What in the World? Company Spotlight: Endovac Animal Health

Endovac Animal Health (Columbia, MO) initially partnered with the MU International Trade Center in 2019 to complete an in-depth International market sector research report.  In catching up with Endovac President Steve Knorr recently, he shared that: “The final report shared has served as a road map for our international growth plans. The resources, access to databases and statistics on international trade have been invaluable. I initially thought that our engagement with the MU ITC would be limited to the completion of this project but it was really just the beginning.  We have hired two Interns out of the MU ITC to help in all aspects of our company.  Our relationship with MU ITC and the Trulaske College of Business is also developing a talent pipeline and providing Endovac with access to a ready supply of great student interns and potential future employees. MU ITC has also provided a level of connectivity with state and federal agencies and industry involved with international trade that has been vital to our growth.”

Congratulations to Endovac Animal Health for celebrating 40 years of successful business operations (1983-2023)!

When prompted for additional details, Steve shared the following….

Value Gained from Research Completed: Endovac 

• Narrowed our target countries of interest for sales expansion down to achievable goals in our bordering markets and identified a few stretch goals in two other countries for discovery.
• Eliminated countries from any starting point and created the list of no-go markets.
• Identified multiple avenues of federal and state assistance to be leveraged for growth plans.
• Gained new distribution partner in Canada: Kane Veterinary Service.

Key Actions Taken:

• Hired two ITC students as interns.
• Used state of Missouri Business Development synergies to find grants available in the new international markets. 
• Connected with a new website design company to redesign our website localized for Canada in both English and French.
• Visited with new distribution partners in Canada to evaluate partnership opportunities.

Impact Achieved:

• Applied for and attained new grant funding to support the company’s international push into Canada, including website and marketing expenses. 
• Used the Missouri Department of Economic Development's Office of International Trade & Investment resources to evaluate current distributors and find new potential distributor partnerships in the Canadian market. 
• Leveraged Global Market Access Program (GMAP) and State Trade Export Program (STEP) funding to receive $50,000 in benefits received from trade show attendance, website design and vetting of distribution partners.

In sharing a recommendation with other small-to-medium enterprises, Steve noted that “If your team needs a fresh look at your international market potential, we would highly recommend the global market research analysis services by the MU ITC for honest feedback on where you are, where you can potentially target, and for identifying potential tools and resources to assist you in reaching those goals.”