Ljubljana - Dewesoft, a maker of data acquisition systems, has been named ITM Exporter of the Year given out by SPIRIT, the agency encouraging entrepreneurship and investment, following the international education programme International Trade Management (ITM).

Dewesoft is an export-oriented and innovative company dedicated to constant development, SPIRIT said Tuesday evening.

The company develops and produces instruments for data collection, testing and measuring, which are used in the most advanced laboratories in the world developing rockets, satellites, safer cars and products that improve everyday lives.

Dewesoft's list of clients includes NASA, the European Space Agency and the Indian Space Programme, Boeing, Airbus, General Motors, Porsche, BMW, Audi and Volvo.

Four other companies made the shortlist: socks maker Intersocks, in-wheel motors maker Elaphe, floorings seller and distributor Alpod and charging equipment maker Etrel.

The companies, all of which took part in what was the 15th generation of ITM training, were assessed based on their results and their export activity, taking into account a number of aspects.

SPIRIT acting director Rok Capl underlined at the awards ceremony last night that encouraging internationalisation was a top priority for the agency, and one way to to that is through the ITM, one of several programmes it offers to Slovenian entrepreneurs.

The ITM programme is provided by SPIRIT in cooperation with the ITM Worldwide Foundation and the Swedish Trade Council. Since its launch in Slovenia in 2006 it helped 206 export managers.

Companies that took part in the first three generations of training have increased their sales revenue by an average of 40% following the years after participating in ITM, while some more than doubled it, said Capl.