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Application Process Opens for U.S. Industry Groups Seeking Awards for Projects that Address Barriers to U.S. Exporters

February 11, 2020

By Brad Hess, Director, Market Development Cooperator Program, Office of Industry Engagement

The International Trade Administration (ITA) invites U.S. trade associations, professional societies, standards developing organizations, and other non-profit industry groups to apply for financial and technical assistance for projects that remove trade barriers to U.S. exporters. Applications for the Market Development Cooperator Program (MDCP) awards are due April 27, 2020.

ITA is conducting a series of conference calls to provide further information on how to compete successfully for a 2020 MDCP award. Potential applicants can check the requirements to determine their eligibility to apply for the program.

Pitch Ideas Now to ITA Officials
Prior to the February 27 MDCP notice being published on grants.gov, applicants will have the chance to brainstorm project ideas with ITA officials.

Interested industry groups should contact Jessica.Dulkadir@trade.gov to discuss their ideas. ITA will also include trade professionals in this initial phase that can give potential applicants useful feedback.

2020 Funding Focus is Removing Trade Barriers
Historically, 30-40 percent of MDCP projects have included a strong focus on removing trade barriers. For the 2020 competition, ITA wants all projects it funds to have such a focus.

An MDCP applicant must propose a project that creates or sustains U.S. jobs by increasing or maintaining exports (priority 1 listed below). In addition, a successful applicant must show how its proposed project will address any two of priorities 2-6 below.

  1. Create or sustain U.S. jobs by increasing or maintaining exports.
  2. Address non-tariff barriers to U.S. exports such as discriminatory regulations, local content requirements, onerous standards or conformity assessment procedures, and other measures that may be unreasonably trade restrictive.
  3. Secure strong intellectual property rights protection and combat counterfeiting and piracy.
  4. Counter discriminatory trade policies such as “indigenous innovation” or “localization.”
  5. Participate in the formulation and encourage the adoption of standards that are industry-developed, market-driven, science-based, and internationally recognized.
  6. When appropriate, encourage the development of aligned regulatory requirements that avoid unnecessary costs on businesses.

Examples of Successful Trade Barrier Removal Projects
It takes time to address and remove trade barriers. This is why MDCP projects must last a minimum of three years. Realistically, most projects need even more time to remove trade barriers like discriminatory standards or regulations. The International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) was able to help Indonesia establish a new plumbing code and implement a conformity assessment regime in just three years.

IAPMO advised Indonesia officials on establishing a national plumbing code then openedPhoto and Caption for MDCP Blog 020920 a lab to certify compliance of products with the new code. Indonesia’s newly adopted national plumbing standard, SNI 8153:2015, requires a lab certification of plumbing products. This allows architects, planners, builders, and building owners the certainty they need to choose the right products for the right applications.

Prior to the MDCP project and the adoption of the plumbing code, low quality plumbing products not up to standard were prevalent throughout the country. The shoddy products made urban living miserable for most residents. Their widespread use also made it hard for high quality U.S.-made products to compete. Now all plumbing products must conform to the same high standards.

A more detailed description of the IAPMO project is available at trade.gov/mdcp on the Addressing Trade Barriers page. Highlights of several other current and past MDCP trade barrier projects are available on this page as well.

Posted in Antidumping/Countervailing Duties, Industry and Analysis, innovation, Manufacturing, Market Access and Compliance, MDCP, Miscellaneous, Service Industries, Trade Enforcement, Trade Policy | Tagged | Comments Off on Application Process Opens for U.S. Industry Groups Seeking Awards for Projects that Address Barriers to U.S. Exporters

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The Intersection of Manufacturing & FDI: Job Creation

October 4, 2019

SelectUSA’s Investment Research Team works to create an environment where data inspires, supports, and informs investment policy and promotion.

This Manufacturing Day we are highlighting the positive impact of investors in manufacturing. Whether a business decides to expand existing operations in the United States, or a new international investor opens a manufacturing plant for the first time, U.S. communities reap rewards. These benefits can be seen in stories across the country.

Re-selecting the USA
Earlier this year, SelectUSA released a report titled Reinvesting in the USA: A Case Study of Reshoring and Expanding in the United States. It profiled six examples of U.S.-based businesses that chose to reshore or expand operations in the United States rather than abroad. Each of these companies had a positive impact on the U.S. workers they employed and the communities surrounding them – the kind of real-world details about manufacturing that can often get lost in macroeconomic analysis.

Companies such as Sherrill Manufacturing support U.S. jobs with their dedication to manufacturing in the United States. Between 2013 and 2014, Sherrill reshored its entire operation from Mexico to a facility in upstate New York. Sherrill’s “factory-to-table” model not only allows consumers to purchase directly from the manufacturer, but also enabled the company to more than double manufacturing employment at its New York facility. Today, Sherrill Manufacturing employs more than 50 workers.

Sherrill’s investment also supports a historic manufacturing community in upstate New York, ranging from suppliers who provide the company with U.S.-made steel to small businesses that serve manufacturing workers, such as the local pizza parlor. By choosing to reinvest in the United States, Sherrill Manufacturing has helped strengthen the local manufacturing industry, enhancing employment and the economic gains that accompany it.

The Bigger Picture: FDI in U.S. Manufacturing
It is also useful to look at the macroeconomic data on manufacturing investment in the United States. Our colleagues at the Bureau of Economic Analysis provide robust data on foreign direct investment (FDI) in the United States each year. In 2018, investment in the manufacturing sector represented 41 percent of the total FDI position in the United States, up from 32 percent in 2008. With a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13 percent during the last five years, FDI in U.S. manufacturing is outpacing the all-industry comparable CAGR of 10 percent economy-wide growth. This increased representation of manufacturing in the U.S. FDI portfolio speaks to U.S. manufacturing competitiveness in the global economy.

FDI has an undeniable impact on the U.S. economy and U.S. workers. According to the latest available data, FDI directly supported nearly 2.5 million manufacturing jobs in 2016. This means that investment by foreign-owned firms in the United States was responsible for 20 percent of all U.S. manufacturing employment that year.

Of all source markets in 2016, Japan supported the largest number of jobs in the manufacturing industry (approximately 397,000), followed by Germany (287,800), the United Kingdom (275,600), and France (213,300). Of the FDI in manufacturing subsectors, transportation equipment supported the most jobs (509,900), followed by chemical manufacturing (364,400), and food manufacturing (301,000).

Where is manufacturing FDI going in the United States?
FDI in the manufacturing industry supports jobs in all U.S. states, territories, and the District of Columbia. Not surprisingly, the states with the highest levels of employment supported by manufacturing FDI are some of the most populous in the nation: California (where approximately 200,000 FDI manufacturing jobs are supported – the highest total of any state) and Texas (181,500).

In addition, manufacturing FDI is responsible for a significant component of overall employment resulting from FDI. In 10 states, the majority of FDI-supported jobs are in the manufacturing sector, with the highest percentage in South Dakota (66 percent of jobs supported by FDI resulting from the manufacturing sector), Michigan (64 percent), and Nebraska (63 percent).

Percentage of FDI Employment in Manufacturing 2016

Graphic for SUSA Mfg Blog 100219
Data Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis. Accessed 9/2019.

On a regional basis, the total employment resulting from FDI in manufacturing was highest in the Southeast (698,500) and the Great Lakes (590,900). However, the average employment level of a Great Lakes state resulting from manufacturing FDI was more than twice as high as that in a Southeast state (118,180 on average in a Great Lakes state compared to 58,208 in a Southeast state). As a result, more than 51 percent of all FDI-supported employment in the Great Lakes was in the manufacturing sector.

SelectUSA Loves Manufacturing in the United States
Whether you’re looking at a favorite local restaurant’s day-to-day business or state-level economies, domestic manufacturing’s contributions cannot be understated. Both the FDI of international companies in the United States and the reinvestment efforts of domestic firms provide this key support. On this Manufacturing Day, we’d like to applaud them and the hardworking U.S. workers they employ!

For more information
For more information on FDI in the United States, sign up for email updates from SelectUSA and visit SelectUSA.gov for resources such as FDI fact sheets, interactive data tools, and informative reports. You can also follow and contribute to our #FDIintheUSA campaign on Twitter!

Posted in Foreign Direct Investment, Manufacturing, SelectUSA | Tagged , , | Comments Off on The Intersection of Manufacturing & FDI: Job Creation

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Manufacturing Leads as Top Sector for Foreign Direct Investment in the United States

September 28, 2018

Maureen Book is a Research Analyst in SelectUSA

With Manufacturing Day fast approaching on October 5, this is a great opportunity to recognize the important role that foreign direct investment (FDI) plays in the U.S. manufacturing sector. Throughout the past 20 years, the manufacturing sector has been the largest recipient of all foreign direct investment in the United States, and as of 2017 it represented nearly 40 percent of the total U.S. FDI position, amounting to $1.6 trillion. This is almost three times the amount of the next largest sector for FDI in the United States: finance.

What types of manufacturing are attracting investment?

Within the manufacturing sector, the chemicals industry is the largest recipient of FDI, reaching $702.7 billion in 2017, or 44 percent of all manufacturing FDI stock, according to the latest data released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Diving even deeper, the pharmaceuticals and medicines subsector makes up 74 percent of all chemicals industry FDI, representing nearly $517 billion of investment.

Industry Breakdown of FDI

Source: Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis, FDIUS

After chemicals and other manufacturing, the transportation equipment industry is the next largest recipient of FDI within the manufacturing sector, attracting approximately $150 billion in investment. The majority of FDI stock in transportation equipment consists of motor vehicles and parts manufacturing (78 percent).

Not only is the chemicals industry the largest sub sector of manufacturing FDI, but it is also the fastest-growing. Over the past five years, the chemicals industry has experienced an average annual growth rate of nearly 24 percent. Though the computers and electronic products subsector captured only $81.9 billion in FDI stock in 2017, it was actually the second fastest-growing segment of manufacturing FDI, with an average annual growth rate of nearly 14 percent over the past five years. Food manufacturing is close behind, growing at an average annual rate of 13 percent.

Fastes growing subsectors of US MFG FDI Position

Source: Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis, FDIUS

Where is manufacturing FDI coming from?

Just as the United Kingdom is the largest source of all FDI in the United States, it is also the largest source of manufacturing FDI (by UBO*). In 2017, FDI stock from the UK amounted to nearly $258.7 billion in the manufacturing sector. The second largest source of FDI in U.S. manufacturing was Ireland, with over $224 billion. Rounding out the top five source markets are Germany, Japan, and France.

In terms of the fastest-growing sources of FDI in U.S. manufacturing, foreign investment from China has grown the most since 2012, with an average annual growth rate of 64.5 percent. Following China are Luxembourg, Brazil, Ireland, and Canada.

Source: Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis, FDIUS

Source: Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis, FDIUS

FDI in U.S. Manufacturing Supports Jobs, R&D, and Exports

In addition to the dollars that foreign firms are investing in the U.S. economy, foreign firms also support the U.S. manufacturing sector through job creation, investment in research and development (R&D), and contributions to U.S. exports. The latest available data shows that in 2015, foreign majority-owned affiliates employed nearly 2.5 million people in the U.S. manufacturing sector. In the same year, foreign firms also spent $39.7 billion on R&D expenditures in U.S. manufacturing and contributed over $201.9 billion towards U.S. exports.

For more information

Please visit SelectUSA.gov to view industry fact sheets, other industry reports, international and domestic FDI fact sheets, and SelectUSA’s data visualization tool, SelectUSA Stats. Sign up for email updates and follow SelectUSA on Twitter and LinkedIn for the latest updates, compelling infographics, and more.

*UBO refers to the ultimate beneficial owner, the entity at the top of an affiliate’s ownership chain.

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Smart Fabrics 101

March 22, 2018

This post contains external links. Please review our external linking policy.

Guest blog post by Linden L. Wicklund, Director of Member Services, Industrial Fabrics Association International 

Smart Fabrics Summit logoWe are fast approaching an important gathering of business and government leaders in Washington, D.C., at the Smart Fabrics Summit, co-hosted by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration and the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) on April 24.  The Summit will bring together more than 200 representatives from the apparel, technology and textile industries to explore the challenges and opportunities facing designers, manufacturers, and retailers of smart fabrics and wearable products.

The capabilities of everyday textiles and apparel are rapidly expanding as new technologies are developed, redefining how we interact with our environment through clothing and other textiles.  Like cell phones, which have evolved from being used for simple phone calls to incorporating a variety of “smart” functions into a single device, textiles and apparel are evolving and gaining the ability to be used in new and innovative ways.  Smart fabrics – textile materials developed using new technologies to provide revolutionary properties – can communicate with other devices, conduct and store energy, and even monitor biometric data.  One smart fabric is an active wear jacket that allows users to control a smart phone from the jacket’s sleeve. Another cutting-edge technology offered by smart fabric technologies is a sock which tracks an infant’s heart rate and oxygen level while he or she sleeps and sends an alert to the parents’ smartphones if there is a problem.

Defining and understanding smart fabrics is key to developing product standards, intellectual property protections and export strategies. Smart fabrics can include sensors that identify or react to outside stimuli, such as environmental conditions or the wearer’s actions. Sensors may be created through electrical circuits woven into or printed on the material with chemical treatments and coatings, or through fiber or yarn engineering. Smart fabrics may change color in reaction to a stimulus, such as bandages that change color to signal an infection. Smart fabrics may collect solar energy or serve as a carrier for medicine. They can be self-cleaning and even fight air pollution.

Bar graph showing worldwide market for smart fabric products growth equates to 18 percent annually during the past four years to reach $3.1 billion in 2017.

Worldwide market for smart fabric products growth equates to 18 percent annually during the past four years to reach $3.1 billion in 2017.

Research by Jeff Rasmussen, IFAI’s Director of Market Research, shows that worldwide, the market for smart fabric products has grown by 18 percent annually during the past four years to reach $3.1 billion in 2017. With this explosive rate of growth, marketing opportunities for U.S. smart fabrics and technology firms are sure to expand. Smart fabric products may be used in multiple market segments, including fashion and entertainment, industrial and commercial, medical and healthcare, military and government, sports and fitness, and transportation.

Join us for the Smart Fabrics Summit on April 24 and learn more about what this diverse and growing market provides to U.S. manufacturers and consumers. The day’s events will include an address from Dr. Yoel Fink, CEO of Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA), panel discussions covering collaboration with educational institutions, developing standards for smart fabrics, trends in public-private R&D partnerships for smart fabrics, and data security and privacy for connected textiles and apparel. The Summit will also provide demonstrations of various smart fabrics under development.  We hope to see you there!

 

Posted in innovation, Manufacturing, Smart Fabrics | Comments Off on Smart Fabrics 101

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Indian Automaker Succeeds in United States

February 16, 2018

This is a guest blog post from Rick Haas, CEO of Mahindra Automotive North America.

Mahindra company logoI grew up in Detroit during a period when car culture was the dominant force driving this area. I recall the many warm summer afternoons spent “helping” my uncle and his friends wrench on their muscle cars, hoping that I would have my own hotrod to tinker with someday. But one way or the other, I’d caught the bug, and at the ripe old age of 12 decided that the auto industry was my future.

The men and women here at Mahindra Automotive North America (MANA) have this same passion for creating and producing new and exciting products, many having grown up with experiences like mine. It’s why we’re attracted to Mahindra. Through our investment in Michigan, we are creating and delivering thoughtful new products – and with them new jobs and growth to the Detroit regional economy. We have built a team of highly experienced and talented Americans from the Detroit area to help make this dream a reality and contribute to the rebuilding of this great city.  In November, we opened the first automotive manufacturing facility in Detroit in more than 25 years and are off to the races.

This journey dates back to 1945, when Mahindra began producing the iconic Willys CJ3 under license in India.  Since that time, Mahindra has grown to a $19 billion company that employs 200,000 people in more than 100 countries. When the company was looking to establish a new international auto facility, it had many options including Korea, Japan, Germany, and the United Kingdom.  However, the same rugged, hardworking ethic that has fueled Mahindra for more than 70 years is what drew us to Detroit – still the auto capitol of the world.  The recession hit Detroit and its automotive sector hard, but you can’t keep its hardworking and talented people down long, and I’m proud to be a part of the city’s economic resurgence.

Mahindra established an automotive design technical center just north of Detroit in Troy, Michigan, in 2013, and our work continued to grow – and grow we did! Fueled by the remarkable talent available in the Detroit area, we have tripled our workforce in the last 18 months. The technical center has outgrown our first building and we now have three facilities—in Auburn Hills, Pontiac, and Troy— and have established MANA.  We are currently working with the U.S. Postal Service to develop the Next Generation Delivery Vehicle, we will introduce an off-road utility vehicle (UTV) in the first quarter of 2018, and will add another 400 jobs in the Detroit area by 2020.

At Mahindra, we believe the time is now to succeed in America. We are increasing investment in the United States and we expect to grow our American operations significantly in the coming years. We’ve accomplished this with the help of federal, state, and local leaders, including SelectUSA, all of whom have been terrific partners in our growth. Programs like SelectUSA serve as the catalyst to accelerate companies’ investment initiatives in the United States and provide that win-win partnership that can turbocharge job growth in many towns across this nation.

Posted in Manufacturing, SelectUSA, Success Stories | Comments Off on Indian Automaker Succeeds in United States

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Celebrating Manufacturing Day with a Focus on FDI

October 23, 2017

This post contains external links. Please review our external linking policy.

By Mark Schmit, National Accounts Manager, Manufacturing Extension Partnership, National Institude of Standard and Technology (NIST) 

An employee of UK-based manufacturing company Domtar provides high school students with a tour of the company’s facility in Rock Hill, S.C. on Oct. 6.

An employee of UK-based manufacturing company Domtar provides high school students with a tour of the company’s facility in Rock Hill, S.C. on Oct. 6.

Although I believe Manufacturing Day is an everyday affair, the official 2017 Manufacturing Day has come and gone. On October 6, modern-day manufacturing was showcased to students, teachers, parents, prospective employees, elected officials, and more at over 2,800 separate events across the country.

It is neither a stretch nor an exaggeration to believe that Manufacturing Day 2017 accomplished what it set out to do—celebrate modern manufacturing and inspire the next generation of manufacturers in this country. Manufacturers build the things that power, move, and shape America. On October 6, manufacturers across the country opened their doors to show their community what manufacturing is all about.

South Carolina manufacturers have been a mainstay of Manufacturing Day participation since the beginning. Year after year, they have opened their doors to educate visitors. This year, 19 events were held statewide, six of which the South Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership Center (SCMEP), was a hosting partner. I want to highlight three of those partnership-led events that celebrated not only partnerships, manufacturing and American jobs, but also FDI, an important part of modern manufacturing in America:

  • Swiss Krono hosted a presentation and plant tour in Barnwell, S.C., for 10 attendees. Swiss Krono LLC, a division of Swiss Krono Group, began distribution in the United States in 2000, and opened its current Barnwell manufacturing facility in 2005. In Barnwell, Swiss Krono LLC creates virtually any style, shape, finish, texture, scrape, bevel, locking system, thickness, size and attached pad of laminate flooring planks sold through distributors, dealers and chains nationwide.
  • Located in Newberry, S.C., Komatsu hosted a presentation and plant tour in honor of Manufacturing Day for 74 attendees. Komatsu America Corporation is a U.S. subsidiary of Japan-based Komatsu Ltd., the world’s second largest manufacturer and supplier of earth-moving equipment, consisting of construction, mining, and compact construction equipment.
  • SCMEP partnered with UK-based Domtar in Rock Hill, S.C., to host a presentation and plant tour for 25 attendees, including students from the Floyd Johnson Technology Center. The event was so successful that it was covered by both local and state level media. Domtar is a leading provider of a wide variety of fiber-based products including communication, specialty packaging papers, market pulp and absorbent hygiene products.

These are just a few examples of the events coordinated by the MEP National Network across the country for the 2017 Manufacturing Day festivities.

More success stories and information on how to get involved are available here, and remember to mark your calendars for next year’s Manufacturing Day: October 5, 2018!

A member of the Federal Interagency Investment Working Group, NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership works with SelectUSA, the sole federal program dedicated to promoting and facilitating foreign direct investment (FDI) in the United States. Together, these entities partner to encourage international companies to invest in the U.S. manufacturing industry.

Posted in Foreign Direct Investment, Manufacturing, Success Stories | Comments Off on Celebrating Manufacturing Day with a Focus on FDI

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#FDIintheUSA: Nearly 7 Million American Jobs

September 7, 2017

By Elizabeth Schaefer, Director of Investment Analysis, SelectUSA

As Director of Investment Analysis, I am responsible for leading SelectUSA’s data evaluation efforts related to foreign direct investment (FDI) promotion in the United States. So, it was with great interest (and I’ll admit excitement) that I reviewed the newly released preliminary 2015 and revised 2014 FDI activity data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), which follows the July release of 2016 FDI Inward Stock data.

You may be asking, “What does this mean?” Here’s the breakdown…

The updated data provides a picture of the inward flow of FDI into the United States, as well as the economic activity of U.S. affiliates of foreign-owned firms, from employment figures to research and development (R&D) spending. Overall, the numbers reflect continued, steady FDI growth in America.

But as always, it makes the most sense to start at the beginning.

FDI Definition and Parameters 

FDI, as defined by BEA, generally captures a long-term relationship with the management of a foreign enterprise, which is usually linked with the real output of the country in which it operates. In other words, FDI refers to businesses based in other countries and markets.

At the end of 2016, FDI stock (the total amount) reached $3.7 trillion, a 12.8 percent increase from the revised $3.3 trillion 2015 end-of-year figure. This year, on-year growth outpaces the trend in FDI stock growth over time. On average, during the last five years, FDI stock has grown nearly 9 percent each year.

Sources of Inward FDI Stock 

Sources of Inward FDI Stock

The latest available 2016 data show continued strong investment relationships with the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, and Germany, all of which are historically large sources of investment into the United States. In fact, these top four sources of direct investment alone account for nearly half of all FDI in the United States. However, compared to the previous year of available data, this concentration has slightly dissipated, with economies like Ireland and Switzerland gaining overall shares of U.S. FDI.

The top four fastest-growing sources of FDI in the United States, calculated by looking at annual growth rates since 2011, are Thailand, Argentina, China, and Singapore. In contrast to the largest sources of investment, these top four relatively new sources of investment make up less than 4 percent of total FDI stock in the United States.

It is important to note that these figures attribute FDI ownership to the market at the top of each investment’s ownership chain – the ultimate beneficial owner or “parent company” – rather than capturing investment passed through intermediate markets via subsidiaries.

Industry Destinations of Inward FDI Stock 

Industry Destinations of Inward FDI Stock

The latest available data continue to show enduring ties between FDI and the manufacturing sector. Manufacturing industries attracted an incredible 41 percent of the FDI pie at the end of 2016. Diving a bit deeper, the chemicals, transportation equipment, food, and machinery manufacturing industries captured 64 percent of manufacturing FDI. Looking at year-on-year changes, the professional, scientific, and technical services sectors experienced dramatic growth, increasing in value by more than 28 percent. The diverse mix of industry and sector destinations for FDI in the United States continues to demonstrate that the United States is an important destination and market for globally competitive companies.

Jobs 

Direct Employment by Majority Foreign-Owned Firms in the United States

In 2015, FDI from majority foreign-owned firms was responsible for 6.8 million direct jobs in the United States, an increase of 1.5 million since the end of the 2009 recession. These are high-impact jobs, too; the average annual compensation per direct worker in 2015 was $79,040, almost a quarter higher than the national average.

Other Related Activities

R&D

FDI continues to enhance U.S. global competitiveness by bolstering R&D spending in the United States. The U.S.-based affiliates of majority foreign-owned firms spent nearly $57 billion on R&D activities in the United States in 2015.

Exports

Linkages between trade and investment also remain clear. Exports of goods shipped by majority foreign-owned affiliates declined nearly 20 percent in 2015 compared to 2014. Despite this dip, the $353 billion in goods exports accounted for 23 percent of all U.S. goods exports.

What’s Next?

You can explore this data and more with SelectUSA’s data visualization tool and updated fact sheets at SelectUSA.gov. Additionally, I encourage you to check out #FDIintheUSA on Twitter, our annual campaign that highlights the economic benefits of FDI at the state/territory and national levels through infographics and interactive conversations.

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Helping the American Worker Succeed in a Global Marketplace

September 1, 2017

This post originally appeared on the Department of Commerce blog

labor day graphic

Helping the American Worker Succeed in a Global Marketplace

As we celebrate Labor Day, the U.S. Department of Commerce is proud to express our appreciation for American workers and reiterate our commitment to helping Americans succeed in a global marketplace.  We firmly believe that given a level playing field, American workers can help grow the economy and build a better future for all Americans.

Commerce’s International Trade Administration (ITA) is the premier resource for Americans competing in the global marketplace. ITA strengthens the global competitiveness of U.S. industry, promotes trade and investment, analyzes trade trends and opportunities that help businesses make better decisions and ensures fair trade through the rigorous enforcement of U.S. trade laws and agreements.

ITA offers the expertise needed to connect U.S. businesses with trade opportunities that strengthen their bottom lines and grow jobs here at home. In 2016 alone, we enabled $59 billion in exports and facilitated $5.3 billion in foreign investment into the United States.

From January 20, 2017, through August 29, 2017, Commerce has initiated 58 antidumping (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) investigations, a 27 percent increase from the previous year, and currently maintains 407 AD and CVD duty orders which provide relief to American companies and industries impacted by unfair trade.

Since President Trump has come into office, ITA has been working hard to fulfill the President’s mission to increase opportunities for American workers. This includes:

  • Fighting for American Manufacturing: ITA is a leading advocate and ombudsman for advancing the competitive position of U.S manufacturing industries in the global market.  We are ramping up efforts to combat unfair trade practices, intellectual property theft and unfair trade barriers affecting U.S. manufacturing exporters. We provide the data and tools that industry and local government partners need to help companies increase exports, investment and jobs. We also support the negotiation of strong provisions in U.S. trade agreements in key areas, including government procurement, customs and trade facilitation, standards and technical regulations, import licensing, investment, state-owned enterprise behavior, anti-corruption, labor, environment, dumping, subsidies and safeguards. ITA will use its expertise and enhanced data analysis programs to put forth recommendations that will make U.S. companies more competitive and will allow them to support more high-paying jobs here in the United States.

 

  • Empowering American Exporters: With offices in 108 locations across the U.S. and 78 markets worldwide, ITA is uniquely positioned to help American companies overcome the challenges of exporting and capitalize on the opportunities to sell American goods and services around the world. Our team works daily to address the market challenges that U.S. companies – especially small and medium-sized businesses – face when pursuing opportunities in the global marketplace. We provide companies with actionable market intelligence, including practical transactional know-how on the mechanics of exporting, guidance on how to manage and overcome barriers to trade and information on trade financing options.  ITA also provides dedicated advocacy support to American companies competing for foreign civilian and defense government procurements.
  • Fighting Unfair Imports: ITA has a record of accomplishment in delivering timely and responsive relief to American manufacturers and workers from unfair trade and ensuring that U.S. national security interests affected by international trade and investment are vigorously evaluated and addressed. We administer and enforce the U.S. antidumping (AD) and countervailing (CVD) duty laws to defend U.S. manufacturers, ranchers, farmers and workers against injuriously dumped and unfairly subsidized imports. We are steadfast in our work at leveling the playing field through the conduct of these investigations and other proceedings. ITA also provides recommendations and analysis for the Trump Administration of U.S. trade safeguards that protect American industry and jobs. To further strengthen the Department’s abilities to enforce U.S. trade laws, ITA is building capacity to self-initiate trade remedy actions when appropriate.

At home and abroad, ITA works every day to help American workers.  It is our mission and our promise.  Happy Labor Day to everyone!

 

 

 

Posted in Antidumping/Countervailing Duties, Export Assistance, Industry and Analysis, Labor Day, Manufacturing, Success Stories | Comments Off on Helping the American Worker Succeed in a Global Marketplace

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Congressional Office Commends e-Commerce Firm During ‘Made in America’ Week for Facilitating Medical Exports

August 1, 2017

Susan Crawford is a Communications Specialist for the U.S. Commercial Service Pacific North Network. The U.S. Commercial Service is the export promotion arm of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration.

VIA Global Health receives U.S. Commercial Service Export Certificate

VIA Global Health receives the U.S. Commercial Service Export Certificate for their achievements. Pictured from left to right: U.S. Commercial Service Seattle Director Diane Mooney, Rep. Jayapal’s District Director Rachel Berkson, International Trade Specialist Bob Deane, VIA Global Health President Noah Perin, Global Healthcare Team Director Tembi Secrist and Office of Health and Information Technologies Senior International Trade Specialist Gerry Zapiain.

VIA Global Health is filling a gap in the worldwide healthcare market with its innovative e-commerce healthcare technologies distribution platform. Through this platform, the Seattle-based company is addressing the needs of nearly six billion people in emerging markets around the globe.

The firm has worked with its local U.S. Export Assistance Center to more than double its distribution network to cover 21 African and South Asian nations. It recently received a U.S. Commercial Service Export Achievement Certificate in recognition of its success. District Director Rachel Berkson from U.S. Representative for Washington’s 7th District Pramila Jayapal’s local office participated in the presentation.

“Medical professionals in developing countries did not have access to innovative products, and innovators were struggling to sell their devices in these markets,” says VIA Global Health President Noah Perin. “We decided to offer a solution, a global platform that would function like the Amazon of the medical supply world.”

VIA Global Health has more than 160 distribution partners spread across 21 countries in Africa, and also in India and Bangladesh. The e-commerce platform offers medical devices, medical supplies, lab supplies and consumables.

“Exporters supported 375,000 jobs in Washington in 2015 and I commend Via Global Health for creating a platform that enables medical technology manufacturers in Washington and the United States to sell their products in the international marketplace,” Berkson said.

Perin contacted the U.S. Commercial Service offices in Seattle and Africa for help. Perin obtained intelligence on demand for medical technologies in Africa, met with potential distributors in Africa and was introduced to the Washington State Department of Commerce which provided funding for Perin’s participation in two African health expos.

“We’re here to take the guess-work out of selling to foreign markets,” said U.S. Commercial Service Seattle Director Diane Mooney. “We counsel local companies on all facets of exporting, help them determine the best export markets for their goods or services, identify and arrange meetings with potential foreign partners or distributors and assist with removing trade barriers.”

Exporters can access healthcare sector resources from the U.S. Commercial Service Global Healthcare Team and e-commerce best practices from the E-Commerce Export Resource Center. To learn more about exporting, please contact your local U.S. Commercial Service office.

Posted in ecommerce, Export Assistance, Manufacturing, Success Stories | Comments Off on Congressional Office Commends e-Commerce Firm During ‘Made in America’ Week for Facilitating Medical Exports

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ITA Illuminates the Path for U.S. Lighting Manufacturers at the Guangzhou International Lighting Expo (GILE) U.S. Pavilion

July 31, 2017

Gary Stanley is Director of ITA’s Office of Materials Industries, Industry & Analysis

Attendees tour the USA Pavilion at the Guangzhou International Lighting Expo (GILE) trade show, where there was record high attendance at this ITA Trade Fair Certified event.

Attendees tour the USA Pavilion at the Guangzhou International Lighting Expo (GILE) trade show, where there was record high attendance at this ITA Trade Fair Certified event.

Chinese customers and U.S. lighting product and service providers flooded the U.S. Pavilion at this year’s Guangzhou International Lighting Expo (GILE) trade show, reflecting the record high attendance at this ITA Trade Fair Certified event. For the U.S. lighting companies exhibiting at GILE, the U.S. Pavilion provided a critical nexus for networking, business-to-business meetings, lighting industry expert presentations on growth segments in China’s lighting market, and ITA export counseling.

U.S. lighting products, known for their quality and performance, are strongly competitive in China. While China’s overall imports of lighting declined at an annualized rate of -5.7 percent during 2011-2016, its imports of lighting from the United States grew at a healthy 2.9 percent annualized rate during this period. The U.S. share of China’s lighting import market has grown from 5.1 percent in 2011 to 7.8 percent in 2016. China reported lighting imports from the world of $2.1 billion in 2016, down from $2.8 billion five years earlier.

The total U.S. lighting export portfolio to the world was $3.1 billion in 2016.  China is the third largest market for U.S. lighting product exporters, behind Canada and Mexico. While China receives only 3.5 percent of overall U.S. lighting product exports, it is a growth market for U.S. exporters.  U.S. exports to China have grown at an annualized rate of just under 4 percent over the last five years. This growth far outstrips the 1.6 percent annualized growth of the $3.1 billion overall U.S. lighting product export portfolio during the same period.

The United States imported more than $11.3 billion in lighting products from the world in 2016, including $6.2 billion from China. China is by far the largest source of lighting product imports with a 55.2 percent U.S. import market share. This market share has remained fairly consistent since 2011, when China held 55.8 percent of a smaller U.S. lighting import market of $7.7 billion. The United States has a trade deficit in lighting products with the world that grew at an annualized rate of 11 percent between 2011 and 2016, standing at $8.3 billion at the end of that period. The U.S. trade deficit with China in lighting products likewise has grown from $4.2 billion in 2011 to $6.1 billion in 2016, reflecting a 7.8 percent annualized growth rate during that period.

Exhibitors presenting in the U.S. Pavilion, including McWong, Luminit and Alpha Assembly Solutions, emphasized Chinese lighting market demand trends that suggest continued strong competitiveness for U.S. products that enable interconnectivity, interoperability, and sophisticated control technologies. American companies can further improve their competitiveness by improving lighting efficiency and power through the use of high-purity materials and precision-engineered materials substrates, both hallmarks of U.S. products.

Additional information on China’s lighting market, other top U.S. lighting export markets and U.S. Government resources available to U.S. exporters is available in ITA’s Top Markets Building Products and Sustainable Construction study.

The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Trade Fair Certification program is a cooperative partnership arrangement between private sector show organizers and the U.S. government to increase U.S. exports and to expand U.S. participation in overseas trade shows.

Posted in Export Assistance, Manufacturing, Trade Shows | Comments Off on ITA Illuminates the Path for U.S. Lighting Manufacturers at the Guangzhou International Lighting Expo (GILE) U.S. Pavilion

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