company’s projects, which include a variety of drilling tools that are used by the oil and gas industry.
APS started in 1994 providing contract engineering services and has experienced tremendous growth to become a leading provider of products to the oil and gas drilling industry around the world. APS has grown from 79 employees in 2008 to more than 300 employees, including 265 in the U.S. The company’s exports now account for 85 percent of their business.
After the tour, Secretary Pritzker held a roundtable discussion with APS executives and other local business leaders to hear about any challenges they are facing in markets here and abroad, as well as opportunities they see for growth. She also got input from participants on how the Commerce Department can work with the private sector to help stimulate economic growth and job creation.
During the visit, the secretary also had the opportunity to congratulate APS for earning the President’s “E” Award for exports in May. The President's "E" Award is the highest recognition any American entity may receive for making a significant contribution to the expansion of U.S. exports.
One of the Commerce Department’s key priorities is helping companies increase exports, which currently support nearly 10 million American jobs and contributed a record $2.2 trillion to the U.S. economy in 2012. The department provides market research on a product’s potential in a given market, takes U.S. company representatives on trade missions to connect them with potential partners, and levels the playing field for American companies competing for business abroad.
Secretary Pritzker looks forward to future collaboration that will support Connecticut businesses and entrepreneurs increase exports and grow the state’s economy.
Comments Closed
Due to increased spam, comments have been closed on this content. If you wish to comment about the content, we encourage you to email [email protected].