Life Data Labs of Cherokee Ala., was among eight companies  honored with the state's Governor’s Trade Excellence Award for their successful exporting strategies.

Exporting has been a regular part of Life Data Labs' business for more than 30 years. About one-third of the company’s sales are international.

The family-owned, 15-employee operation manufactures animal nutrition and health care products, including its flagship Farrier’s Formula, a hoof supplement that’s a household name in the equine world.

“Internationally, we sell to wholesale suppliers that sell to tack and feed shops, farriers and veterinarians,” explains Darryl G. Spencer, Life Data Labs’ chief financial officer. “The ultimate consumers of our products are primarily horse and dog owners.”

The United Kingdom and Germany are the company’s two largest international markets, while Mexico was the fastest-growing last year.

“We are extremely proud to receive this award,” Spencer continues. “It is difficult for a small family-owned company to navigate all of the requirements to export products around the world.”

He credits the company’s staff, as well as the effectiveness of the products developed by company founder, Dr. Frank Gravlee, for worldwide demand.

Other winners of the 2016 Governor’s Trade Excellence Awards are:

• Aker Solutions Inc.
• GATR Technologies
• Linden Lumber LLC
• MapuSoft Technologies
• MMI Outdoor Inc.      
• Schreiber LLC
• TriVector Services Inc.

Each year, Life Data Labs sponsors the Burney Chapman Memorial Lecture at the International Hoof-Care Summit in Cincinnati, Ohio.  Next year's Burney Chapman Memorial Lecture will be presented by Dave Farley of Coshocton, Ohio. The 2016 lecturer was Renate Weller of the Royal Veterinary College.

Back in 2015, Life Data Labs and the American Association of Professional Farriers hosted a Hoofcare Essentials Clinic at the company's Cherokee, Ala., facility.