Made in America tour starts at Toledo-based Bionix

Francisco Sanchez, undersecretary for international trade at the U.S. Department of Commerce, tests out an embrace thermal plastic mask on Andrew Milanoski, a regional account manager at Bionix Development Corp. The thermoplastic mask is used for the treatment of brain cancer.

Toledo based Bionix Development Corp. ships American-made medical devices to more than 50 countries around the world.

That’s a perfect example of a success story in U.S. exporting, said Francisco J. Sanchez, the undersecretary for international trade at the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Mr. Sanchez kicked off a three-day “Made in America Manufacturing Tour” today at Bionix. Regardless of their size, Mr. Sanchez said American businesses should look at markets outside the U.S. to grow their businesses.

“My message is don’t think that because you’re a small company you can’t play overseas,” Mr. Sanchez said. “If you have an exportable good, an exportable service, you can’t just rely on the domestic market. Ninety-five percent of the world’s consumers live outside our borders.”

Bionix, started in 1984, makes a variety of disposable medical devices such as ear curettes for removing wax from ear canals, and positioning equipment that doctors use to keep patients still while administering radiation therapy cancer treatments.

The company employs about 60 people in Toledo.