Texas leader in global marketplace

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Texas leader in global marketplace

Posted Monday, June 30, 2008

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Texas is a leader in the global marketplace. The State of Texas has led the nation in exports revenue for five consecutive years (2002 - 2006) with a total of $150.8 billion in 2006; a 17.2 percent increase from 2005.

Continuing to foster superior climate for job growth, opportunity and prosperity for the people of Texas are among his top priorities, said Governor Rick Perry. Trade benefits small business in Texas, 91.3 percent of the 28,300 companies that exported goods in 2004 were small and medium size-enterprises. 341,200 Jobs are originated within foreign companies that have operations in Texas.

Products from the State of Texas are shipped around the globe each year. The state's top value-added exports in 2006 were Computer & Electronic Products, Chemicals, Machinery (not electrical), Transportation Equipment, and Petroleum & Coal Products. The State’s top exporting partners were Mexico, Canada, China (mainland), South Korea and the Netherlands in that order. Foreign investment in Texas over the last few years (2002-2004) has remained constant at approximately $85 million per year.

Foreign direct investment (FDI) includes significant investments by foreign companies, such as construction of production facilities or ownership stakes taken in Texan companies. FDI not only creates new jobs, it can also lead to an infusion of innovative technologies, management strategies, and workforce practices. There are 341,200 Texas workers employed by foreign companies providing the livelihood for more than 4% of Texas private sector workforce.

IBR Overview

* The International Business & Recruitment (IBR) Program helps Texas companies expand into foreign markets and to assist with recruiting foreign companies to Texas.
* Companies in Texas are encouraged to broaden their scope worldwide, and they are provided with a method for doing so.
* The IBR gives Texas companies the opportunity to promote their products and services to international buyers and partners through trade missions, trade shows, seminars and inbound buyer missions.
* The IBR connects companies with trade counseling and training programs available through the International Small Business Development Centers and U.S. Department of Commerce Export Assistance Centers.
* The IBR works with entities such as the US Department of Commerce, U.S. Commercial Service Export Assistance Centers, the Small Business Development Centers, the Texas consular corps, and with its counterpart in the State of Texas - NAFTA Office in Mexico City to ensure that Texas companies are represented abroad.

* The IBR markets the State of Texas as a business location. This program activity is to market Texas by attending trade shows and trade missions, conferences and preparing and organizing seminars - both nationally and internationally. These program activities, coupled with strategic partnerships between communities, businesses, and other local, state and federal agencies, play a key role in how IBR markets Texas. The main goal of these activities is to boost up financial investment and job creation in Texas.

The IBR is organized into the following regions: Asia/Pacific; Europe/Middle East/Africa; Americas; The State of Texas NAFTA Office (STNO).

IBR Services

* Calendar
* Directory of Bi-National Chambers of Commerce and International Organizations
* Trade and Investment Leads

Through related activities such as trade missions, recruiting missions and Invest in Texas seminars, the IBR Office is seeking to generate trade and investment leads, which will later be disseminated among Texas companies, communities and regional allies accordingly.

A trade lead is an inquiry from a foreign company, broker, industry group, or governmental entity, regarding the purchase of a Texas company’s products, technology, or expertise. An investment lead is an inquiry from a foreign company or consultant regarding the establishment of a new facility or expansion of existing facilities in Texas.

Trade leads from the USDOC U.S. Commercial Service are available to Texas businesses electronically at http://www.export.gov/tradeleads/index.asp.

Intergovernmental Cooperation

The backbone of our trade activities with foreign countries is the common understanding and common goals and interests with other institutions, agencies and regions of the world. Therefore, the IBR Office is very proactive in the negotiation and signing of legal instruments with foreign governments and agencies that will provide the grounds for other countries to actively collaborate with the State of Texas in the strengthening and mutual cooperation of the trade related activities.

Export Counseling and Training

IBR assists connecting companies with trade counseling and training programs available through the International Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) and U.S. Department of Commerce Export Assistance Centers, working closely with its multiple strategic partnerships and taking advantage of the resources available.

Texas companies that are new to exporting, as well as those firms ready to export but in need of specific assistance with customs, permission, finance, or market analysis, are encouraged to contact the International SBDCs for resource referrals, preliminary counseling, trade leads and workshops.