LORETTO, Cambria County — JADCO Manufacturing in Zelienople is working to expand its client base to Russia with the help of Saint Francis University.

Ed Huttenhower, director of the university’s Center for Global Competitiveness, said he and marketing analyst Alina Otis recently returned from Russia where they attended the Mining World Russia trade show in Moscow.

He explained the mission of the center is to help Western Pennsylvania manufacturing companies develop global markets.

The center opened in 2003 and since then the staff has attended manufacturing and trade shows in South Africa, Australia, Peru, Brazil and Canada.

Huttenhower said they take information from each company to the show, set up a booth and talk to companies who stop by about what Pennsylvania companies can do for them.

Otis, originally from Russia, said she documents who stops by the booth and what American company they talked about.

“When I get back, we compile a list for each Pennsylvania company and talk to them about questions we got at the trade shows,” she said.

Scott Rife, vice president of JADCO, a high quality steel company, said the St. Francis University program has helped the Zelienople company get global exposure and new customers.

“We are a small, family owned manufacturer,” Rife said. “We can’t afford to go to these shows, but this program gives us the chance to reach markets we would otherwise never know about.

“This is a great service and is helping us in our efforts to expand,” Rife said, adding JADCO currently has about 115 employees and is working to grow the company.

Huttenhower said the center is planning to attend trade shows in Vietnam and Sweden in 2012.