CHICAGO (July 31, 12:30 p.m. ET) — Kathy Xuan, founder and president of Romeoville, Ill.-based plastics recycler Parc (USA) Corp., has been recently honored by the U.S. Small Business Administration as the Illinois Small Business Exporter of the Year.
She received the award on June 14 at the Union League Club of Chicago.
“Noted for its diverse customer network, tutelage in recycling methods, leadership in both market research and strategic planning, Kathy has guided her company to new heights in the industry,” SBA said in a release. “By the first half of 2011, PARC increased its export volume to $17.5 million which included $15 million of exports to China, $1.5 million to Latin America, and $1million to Canada.”
“This is the first time Parc has won this prestigious award,” Xuan told Plastics News. “We not only thank every single employee here for contributing their efforts, but also the SBA for their continued support.” She added that the recognition is great motivation to export even more.
Parc is adding new technology and know-how of compounding recycled materials at its Qingdao facility and developing more applications for areas such as construction, packaging and automotive. The company is also placing great emphasis on closed-loop recycling projects, Xuan said.
“Although the market in China was a little slow in the first half of 2012, we look forward to business picking up and improving in the second half of the year,” she noted. “While Asian countries are still our main focus for export, we also ship to Central and South America, and are trying for increased developments in Europe as well. We really aim to diversify our business.”
