With the help of an IMAGE Grant, Celina makes the leap to international sales and distribution.

Celina™ has been working on expanding its market base, selling to local businesses, larger corporations, foreign governments and distant customers, for many years. Now, they’re opening a distribution center in the UK with the help of a newly awarded Ohio IMAGE (International Market Access Grant for Exporters) Grant through the State Trade Expansion Program (STEP). This grant will help by covering some costs associated with expanding distribution and marketing of Celina’s main line of products.

Elevating Small Business

The STEP program provides states with monetary assistance to promote the education and expansion of small business into the international market. States receive funds according to a competitive process outlined by the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015, with the express purpose of using the funds to teach small businesses how to export, how to attract foreign buyers and enter foreign markets, and market their products internationally.

Ohio uses the STEP financial support to run the IMAGE Grant program. This program assists small businesses in expanding their products and services to international markets. Through expanding their market bases and increasing sales, small businesses are able to create more jobs, hire more employees, and sustain the local workforce. The bulk of the assistance comes in the form of reimbursements for activities and expenses associated with new international marketing endeavors.

Investing in Growth

Moving toward international sales is the most recent in a long line of business advances, from Celina’s shift to development and production in the early 2000’s to the latest production floor expansion and work on the new 100,000 square foot Celina Distribution Center at the main Celina, Ohio plant. The plan to grow into other markets has been in the works for some time.

Jill Roy, Celina’s Administration Manger, stated that “The IMAGE Grant will allow Celina Tent to open its distribution center in Leicester much sooner than anticipated. In addition to reimbursing expenses related to the UK expansion, the Ohio Department of Development has provided us with invaluable market research. This market research has helped us learn about key market segments and the intricacies of business in the UK. Because of the IMAGE Grant, we are already considering plans to expand into Germany, France and Canada within the next five years.”

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Celina can be found online at their e-commerce sites GetTent.com and GetTent.co.uk, with more information on their various divisions at CelinaTent.com and CelinaIndustries.com respectively.

Tel: 866-438-8368

Email: Sales@celinatent.com