American Businesses: Winning with Exports

A message from Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade Francisco Sánchez. Follow him on Twitter @UnderSecSanchez.

Did you see President Obama’s State of the Union address? 

If so, I’m sure you agree that the President did an outstanding job of outlining his plans to make America a magnet for jobs and manufacturing.  All of us at the International Trade Administration are working every day to support this goal by helping more American-made products reach buyers in the global marketplace. 

Our work is a vital part of the President’s National Export Initiative (NEI).  Launched in 2010, it has the goal of doubling U.S. exports by the end of 2014 and we have made great progress. 

In the years since the NEI started, businesses have made tremendous in-roads towards reaching the 95 percent of the world’s consumers that live outside U.S. borders.  In fact, their successes have been HISTORIC.   

It was recently announced that in 2012, U.S. exports reached a record $2.2 trillion in total value – an all-time record.  The United States reached record levels of exports with more than 70 trading partners.  Finally, at the local level, over 29 states hit record export levels in 2012.        

Bottom line: American businesses are winning with exports because they are reaching new markets and making more sales.  American workers are also winning; U.S. exports now support 9.8 million jobs, an increase of 1.3 million since 2009.

The International Trade Administration is committed to continuing this progress in a number of ways.  This month, for example, I was proud to participate in the Brazil Commercial Dialogue with the goal of strengthening ties with this important partner. 

I also took part in forums with the Council of the Americas and the Colombian American Chamber of Commerce to discuss ways to strengthen collaboration throughout the Western Hemisphere.

As you’ll read in this month’s issue of International Trade Update, all across ITA, we are doing all kinds of important work on behalf of U.S. exporters, including:

• helping businesses from all sectors navigate through the export process;
• supporting the travel and tourism sector, which is breaking records too and is so important to our economy;
• ensuring that trade agreements work for U.S. businesses;
• working with partners – such as the City of Louisville – to localize our efforts;
• promoting the benefits of industries like entertainment; and
• assisting U.S. exporters in making the most of Russia’s accession to the World Trade Organization.

By doing this work, ITA is helping support the President’s goal to make America a magnet for jobs and manufacturing.  And we look forward to helping even more U.S. businesses win with exports.

THIS ISSUE

• 2012 Record Exports
• Travel & Tourism
• Exports -> Jobs
  
• Love for Exports
  
• ITA Success
• BEAMing in KY
• Russia Policy
  

TRADE CALENDAR

• Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency in Chile
  
• Infrastructure Business Development in Panama, Brazil & Colombia
  
• Medical Trade in Brazil
  
• Full List
  

Health Care Trade Mission to Russia

The Healthcare Trade mission will promote the competitiveness of U.S. medical equipment, dental equipment and biotechnology subsectors in a key emerging market.

Helping Businesses of Any Sector Create Exports

A lot of what we do is demystify exporting. We hear a lot of businesses ask, ‘How can my small business compete globally?’ We help them do it.