Markets Magazine
Germany's Export Engines
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On the edge of the snow-dusted pine forest surrounding Siegen, Germany, workers at the Erich Utsch AG plant are building a staple of American prisons: the equipment convicts use to crank out vehicle license plates. Three refrigerator-sized presses taking shape on this February morning will head to Nevada.
“I always wanted to sell our machines internationally,” says Manfred Utsch, the son of the company’s founder. “Now, 80 percent of our revenue comes from abroad.”