Several Maine firms will be honored May 22 for their excellence in international trade and investment. Gov. John E. Baldacci will present the awards during Maine International Trade Day 2008 at the Holiday Inn by the Bay.

The award winners are:

Exporter of the Year: The Baker Co. of Sanford, which designs and manufactures biological safety cabinets, clean benches and fume hoods. It has developed a customer base in the U.S. and around the globe, including Europe, Asia and Africa.

International Innovator of the Year: Safe Handling Inc. of Auburn, a bulk product handling and toll-processing facility operator for international chemical and raw material producers. Safe Handling also provides warehousing, tank truck and tote cleaning, and specialized rail-car services on its 200-acre site.

Service Provider of the Year: Preti Flaherty Beliveau & Pachios LLP, a law firm with 90 attorneys and offices in Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. In addition to serving the Maine business community, Preti Flaherty is an international firm with clients from Europe, Asia and elsewhere in the world.

Foreign Investor of Year: Fontaine Inc. of Woburn, Quebec, Canada, a family-owned and operated business located in the heart of the northeastern forests. The company has provided lumber to clients across the eastern United States and Canada for more than 40 years.