News

WASHINGTON - Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) President and Chairman Kimberly A. Reed today hosted a teleconference roundtable discussion with more than 100 business leaders and stakeholders in the water treatment and sanitation sectors. The event was the fourth teleconference in EXIM's "Strengthening American Competitiveness" initiative, which provides valuable stakeholder input to EXIM's new Program on China and Transformational Exports.

On the call, Chairman Reed highlighted how EXIM's partnership with the private sector can support and accelerate the success of American companies in this key sector that faces stiff international competition.

"The largest need for clean water and proper sanitation exists in emerging markets where commercial lenders are often wary of assuming associated financial risk," said Chairman Reed. "Clean water can be transformative, improving the health, environment, and economy in communities around the world. EXIM is committed to U.S. businesses and workers in this critical industry, supporting U.S. innovation, employment, and technological standards, and ensuring high-quality 'Made in the U.S.A.' goods and services reach their global destinations."

According to David Trulio, Senior Vice President for the Program on China and Transformational Exports, "We are excited to build on our past work with companies in the field of water treatment and sanitation. The benefits these exporters bring to local communities help create a virtuous cycle, where healthier and more prosperous countries are enabled to be even closer trading partners with the United States."

Also giving remarks in the roundtable discussion were:

• Vanessa M. Leiby, Executive Director, Water and Wastewater Equipment Manufacturers Association
• Robert J. Rebori, President, BioMicrobics, Inc.
• Richard A. Ebel; Vice President, International Development; ECC
• Ariel Kuperminc, Corporate Treasurer, Evoqua Water Technologies
• Amit Gupta, Vice President for Products and Strategy, Evoqua Water Technologies
• Venkee Sharma, President and CEO, Aquatech International
• Jim Matharu, Sr Vice President, Aquatech International
• Tham Saravanapavan, Ph.D., P.E., Vice President, Tetra Tech

"Having access to export financing helps our company clean the water in our world and produce simple, low cost, and robust technologies. EXIM is an important tool for U.S. companies in our sector to create and retain jobs, both directly and indirectly," said Robert Rebori, President of BioMicrobics, Inc. "We're working toward better water, and a better world."

The Program on China and Transformational Exports, established in EXIM's historic seven-year reauthorization, directs EXIM to provide financial products to directly neutralize export subsidies offered by the People's Republic of China, helping to ensure a level playing field for U.S. businesses and workers as they compete globally. The program has the aim of advancing the comparative leadership of the United States and supporting U.S. innovation, employment, and technological standards globally in ten transformational export industries.

More information on EXIM's "Strengthening American Competitiveness" initiative, including a full schedule of teleconferences and recordings of previous events, can be found here.

ABOUT EXIM:

EXIM is an independent federal agency that promotes and supports American jobs by providing competitive and necessary export credit to support sales of U.S. goods and services to international buyers. A robust EXIM can level the global playing field for U.S. exporters when they compete against foreign companies that receive support from their governments. EXIM also contributes to U.S. economic growth by helping to create and sustain hundreds of thousands of jobs in exporting businesses and their supply chains across the United States. In recent years, approximately 90 percent of the total number of the agency's authorizations has directly supported small businesses. Since 1992, EXIM has generated more than $9 billion for the U.S. Treasury for repayment of U.S. debt.

For more information about EXIM, please visit www.exim.gov.