STEP to expand small businesses

HAYDEN - A small, family-owned Hayden manufacturer - Bullet Tools - had two major guests Friday afternoon.

They were the top Democrat and top Republican from the U.S. Senate's Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee: Maria Cantwell of Washington and Jim Risch of Idaho.

The senators toured Bullet, a maker of innovative "green" construction industry tools. Cantwell and Risch saw first-hand how the business has benefited from federal grants.

Bullet, at 3390 W. Hayden Ave., has received funding from the U.S. Small Business Administration's State Trade and Export Promotion (STEP) program.

STEP funds helped Bullet expand into international markets, which now make up half of its business, said Ben Toews, president of Bullet.

"The (committee's) programs have contributed to both our growth and the improved lives and livelihoods of contractors globally by enabling us to provide construction industry tools that require no electricity, produce no dust and improve installation time and efficiency," Toews said.

Following the tour, the senators announced plans to introduce bipartisan legislation this year to extend the STEP program.

In 2010, it was enacted as part of the Small Business Jobs Act. The three-year pilot program was designed to help small businesses by awarding grants to states to help small businesses begin or expand exports of their products. The pilot expired in 2013.

The senators' plan would transition STEP from a pilot program to a full program, and Cantwell and Risch will make improvements to the program based on lessons learned from participating companies.

"Here in the Pacific Northwest, we know that exports are crucial to our economy," Cantwell said. "The STEP program is a critical tool for small companies to increase exports in a growing global marketplace. That's where job growth and job creation is going to take place."

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STEP to expand small businesses