Alright, so like, there were these four businesses in New Jersey, right? And they got these awards for being total boss exporters, you know? Alnima Natural Solutions, Pioneer Consulting, Spectra Color Corporation, and Dock 7 Materials Group, LLC were all feeling pretty good about themselves after snagging those New Jersey International Trade Awards (NJITA).

The New Jersey District Export Council (NJDEC) was the one handing out these cool awards, part of the U.S. Commercial Service gang. Susan Widmer, the big boss at the Northern New Jersey Commercial Service and NJDEC executive secretary, was all like, “These awards show how awesome these businesses are at international trade and stuff. We’re all about celebrating excellence, innovation, and commitment to local business growth.”

So, let’s break it down for you. Dock 7 Materials Inc. from Red Bank, they recycle plastics from farms, consumers, and industries. They won Exporter of the Year. Pioneer Consulting from East Windsor is all about telecom consulting and engineering for those fancy fiber-optic cables under the sea. They snagged the Service Exporter of the Year award. Spectra Colors Corp. from Kearny is the go-to for dyes and colorants, and they were named Minority/Diverse Exporter of the Year. Lastly, Alnima Natural Solutions Inc. from Jersey City makes top-notch vitamins and supplements, and they were crowned New Exporter of the Year.

At this event at the Galloping Hill Golf Course in Kenilworth, the big shots from these companies sat down for a chat. Sally Glick, who used to work at CliftonLarsonAllen, was the one leading the convo. They talked about marketing overseas, hitting up trade shows, dealing with all the paperwork, and how those trade tariffs from the Trump administration are messing things up.

Howard Kidorf from Pioneer Consulting was like, “Hey, don’t be afraid to spend some cash upfront for expert advice when you’re getting into international trade. It’ll pay off big time later, trust me.” And Alexis Capik from Spectra Colors was complaining about all the paperwork you gotta deal with when you’re importing and exporting stuff.

The crowd got some solid advice too, like taking it slow in foreign markets, getting to know a country’s culture and government before diving in, and making sure you do your research. Melanie Willoughby from the New Jersey Business Action Center talked about how they help businesses who wanna export through their State Trade Expansion Program (STEP). They dish out financial awards to small businesses in New Jersey who are new to exporting or already selling overseas.

Willoughby was like, “Listen up, folks! We got this STEP grant that can help you reach your exporting goals. It’s been a hit so far, bringing in millions in sales and creating or saving a bunch of jobs. So, it’s pretty cool how a small investment can go a long way in boosting businesses.”

Widmer from NJDEC dropped some knowledge bombs about global trade being worth trillions of dollars. New Jersey alone exported billions in goods last year, ranking 14th in the U.S. for exports. Chemicals, electronics, transportation stuff, food, and healthcare products were the big sellers from the Garden State.

So, if you’re into business news, check out NJB News Now for more juicy deets.