Keats Southwest, an El Paso, Texas-based company, has been recognized by the Office of the United States Trade Representative for exporting excellence by inclusion in its book The United States of Trade. The book highlights how international trade contributes to the U.S. economy.

Matt Keats, the company’s president, says the North American Free Trade Agreement has helped the company grow its exports and is revenues.

“With the help of free trade agreements, companies of many sizes are finding the opportunity to trade in new markets across the globe,” said Keats. “With the help of NAFTA, Keats Southwest is proud to have been recognized by the Office of the United States Trade Representative for efforts to increase our footprint in the global economy.”

Keats Southwest does precision metal stamping, and produces wire forms and assemblies for electronics, medical, consumer goods and automotive industries from its El Paso facility. The company was founded in Chicago and expanded to El Paso in 1994.

“Our revenue has increased nine-fold due to free trade agreements, and it’s only getting better,” said Keats. “That means more exports, more sales and more manufacturing jobs.”

“NAFTA enabled the company to be competitive in the Mexican market during the manufacturing boom,” says the book, the United States of Trade. “Keats Southwest credits duty-free movement of goods and the simplified framework of export documentation under NAFTA with helping to grow the company’s annual revenue from $1 million to $10 million.” The company generated export sales of over $8 million in 2014.

“We went from six employees and six production machines,” said Keats, “to 50 employees and 50 machines running on three shifts.”