Export Growth Benefits South Carolina Companies
August 13, 2012
Six month 2012 South Carolina merchandise exports are up 4 percent over same period last year
WASHINGTON – August 13, 2012 – The International Trade Administration (ITA) recently announced new export data that shows South Carolina merchandise exports increased 4 percent in the first half of 2012 compared to the same period in 2011, growing from $12.6 billion to $13.0 billion.
“Exports are an increasingly important part of South Carolina’s economic recovery as local businesses both big and small start to look beyond our borders to increase their customer base,” said Francisco Sánchez, Under Secretary for of Commerce for International Trade. “The International Trade Administration is committed to helping South Carolina businesses leverage financing and other key resources to boost exports that support thousands of good, high-paying jobs across the state. I encourage companies to contact our local U.S. Commercial Service offices to find out about new export opportunities and the resources available to them.”
South Carolina’s first half 2012 merchandise export sales outpaced the 2011 figures for the same period in many top destinations, including Iraq (up 61 percent), Japan (55 percent), Brazil (23 percent), Saudi Arabia (10 percent), and Canada (10 percent). Key merchandise export categories include transportation equipment, machinery manufactures, chemicals, plastics, and computer and electronic products.
“The growth in South Carolina export numbers help demonstrate that there’s every incentive for U.S. companies to be pursuing export opportunities,” said Dorette Coetsee, Director of the U.S. Commercial Service in Columbia. “Foreign buyers have a high appreciation for U.S. brand name products and services, and there’s no better time than now to start exporting. We’d like to help you with your exporting efforts.”
Since 2009, ITA has assisted approximately 15,000 U.S. companies record nearly 47,000 export successes. These results supported the 9.7 million Americans employed by export-related jobs in 2011, an increase of 1.2 million jobs since 2009.
For more information on exporting, contact the U.S. Commercial Service in Colombia at (803) 777-2571 or visit www.export.gov/Southcarolina. Businesses can also order the Basic Guide to Exporting available at www.export.gov/basicguide.
International Trade Administration
The International Trade Administration (ITA) is the premier resource for American companies competing in the global marketplace. ITA has 2,400 employees assisting U.S. exporters in more than 100 U.S. cities and 72 countries worldwide. For more information on ITA visit www.trade.gov.
