Davenport’s APS Named Iowa Small Business Exporter Of The Year
The Region 7 Office of the U.S. Small Business Administration has named American Power Systems Inc. (APS), in Davenport, Iowa as the Small Business Exporter of the Year for the State of Iowa and for SBA’s Region 7 (which includes the states of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska).
APS president Amy Lank and the export team at APS of Tyler Fangmann, Vince Kresho and Brandy Welvaert were recognized for the company’s increased growth in export markets, their effective use of federal and state export programs, and their overall dedication to exporting.
APS has grown from a small shop producing high-output alternators to a multi-million-dollar business that manufactures and provides advanced, mobile, on-vehicle power systems, including alternators and bracketry, converters, smart alternator regulators and lithium-ion power systems. The company, now with 13 employees, has been in business 13 years and exporting for ten. Overall sales grew about 58 percent between 2016 and 2018, with exports making up 18 percent. APS clients include the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Special Operations Command, the U.S. Department of State and the Australian Ministry of Defence. By 2018, the 
company had exported products to Canada, Australia, Germany, Israel, Jordan, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.
“We at the SBA congratulates Ms. Lank and her team, who have used numerous resources to accelerate their growth and propel the company onto the international stage with a product categorized as ‘lifesaving equipment’ by the U.S. Department of State,” said Region 7 Regional Administrator Tom Salisbury.
APS has benefitted from the use of several federal, state and local resources, including the SBA-funded Iowa State Trade Expansion Program, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s U.S. 
Commercial Service, EXIM Bank, the Iowa Procurement and Technical Assistance Center (PTAC), The Center for Industrial Research and Service at Iowa State University (CIRAS) and Iowa Economic Development Authority. APS has received grants from the Iowa Economic Development Authority and the Illinois Quad Cities Defense Industry Adjustment Program, which helps support the Quad Cities Manufacturing Innovation Hub at the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce.
APS has shared their export story with the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce and has partnered with companies in the US and worldwide to export.
“The SBA is honored to recognize American Power Systems, Inc. as the 2020 Iowa Small Business Exporter of the Year and we are very proud they were selected for the Region 7 award as well,” said Jayne Armstrong, district director of the SBA’s Iowa District Office. “APS is a great example of the tremendous impact exporting can have on Iowa small businesses.”
