Baltic Export, Brands, Innovations, Latvia, Markets and Companies

Exporter of the year

The prize for the winners.

JSC Latvijas Finieris

Latvia’s leading developer and supplier of birch plywood products and related services.  Part of Latvia’s plywood manufacturing traditions since 1873, “Latvijas Finieris” became a joint-stock company in 1992. Since then it has developed dramatically, reaching 5 times larger production levels and increasing sales tenfold. The company has earned a solid international reputation as a stable and reliable partner, which guarantees its own resources, offers quality manufacturing, and outstanding sales and service.

www: www.finieris.com

Best exporter among large/medium companies

Best Latvian exporters with the President Valdis Zatlers.

1^st place:          Livonia Print Ltd. (book printing)

“Livonia Print” has established itself as a major player in the Baltic Sea region. With a modern printing plant and bindery in Riga, Latvia, it offers a full range of book production services, from full colour to black-and-white. The plant has been designed to guarantee the shortest and fastest production cycle for the production of high quality books of all kinds, including hard and soft cover and flexi-bound books. Products include art, photography, school, reference, and travel books, and have been sold to customers in Norway, Sweden, Germany, Denmark, Iceland, and many other European countries.

www: www.livoniaprint.lv

2^nd place:        Cemex Ltd. (portland cement)

Cemex is one of the world’s leading producers of building materials, and began its operations in Latvia in 2005 with the acquisition of a cement plant in Brocēni. Since then the company has invested approximately 250 million Euros in the development of the plant, making it Europe’s most modern cement production facility.

www: www.cemex.lv

3^rd place (tie):  Baltic candles Ltd. (powder pressed candles)

Baltic Candles is the biggest producer of candles in the Baltic countries and one of the largest in Europe. It produces a wide range of high quality candles featuring modern colours and designs. The company takes pride in being environmentally responsible in its designs and production methods.

www:  www.balticcandles.com

3^rd place (tie): Lauma Fabrics Ltd. (lace products)

In 2006, Latvia’s respected lingerie manufacturer, Lauma Lingerie Ltd. established the company Lauma Fabrics Ltd., which produces a variety of lace products, including elastic wrap-knit fabrics, non-elastic wrap-knit fabrics, elastic laces, non-elastic laces, lace knitted fabrics, elastic and non-elastic ribbons, embroidery. The company exports its lace to over 15 countries.

www: www.lauma.lv (Lauma Lingerie)

www: www.laumafabrics.com (to be launched soon)

Recognition: Bruker Baltic Ltd. (spectrometric devices)

Bruker Baltic specializes in the development and serial production of spectrometric devices based on semiconductor silicon, high-pure germanium and cadmium-zinc-tellurium detectors. Their products are used in nuclear energetic and ecology, geology and mineral resource industry, medicine and research activities, customs control and other spheres. Their devices are used by NASA and the European Space Agency. 

www: www.bruker-baltic.lv

Recognition:  JSC Grindeks (pharmaceuticals)

Grindeks is the leading pharmaceutical company in the Baltic countries. Their “Capsicam” ointment was one of their most successful products in 2008 and was exported to 13 countries. 

www: www.grindeks.lv

Recognition:  Kolumbija Ltd. (fish products)

A producer of a variety of canned fish products that are exported to 25 countries. Best known for its “šprotes” (sardines).

www: www.fish-pk.lv

Recognition: JSC Severstallat (distribution of steel products)

Severstallat distributes metal products, manufactured by leading steel makers from Western and Eastern Europe, from CIS countries, and also from South East Asia. In last years total volume of sales has exceeded 300 thousands tons and is constantly growing.

www: www.ssl.lv

Recognition:  Stenders Ltd. (bath and body cosmetics)

Originally known as the Stenders Soap Factory with one store in Rīga, Stenders now has over 190 franchised shops in 20 countries around the world. Their distinctive soaps, bath and body cosmetics are one of Latvia’s most recognizable products.

www: www.stendersshop.com

Recognition:  Sungate Ltd. (transportation and forwarding)

One of the leading international transportation service companies with extensive experience in the Baltic Sea region, uniting sea, railway and road transportation, stevedoring service and documental registration of freights. 

www: www.sungate.lv

Best exporter among small companies

1^st place:          Dīlers Ltd. (secondary aluminium alloys)

Dīlers specializes in secondary aluminum alloys production and also sells and processes ferrous and non-ferrous metals scrap. In 2007 they embarked on a new business of collecting and utilizing domestic and hazardous wastes. Although their main market has been Germany, by 2008 they had achieved export success in 10 countries.

www: www.dilers.lv

2^nd place:        Nordtext Ltd. (translation and localization)

Nordtext is one of the leading translation companies in the Baltic Sea region, offering a wide array of services in 65 languages. Among their specialities are multilingual desk top publishing, software, web, and marketing services.

www: www.nordtext.com

3^rd place:         AmberCRO Ltd. (clinical trials)

AmberCRO offers a full range of clinical trial service for the health care industry in the Baltic countries for clients. Services include study design, protocol development, regulatory consultation and site management. Their business is 100% export oriented for foreign pharmaceutical and clinical research companies.

www: www.amber-cro.com

Recognition:  Automatizācija Ltd. (industrial automation)

The company works in the field of industrial automation and machine design using modern 3D CAD technologies. Clients include Audi, VW Getrag, BMW, and Scania.

www: www.automatizacija.lv

Recognition:  DME Ltd. (kick-up rudder for sailboats) 

Producer of the DOTAN kick-up rudder, a unique and easy to use steering system for all sailboats, including catamarans and trimarans. The innovative design has been patented in the US and exported to 16 countries.

www: www.dotan.com

Recognition:  M.A.R.I.D.I. Ltd. (language learning programs)

Producer of the „Quick Teacher” and „Slova Begom” language learning programs for Latvian, Lithuanian, German, Russian, Polish, Japanes,e and Chinese-speaking customers.

www: www.maridi.lv

Recognition:  Volburg Ltd. (electronics)

This leading producer of electronics equipment has also developed a smart house automated lighting and heat management electronic module for homes, offices, hotels, and other types of buildings.

www: www.volburg.lv

Most innovative product

1^st place:          Primekss Ltd. (PrimeComposite concrete for floors)

Primekss is an industrial flooring specialist that has utilized research and development to create the world’s most innovative, durable, and cost-effective concrete floors. Their newly developed PrimeComposite concrete offers increased toughness and durability in a thinner and more economical floor. In addition to Latvia, Primekss has companies in Sweden, Finland, Norway, Estonia, and Poland, where Primekss seamless floors are being used more and more for factories, warehouses and large stores.

www: www.primekss.com

2^nd place:        Dores fabrika Ltd. (contemporary log houses)

Dores fabrika combines old traditions with new technologies to custom-build modern log houses with up-to date designs. Their unique glued-wood timbers and innovative joint designs offer unprecedented eco-friendly structures that are weather-tight under the harshest winter or summer conditions. Dores has the most modern factory of its kind in Europe and can produce 350 log houses a year, mostly for export.

www: www.dores.lv

3^rd place:         Metrum Ltd. (airport aerial obstacle mapping)

Metrum is an international land surveying and territory planning company. Using aerial-photogrammetry and laser scanning, Metrum has become the market leader, and has completed projects for the Latvian coast line, forest territories and the city of Riga. It is the first company in Eurasia to develop and offer an innovative aerial obstacle mapping system.

www: www.metrum.lv

Recognition:  B-phone Ltd. (baby monitoring device)

B-phone is a baby monitoring device with unlimited working range since it communicates with your personal mobile phone. Activated by sound or motion, it calls you on your mobile phone and allows you to listen or talk to your child.

www: www.b-phone.eu

Recognition:  Kolumbija Ltd. (fish products in novel sauces)

In addition to its traditional “šprotes”(sardines), Kolumbija produces a wide array of canned sea foods products in a new selection of sauces and flavours.

www: www.fish-pk.lv

Recognition:  Sakret Ltd. (decorative cement)

In Latvia, Sakret developed and produces unique decorative cement designed specifically for use in renovating historical buildings. The product blends with the existing look, feel and technologies of historical buildings and is ideal for authentic restorations.

www: www.sakret.lv

Best import replacement product

1^st place:          Sakret Ltd. (decorative surface treatments)

Until now, siliconized, acrylic latex products were not produced in Latvia and had to be imported from other countries. Sakret now produces these products in Latvia at a competitive price and they can replace such competitors as Caparol, Tikkurila, Atlas, and Mira.

www: www.sakret.lv

2^nd place:        Limbažu piens Ltd. (hard cheese Monterigo)

The recipe for this “parmesan-like” hard cheese came from Italy, and with it, Limbažu Piens has produced one of Latvia’s most popular new cheeses. Although a successful export product, Monterigo has also won the hearts of Latvia’s consumers.  The cheese is aged for 18 months in a specially designed facility in Limbaži, Latvia.

www: www.rpk.lv

3^rd place:         JSC Dzintars (skin care product line Sea Secrets)

Latvia’s best known cosmetic and skin care product manufacturer has developed the Sea Secrets line of skin care products, offering the same quality and results of the world’s leading brands, but at a fraction of the price.

www:www.dzintars.lv

Recognition:  Fonons Ltd. (air and screw compressors)

Fonons industrial air and screw compressors for homes and factories continue to be favoured over more expensive imports by customers throughout Latvia. They are energy-efficient, durable, and highly reliable.

www: www.fonons.lv

Recognition:  Grandeg Ltd. (pellet heating furnaces)

Grandeg wood and biomass pellet heating furnaces are easy to install, reliably stable and ensure high efficiency of heat generation. They are increasingly used in homes, offices, apartment buildings, public buildings, and even entire villages.

www: www.grandeg.lv

Recognition: JSC Valmieras stikla šķiedra (silica nettings)

Valmiera finberglass products manufacturer has long been one of Latvia’s leading exporters. Their new silica nettings and e-glass mats now exceed quality standards of other global manufacturers.

www: www.vss.lv