A “true north” goal set last year will capitalize on a growing international polished concrete market.
An expanding polished concrete market – along with a “true north” goal set in 2017 – has BORIDE Engineered Abrasives vetting distributors for its Blue Star DiamondTM product line in Canada, Europe and the Middle East.
“The polished concrete market is growing internationally due to its popularity in the U.S., so this is a good time to extend our reach,” said Carla Nickodemus, business development and product manager for the Traverse City, Mich.-based abrasives manufacturer.
A “large” sales target helped move the initiative forward, she said.
“Last year our division was challenged to meet a large sales goal by 2022,” she said. “Expanding into international sales is part of that growth plan.”
Nickodemus is leading the international sales push from the U.S. by developing relationships with select distributors.
In addition, BORIDE is partnering with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) to help fund parts of the marketing and vetting process through its International Trade Program grants.
“The MEDC has funded trade show costs, air travel and marketing help,” said Nickodemus. “These state grants are earmarked for helping small businesses in Michigan export and grow internationally.”
BORIDE is no stranger to international sales: It has other product lines, such as mold stones and dressing sticks, that are exported into more than 40 countries.
Its latest foray focuses on the Floor Finishing Value Stream (FFVS), which manufactures floor finishing products under the Blue Star DiamondTM brand.
The specific focus on Canada, Europe and the Middle East was a natural extension of both current relationships and growing markets, Nickodemus said.
“We already had some distributor relationships in Canada; concrete polishing and stone/terrazzo restoration is popular in Europe; and there is lots of growth and construction happening in the Middle East,” she said.
BORIDE’S internal forecasts for its FFVS product line suggest that international sales would expand by 50 percent with these partnerships, she said.
“In 2016, international sales made up only 1.3 percent of our total sales; YTD we are hovering at five percent,” she said. “Our goal with consideration of the current opportunities in the pipeline is to increase that to 7.5 percent.”
Regarding that target, Nickodemus says she is “confident.”
“We have established a good reputation in the U.S. market, so we are confident we can build on that in other markets,” she said.
For more, visit bsddiamond.com or call Carla Nickodemus, (231) 929-2121, ext.1133 or email CNickodemus@borideabrasives.com.
About BORIDE Engineered Abrasives and Blue Star Diamond™:
Blue Star Diamond™ is a product line sold by BORIDE Engineered Abrasives, a leading manufacturer of bonded abrasives products, including mold and die maker polishing stones and dressing sticks. Clients choose Blue Star Diamond™ products for high tolerance grinding and finishing of hard industrial materials. Located in Traverse City, Michigan, BORIDE Engineered Abrasives has developed and manufactured abrasive products for industrial and consumer applications for nearly 40 years.