Virginia Economic Development Partnership, International Trade

CHEMetrics | Calverton

For over 38 years, CHEMetrics has manufactured simple to use portable water quality test kits and instruments for essential water parameters using their patented self-filling ampoules. Their customers include petroleum refineries, power plants, water treatment firms, food and beverage plants and environmental groups. Their products are sold around the world by a network of distributors under contract to CHEMetrics in more than 45 countries.

HKS Inc. | Richmond

HKS is the third largest architecture and engineering firm in the nation and the ninth largest in the world. With 24 worldwide offices, the firm is completing work in countries that include China, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, England, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Peru, Tunisia, Costa Rica, Grenada, Portugal, United Arab Emirates, Australia, Japan, and Egypt. The firm’s project experience includes work in commercial, residential, healthcare, sports, hospitality, governmental, aviation, educational, retail and industrial sectors. The Richmond office, which includes 60 professionals, has participated in projects such as the Liverpool Football Club Stadium in England and the Heliopolis Office Complex in Cairo, Egypt.

Hill Studio | Roanoke

Since 1988, Roanoke’s Hill Studio has practiced historically- and ecologically-informed land planning. Their diversified in-house staff of planners, architects, landscape architects, urban designers and historic preservation specialists provide insight in addressing the needs of growing cities, colleges and resorts. They frequently work in communities using an intensive design charrette process that has been a rewarding and enlightening endeavor for their clients. In the new community of Lake Jiyang in southern China, Hill Studio sponsored an international team which featured members from Virginia Tech and Tongji University in Shanghai. The resulting community of 30,000 transformed a sand pit into a resort lake and one of the world’s largest man-made wetland systems. The dynamic master plan included components to build citizen excitement, buy-in and partnership investment.

Longwall Associates, Inc. | Chilhowie

Founded in 1996, Longwall Associates was selected to supply and export Virginia manufactured longwall mining equipment to Daning Mine in China. This system is used for high production underground coal extraction. Longwall Associates is an emerging global supplier of OEM longwall conveyor systems. Longwall Associates is exporting a second system to the same mine, as well as exporting a system to Mexico.

Air Systems International, Inc. | Chesapeake

Air Systems International, founded in 1986, has been a world leader in the design and manufacture of portable breathing air systems and confined space ventilation equipment. Air Systems International’s products are used in many different industries including industrial, fire, haz-mat, construction, shipbuilding and military defense applications. Air Systems International’s products are keeping workers safe in over 33 countries.

Cherrystone Aqua-Farms | Cheriton

Cherrystone Aqua-Farms is a division of Ballard Fish and Oyster Company, Inc., which has been in the shellfish business since 1985. The company’s choice littleneck clams are cultured from carefully selected genetic stock in highly controlled conditions, assuring the best quality possible. Grown in the high-salinity, ocean flushed waters in the lower Chesapeake Bay, Cherrystone Aqua-Farms’ clams are carefully handled and immediately refrigerated after packing to supply the freshest clams available. Cherrystone Aqua-Farms’ clams can be found in Spain and Puerto Rico and plans are in the works to expand into Canada and France.

Gatekeeper Inc. | Norfolk

Gatekeeper designs and manufactures security products that automatically identify, search and authenticate vehicles and their drivers, passengers and cargo. The AUVIS (Automatic Under Vehicle Inspection System) uses hi-resolution imaging and digital image processing to create vehicle “fingerprints.” AUVIS then automatically matches the vehicle “fingerprint” against a database to detect hidden objects or suspicious modifications to the vehicle. GatePost integrates hi-resolution video, digital audio, fingerprint and ID card scanning technologies to identify and search the driver, passengers and the inside of the vehicle from a remotely-deployed, unmanned pedestal. Used separately or together, AUVIS and GatePost provide faster, more effective and safer screening of vehicles and occupants entering a secured facility. Gatekeeper products are used to protect governmental facilities, embassies, military bases, nuclear power stations, border crossings, oil facilities, financial institutions and hotels in the United States, Russia, Europe, Middle East and Asia.

Hilden America, Inc. | South Boston

Hilden America is a leading provider of luxury table, bed, and bath linens to the hospitality industry. Through its Virginia manufacturing facility and strong relationships worldwide, Hilden America proudly offers sophisticated products to a range of clients including 4 and 5 star hotels and fine dining establishments. With seasoned staff and a 130-year old weaving heritage, Hilden America fuses tradition with technology to maintain quality, gives outstanding customer service, and provides dependable delivery dates. Hilden America’s products are found throughout the Americas and Canada.

American Hofmann Corporation | Lynchburg

American Hofmann has been designing and manufacturing precision balancing systems for over 35 years — systems used to balance rotating parts in everything from the largest aerospace and hydroelectric equipment to the smallest dental drills and heart pacemakers. A proprietary balancing software package is customized for each machine. American Hofmann provides balancing systems to customers in the United States and in more than a dozen countries throughout the world. Pictured here is a balance cell, a group of machines designed to work together to measure and correct unbalance. This balance cell is presently being used to balance jet engine parts by a major global commercial and military aircraft engine manufacturer at its new facility in Jiangsu Province, China.

Feridies® | Courtland

FERIDIES® World’s Best Peanuts and Specialty Foods are featured here at City’super in Hong Kong and Taiwan. City’super is a “Mega Lifestyle Specialty Store” that offers a true “one-stop-shopping” experience for Asia’s busy urban professionals. City’super has been a customer since 2005 and offers FERIDIES® all natural, cholesterol free, trans fat free, super extra large Virginia peanuts in a variety of flavors including salted, wasabi, honey roasted, garlic and hot and spicy. Virginia peanuts are a type of peanut known for their large size, crunchy texture and high nutritional value. The sandy, loamy soil along the coast allows the peanut to grow to such a large size. The Virginia peanut is considered “the peanut of gourmets.” FERIDIES® selects only the top 2% of the crop each year and roasts them in peanut oil and seasons them to perfection. FERIDIES® is a family owned and operated business that has been promoting the Virginia type peanut since 1973.

SteelMaster Buildings, LLC | Virginia Beach

SteelMaster Buildings, founded in 1982, is a privately held company with its headquarters in Virginia Beach. It manufactures premium quality arched steel buildings and roofing systems worldwide. Throughout its 26 years in business, SteelMaster has successfully designed buildings and structures for a variety of applications ranging from storage units to airplane hangars to architecturally designed roofing systems. SteelMaster aims to exceed the design requirements and expectations of its customers by providing high quality buildings with exceptional service that fulfills the needs of their end users. SteelMaster’s products, such as the copper storage unit in Cajamarca, Peru, pictured to the left, are found in over 31 countries on 6 continents.

International Communications Group, Inc. | Newport News

International Communications Group (ICG) of Newport News, is a recognized leader within the aerospace industry, in the development and manufacture of aeronautical communications systems and solutions for the general aviation and air transport sectors. ICG’s products provide satellite-based global voice and data telecommunications services for cabin requirements and flight deck operations. Products include: CTU systems, corded and cordless handsets, single- and multi-channel Iridium systems and data management devices. ICG, a major Iridium value-added manufacturer (VAM) and value-added reseller (VAR), has developed a wide range of Iridium based solutions and products for mobile satellite communications applications. ICG’s products are found in countries all over the world.