SJE-Rhombus receives award for international trade success

SJE-Rhombus, Detroit Lakes, was one of nine Minnesota companies to receive the 2008 Governor's International Trade Award from the Minnesota Trade Office.

The employee-owned company manufactures pump and motor controls for the water and wastewater industries. Thanks to an aggressive expansion strategy, the 240-employee company has sales and operations in 27 countries.

"These companies, many of them small firms, show that you don't have to be a major corporation to sell your products and services in foreign countries," said Tony Lorusso, executive director of the Minnesota Trade Office. "Thanks to these and other firms, Minnesota is on track for a record year in manufactured export sales."

Minnesota's manufactured exports reached a record $4.4 billion in the second quarter of 2008, led by sales of computers and electronics, and followed by machinery, transportation equipment, miscellaneous products including medical devices, and food products.