Why Consider Exporting?

• 95 percent of the world's consumers live outside of the United States, so if you're only selling domestically, you're reaching just a small share of your potential customers.
• Exporting enables companies to diversify their portfolios and to weather changes in economic climates so as not to be relying on the performance of a single economy in making sales.
• Through May of 2004, U.S. exports are up 13.7 percent over same period last year. U.S. exports to Mexico up more than 15 percent, Canada up 8.4 percent, EU up 12.1 percent, and China up 37 percent. It's a good time to export.

The Economic Impact of Exporting is Both Deep and Broad...

• Over the last decade, U.S. exports have accounted for a significant share of our economic growth. Exports support 12 million American jobs and rising living standards and thus are vital to our nation's economy.
• About one of every five factory jobs --20 percent of all jobs in America's manufacturing sector-depends on exports, and workers in jobs supported by merchandise exports typically receive wages 13-18 percent higher than the national average.
• Helping U.S. manufacturers increase exports that support job growth advances the Administration's Manufacturing Initiative, which has outlined a comprehensive strategy for addressing issues affecting U.S. manufacturing competetitiveness.
• Small businesses create 70 percent of the new jobs in America. It is to our economic advantage to get more of these firms exporting as well.

... and The Number of Small Business Exporters is Growing!

• Small and medium-sized firms account for 98 percent of growth in new exporters.
• The number of U.S. SME exporting companies rose 250% from 1987-2001.

There is Still Tremendous Untapped Export Potential...

• The export potential of small and medium-sized firms is enormous. Small and medium-sized companies account for almost 97 percent of U.S. exporters, but still represent only about 30 percent of the total export value of U.S. goods.
• Because nearly two-thirds of small and medium-sized exporters only sell to one foreign market, many of these firms could boost exports by expanding the number of countries they sell to.
• More than two-thirds of exporters have fewer than 20 employees.
• Smaller businesses often have misconceptions about exporting; they may think its too burdensome, believe its just for larger firms, or are not aware of the services offered by U.S. Commercial Service. Part of our mission at the CS is to help inform these companies of their export potential.

... and the U.S. Commercial Service can get you started.

• Area businesses are just a phone call away from worldwide export assistance. A business person who contacts the Philadelphia U.S. Export Assistance Center actually taps into a seamless global network of 222 offices worldwide (108 U.S. cities and nearly 150 posts in 76 countries).
• Our four core businesses - consulting, international partner searches, trade events, and market research - can enhance your international sales efforts.
• Last year, the U.S. Commercial Service's Pennsylvania U.S. Export Assistance Center network generated more than 260 export successes, facilitating more than $40 million worth of export sales from Keystone State businesses.
• Many of these services are free or cost-recovery. All one has to call 215-597-6101 or visit http://www.export.gov/cs

Pennsylvania: An Export Powerhouse

• Nearly 12,000 small and medium-sized Pennsylvania companies are exporters with over $16 billion in sales as of 2003.
• Pennsylvania's top export destination are Canada, followed by Mexico, UK, Japan, Germany, China and The Netherlands. The NAFTA markets of Canada and Mexico account for over 40 percent of Pennsylvania's export sales.
• Pennsylvania exports to China have increased nearly 115 percent from 1999-2003. In 2004, the state's exports to China totaled $565 million.
• Pennsylvania exports totaled $16.3 billion last year.