DIVERSIFICATION
Is a Good Export Strategy and STEP Can Help
By Amandine Crabtree ; Aerospace International Trade Specialist , Washington State Department of Commerce
Back in the August-September 2020 issue of Northwest Aerospace News Magazine , we covered the State Trade Expansion Program ( STEP ), which is funded by the U . S . Small Business Administration . This program provides financial assistance to small businesses to support their export strategy . A year after COVID forced the program to reinvent itself with new support activities , we would like you to hear from one of our awardees .
AccraFab is a manufacturer of sheet metal components and assemblies for the aerospace , medical and clean energy markets based in Spokane .
Amandine Crabtree Aerospace International Trade Specialist
Washington State Department of Commerce https :// www . commerce . wa . gov
WA DEPT . OF COMMERCE
Mark Norton , senior business development manager , explains how their business was able to take advantage of the program and how it will help them achieve international success .
AccraFab has been using the STEP grant to support a few activities over the past year . Can you briefly describe how you used the different vouchers ?
We had a real need to update our SEO strategy as well as increase the depth of content on our website . Our STEP grant helped us form a partnership with an SEO firm that really focused on the manufacturing sector . Efforts on that front are ongoing but are starting to show some benefit , and I know that the value will be there long-term .
48 NORTHWEST AEROSPACE NEWS