MACON, Ga.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Rankin Hobbs was honored as Georgia’s 2011 Small Business Exporter of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration at an awards luncheon held in Atlanta, Georgia on April 20, 2011. Hobbs was nominated for this award by Rick Martin, Director of the Georgia Small Business Development Center’s International Trade Center. KaMin is the largest U.S. exporter of high quality kaolin clay and is the largest exporter out of the Ports of Georgia in terms of tonnage. In its 2010 report on US container shippers, the Journal of Commerce cited KaMin as the 68^th largest container exporter in the United States for all commodities.

Every year since 1963, the President of the United States has proclaimed National Small Business Week to recognize the contributions of small businesses to the economic well-being of America. As part of National Small Business Week, the U.S. Small Business Administration and recognizes this special impact made by outstanding entrepreneurs and small business owners. President Obama launched the National Export Initiative in 2010 as a top priority for his administration as a critical component to the promotion of sustained economic growth for the United States.

“Over the course of its existence, this small company has literally transformed itself through exporting from a minor regional supplier of kaolin clay into a global leader in its industry,” observed Martin. In accepting this award on behalf of KaMin, Hobbs remarked, “We are pleased to represent the entire industrial minerals community in accepting this honor, for the economic contributions made by industrial mining and mineral companies throughout the U.S. This honor also demonstrates the value of KaMin kaolin clay to customers the world over, and reflects the pride our employees take in providing our customers with the very best products and service.”

KAMIN LLC

KaMin LLC is a manufacturer of high quality hydrous and calcined kaolin. With more than 70 years of experience, KaMin’s reserves and proprietary processing technologies produce high quality kaolins for a variety of applications.

KaMin mines and produces its kaolin exclusively in the US and sells its products to all regions of the world. KaMin operates three kaolin plants – Macon, Sandersville and Wrens – and has been recognized not only as a leader in product quality but also in its safe mining practices for many consecutive years.

KaMin LLC is owned by IMin Partners of Fort Worth, Texas. IMin Partners is a private investment firm that concentrates its investments in specialty niches of the industrial minerals and specialty chemical industries.

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