WASHINGTON - The International Trade Administration (ITA) recently announced new export data that shows California merchandise exports increased 6 percent in the first half of 2012 compared to the same period in 2011, growing from $77.4 billion to $82.0 billion. 

“Exports are an increasingly important part of California’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 California 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.” 

California’s first half 2012 merchandise export sales outpaced the 2011 figures for the same period in many top destinations, including Mexico (up 20 percent), Australia (17 percent), Belgium (9 percent), Hong Kong (8 percent), and United Kingdom (7 percent).  Key merchandise export categories include computer and electronic products, transportation equipment, machinery manufactures, miscellaneous manufactures, and chemicals.

“These export numbers show that businesses across California continue to sell to destinations around the world,” said Paul Tambakis, Director of the U.S. Commercial Service in Irvine.    “Ninety-five percent of the world’s potential consumers are outside of the United States.  The U.S. Commercial Service has trade experts in over 100 U.S. cities (including Irvine, California) and in more than 75 Countries to help U.S. companies increase sales to new global markets.  I also encourage California companies to attend the Americas Business Forum September 12-13th at UCLA.  This is a great opportunity to learn first-hand from our Senior Commercial Officers about business opportunities in Canada and Latin America”.  Details at http://www.lachamber.com/ .
ITA’s U.S. Commercial Service has entered into a strategic partnership with the Irvine Chamber of Commerce http://www.irvinechamber.com/ to increase export awareness among small and medium-sized businesses.  This includes joint marketing and outreach, co-hosting of trade events and seminars, and other trade promotion activities. The Irvine Chamber sponsors the “Irvine Global Market Intelligence Webinar Series” which is designed to provide “country specific” business opportunity awareness and decision support for companies in Irvine, Orange County, and the U.S. business communities at large. The live webinars are available free and present information briefs on International Market Profiles and Export Opportunities.  On Wednesday, September 5th, a senior U.S. Commercial Service Officer in China will be a featured presenter on the topic: Export Opportunities for U.S. Businesses: China  http://www.irvineglobalmarkets.com/ .

 The Irvine Chamber is also partnering with the U.S. Commercial Service and California Manufacturing Technology Consulting http://www.cmtc.com/ to launch “EXPORTECH” in early September, an export accelerator program for achieving profitable global growth.  Details at: http://exportechsept2012.eventbrite.com/  or contact CMTC Advisor, Elizabeth Glynn at   310.984.0728 or eglynn@cmtc.com.

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 Irvine at 949-660-1424 or visit www.export.gov/Irvine .  Exporters are also encouraged to contact the District Export Council of Southern California http://decsocal.org/ .  Members are comprised of private sector trade experts serving as volunteers, appointed by the Secretary of Commerce, to conduct trade education and mentor businesses who want to export their products and services into markets outside of the United States.
For more information about the impact of exports on individual states, please visit the Office of Trade and Industry Information’s web page at www.trade.gov/mas/ian.