BERGEN — The United States Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker on Monday presented Liberty Pumps with the President’s “E” Award at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. The President’s “E” Award is the highest recognition any United States entity can receive for making a significant contribution to the expansion of United States exports.
“Liberty Pumps has demonstrated a sustained commitment to export expansion,” Pritzker said in a congratulatory letter to the company announcing its selection as an award recipient. “The ‘E’ Awards Committee was very impressed with Liberty Pumps adaptation of its product line and development of new products for export markets. The company’s strong growth in export transactions over the last four years was also particularly notable. Liberty Pumps’ achievements have undoubtedly contributed to national export expansion efforts that support the U.S. economy and create American jobs.”
Liberty Pumps was founded in 1965 and is located in Bergen. As a privately held, family- and employee-owned company, Liberty has grown to become a leading USA-based manufacturer of sump, effluent sewage, sewage grinder pumps and preassembled pump systems for the professional trades serving the water and wastewater markets globally.
Charlie Cook, president and CEO of Liberty Pumps, said his company has only recently entered the global marketplace for pumps.
“During these last five years, Liberty has grown from only exporting into Canada to more than 30 countries,” Cook said. “Today export sales account for more than 15 percent of Liberty’s turnover. We see growth in exporting as means to sustain our future success and expand our work force in Bergen. We are indeed honored to receive the ‘E’ recognition of Liberty’s commitment and success in growing export sales.”
In 1961, President Kennedy signed an executive order reviving the World War II “E” symbol of excellence to honor and provide recognition to America’s exporters. Liberty Pumps is one of 123 companies Secretary Pritzker honored with the “E” Award on Monday for their outstanding work to reduce barriers to foreign markets and to open the door to more trade around the world.
United States companies are nominated for the “E” Award through the Department of Commerce’s U.S. Commercial Service office network, located within the Department’s International Trade Administration, with offices in 108 United States cities and more than 70 countries. Record years of successive export growth and an applicant’s demonstration of an innovative international marketing plan which led to the increase in exports is a significant factor in selecting the winners.
