Posts Tagged ‘foreign direct investment’

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Investing in America: An Expanded SelectUSA Guide for Global Companies

May 25, 2021

Bill Burwell is the Acting Executive Director of the Department’s SelectUSA Program

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

When most people think about trade, they probably conjure images of containers shipped across oceans or trucked along highways. It’s true that America is a major exporter of goods and our ports are abuzz with activity around the clock. We’re also a major source of foreign direct investment—and while this trade term may not spark a visual, chances are high that you live in or near a community that benefits from it.

Simply put, foreign direct investment (FDI) is inbound investment into the United States from global companies. For the world, the United States is a great place to do business. We have the laws, the expertise, the work ethic and a world class workforce which businesses need to succeed. In fact, the U.S. has ranked #1 for nine years in a row as the top destination for foreign business investment. At the Department of Commerce, we have a program that specializes in attracting FDI—SelectUSA—and since its inception, it has facilitated more than $84 billion in inbound investment, creating and/or retaining over 106,000 U.S. jobs.

Some foreign investors may be experienced at entering multiple markets and extensively resourced to do so. Others may be exploring opening their first international location and in the early stages of information discovery. Either way, SelectUSA has a suite of services to help all types of investors, and offers counseling, introductions to U.S. economic development organizations, assistance navigating the U.S. federal regulatory system, and finally, products and events to help those investors better understand the U.S market.

One such example of the resources that SelectUSA has developed to assist potential investors is the SelectUSA Investor Guide, which was first launched in 2020.  Authored by competitively selected subject matter experts in their respective fields, the chapters in this guide are designed to give investors an overview of key topics essential to successful investing in the United States. The first edition of the guide covered topics such as an Overall Investment Checklist, Immigration, Business Structure, Taxes, Workforce and FDI Restrictions.

This year we proudly release 5 new additional chapters on the following topic areas:

Each of these chapters will inspire panel conversations at the upcoming 2021 SelectUSA Investment Summit, to be held virtually June 7-11, 2021, and which will be hosted by U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. The Investment Summit is designed for investors of all sizes – including established multinationals, small or medium-sized enterprises, and high-growth start-ups. The event will showcase investment opportunities from every (virtual) corner of the United States, as high-profile business and government leaders share insights on the latest business trends. Participants will find the practical tools, information, and connections they need to move investments forward.

We are thrilled to be a part of May’s World Trade Month celebrations, and even more excited to welcome FDI that helps to create export-supported jobs into the United States. If you are interested in learning more, information about the Investment Summit, including registration details, visit www.selectusasummit.us. It isn’t too late to sign up, and we hope to see you there!

Posted in Foreign Direct Investment, Inward Investment, SelectUSA, SUSA Summit, Uncategorized, World Trade Month | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Investing in America: An Expanded SelectUSA Guide for Global Companies

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Global Outlook: United States Remains the Largest Destination for FDI in the World

March 17, 2020
Kara Mazachek is an Economic Research Analyst at SelectUSA.

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) released the latest issue of its Global Investment Trends Monitor in January. With this release, the Investment Research team at SelectUSA was excited to analyze the latest global 2019 numbers and better understand a few of the key global foreign direct investment (FDI) trends during the last year!

In 2019, global FDI flows totaled $1.39 trillion, which was a one percent decrease from $1.41 trillion in 2018. These global flows reflect both mergers and acquisitions (M&As) and greenfield investment activity. This slight decline in FDI flow accompanied global patterns of slowed economic growth and policy uncertainty. While there is great country-specific variation in trend, FDI flows to developed countries decreased six percent to a historically low level of $643 billion. Simultaneously, flows to developing countries were constant at $695 billion. Announced greenfield projects, an indicator of future trends, overall performed better than cross-border M&As in 2019. Globally, announced greenfield projects decreased 22 percent, compared to a 40 percent decrease in announced cross-border M&As.

UNCTAD Blog 031720

In contrast to larger declines in other developed economies, the United States received consistent inward FDI between 2018 and 2019, with $251 billion in inflows in 2019. These preliminary estimates indicate that the United States is still the largest destination for FDI in the world, with inflows at least $100 billion greater than those of any other destination market. Germany, Japan, and the Netherlands were the largest source markets of FDI flows to the United States, while U.S. inflows from Canada and the broader European Union (EU) significantly declined.

Overall, the EU saw a 15 percent decrease in FDI inflows to $305 billion. Despite being the top destination for FDI in Europe, the United Kingdom’s FDI inflows fell by six percent as it approached Brexit. France and Germany also were in the top 10 destination markets for FDI inflows at $52 billion and $40 billion, respectively.

FDI inflows to developing Asia made up one-third of global FDI flows in 2019, despite its FDI value declining six percent from 2018. Hong Kong drove much of this drop as its own inflows fell by 48 percent amid divestment and unrest. However, Hong Kong remained the sixth-highest destination market in the world for FDI. Inflows to China saw almost no change from 2018 to 2019, leaving China the second-highest destination market for FDI in the world at $140 billion, followed by Singapore at $110 billion.

Lastly, despite these trends in other parts of the world, the Latin America and Caribbean region saw inflows increase by 16 percent, reaching $170 billion in 2019. Within the region, Brazil’s inward FDI flows increased by 26 percent to $75 billion, cementing itself as the fourth-largest recipient of FDI in the world. UNCTAD gives some of the credit for this jump to Brazil’s new privatization program, which launched in July 2019 as an effort to revitalize the economy.

What does this mean for 2020? The global outlook is optimistic! UNCTAD projects that global FDI flows will increase slightly during the next year alongside continuing high corporate profits and growing international trade. UNCTAD also expects GDP growth and capital investment to increase globally. While UNCTAD noted a 22 percent decrease in global greenfield FDI announcements from 2018 to 2019, the opposite was true for the United States. Data from fDi Markets indicated that the value of greenfield FDI announcements into the United States totaled $91.7 billion in 2019, a 26.9 percent increase from 2018.

With consistently strong U.S. growth in greenfield FDI and a positive global forecast, SelectUSA is excited to welcome and facilitate even more greenfield investment in the United States throughout 2020.

About SelectUSA
Housed within the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration, SelectUSA promotes and facilitates business investment in the United States. To learn more about SelectUSA’s services, the U.S. business and investment climate, and how FDI benefits the U.S. economy, visit selectusa.gov and follow @SelectUSA on Twitter.

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FDI in High-Tech: Innovation and Growth in The United States

February 5, 2020

Kara Mazachek is an Economic Research Analyst at SelectUSA

Following SelectUSA’s participation in the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), it is the optimal time to look at how foreign direct investment (FDI) in high technology, or high-tech, supports innovation and growth in the United States.

What is high-tech?
SelectUSA defines the high-tech sector as an industry that relies on a skilled and educated workforce, acts as an innovative producer in our economy, and creates and utilizes advanced technologies. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the high-tech sector’s share of workers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) occupations is more than twice that of the national average.

This industry is quite large and growing consistently, according to data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). In 2018, high-tech companies contributed $8.3 trillion of economic value in the United States, accounting for nearly 23 percent of U.S. gross domestic product (GDP). Additionally, high-tech companies employ approximately 20 million U.S. workers. The U.S. high-tech industry also continues to grow, especially in fields such as the data processing, hosting, and related services sub-industry, which had a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 57.9 percent from 2013 to 2018.

How has FDI impacted the U.S. high-tech sector?
FDI supports the high-tech industry in the United States and helps it thrive. Specifically, the inward position of FDI in the U.S. high-tech sector was $2.0 trillion in 2018. That’s 46 percent of total FDI in the United States! It also steadily continues to grow: the five-year CAGR for FDI in the high-tech sector was 10.1 percent between 2013 and 2018. This growth is faster than the comparable all-industry FDI CAGR average of 9.8 percent.

High-Tech FDI in US for the Feb 5 Blog Post

The United States sees tangible results from high-tech FDI. According to BEA, foreign-owned companies in high-tech industries have steadily increased their annual U.S. research and development (R&D) spending over recent years to $48.7 billion in 2017. High-tech FDI also accounted for $169.5 billion of total U.S. goods exports in 2017. Additionally, foreign-owned U.S. affiliates in the high-tech sector directly supported more than 2.1 million U.S. jobs in 2017.

So, what does this mean for the high-tech sector?
All these data points further confirm that high-tech investment are important drivers of growth for the U.S. economy. As FDI into this sector continues to grow, the United States will see advanced innovation, continue to employ millions of highly skilled and educated workers, and further the competitiveness of our high-tech sector. To maintain success in high-tech and all other sectors, SelectUSA will continue to help global business investors and U.S. economic developers to succeed in the U.S. economy.

To learn more about how SelectUSA supports FDI in all industries, sign up for our email updates and visit SelectUSA.gov for resources such as FDI fact sheets, interactive data tools, and informative reports. You can also read our previous report on FDI in high-tech.

About SelectUSA
Housed within the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration, SelectUSA promotes and facilitates business investment in the United States. To learn more about SelectUSA’s services, the U.S. business and investment climate, and how FDI benefits the U.S. economy, visit selectusa.gov and follow @SelectUSA on Twitter.

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America Welcomes the World’s Business

November 12, 2019

By Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross

America is where the world does business. It is not difficult to see why: companies expanding here will find a culture of innovation, dedication to hard work, and a high quality of life. From its inception. it has been the job of SelectUSA to encourage companies to benefit from these unmatched and unparalleled advantages the U.S. has to offer.

More formally put, the mission of SelectUSA is to facilitate job-creating business investment into the United States and raise awareness of the critical role that economic development plays in the U.S. economy. One of the primary avenues where this mission is accomplished is through the annual SelectUSA Investment Summit.

Today, I am pleased to announce that registration is open for the 2020 SelectUSA Investment Summit — where companies looking to invest in the United States can learn the skills and make the connections to fuel their business’ growth in America. In 2020, the Investment Summit will take place June 1-3, at the Washington Hilton, in Washington, D.C.

Year after year, the Investment Summit buzzes with energy, creating an environment of entrepreneurship, excitement, and potential. Thousands of people from all over the world come here to gain insight into the business environment, learn of industry trends, and bring business deals to fruition. International delegates connect with economic development organizations (EDOs), all of whom can showcase the unique resources of their states and towns, while service providers exhibit the variety of assistance they can offer to expanding companies.

SWR Ivanka Barbara Humpton -SUSA 2019 registration 1101219

The 2019 SelectUSA Investment Summit welcomed more than 3,100 attendees, including global business leaders, U.S. economic development professionals, and leaders from the top of the U.S. government. Pictured here are Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump, and Siemens USA CEO Barbara Humpton.

Additionally, our Academy sessions demystify the process of investing in the United States. Topics range from understanding how to finance a startup company to navigating the U.S. visa process. These sessions are planned with our attendees’ interests in mind, as we accept proposals for topics and speakers to include on the agenda.

The 2019 Investment Summit was the most successful to date, where more than 1,200 international delegates connected with nearly 800 EDO representatives and 300 service providers from nearly every state and territory in the U.S. The Investment Summit has directly impacted more than $32.5 billion in U.S. investment projects supporting more than 38,400 U.S. jobs. At the recent 2019 Investment Summit, four investment announcements were made with a value of nearly $100 million, which will in turn create new jobs for American workers. We hope to build upon these successes.

In 2020, we are excited to help you and your company reach its full potential in the United States at the SelectUSA Investment Summit.

I hope to see you there.

Click here to apply.

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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!

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New UN Report Highlights United States Lead in Global FDI and Digital Economy

August 15, 2017

By Harrison Frye, Intern, SelectUSA

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) plays an important role in the U.S. economy by creating jobs, increasing wealth, and raising living standards. The United States continues to hold the largest amount of FDI in the world. A new report released by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) showed that the United States was also the largest recipient of FDI flows in 2016.

UNCTAD data reflecting FDI inflows, measured in billions of dollars.

UNCTAD data reflecting global FDI inflows, measured in billions of dollars.

How can different numbers tell the same story? FDI is measured in both stocks and flows. Flows are the recorded value of cross-border transactions during a certain period of time. Inward flows are the transactions that increase the net amount of investment foreign investors have in enterprises within the reporting country’s borders. This is different from FDI stocks, which measure the total level of foreign direct investment at any point in time.

After an impressive rise in 2015, global FDI flows faltered during the past year, falling by 2 percent to $1.75 trillion.  This drop can be attributed to weak economic growth and significant policy risks, as seen by multinational enterprises.

This decline was not felt in the Unites States, however, which saw a 12 percent increase in inflows. The $391 billion of inflows to the United States was a record, and accounted for a quarter of global FDI inflows. The large increase in FDI into the country can be attributed to high investor confidence in the American economy and our developed workforce. Moreover, UNCTAD’s business survey found the United States was the top prospective host economy for FDI looking forward to 2017-2019.

More than half of the FDI inflows to the Unites States were in manufacturing, and about one-fifth were in finance and insurance. New apprenticeship programs proposed by the White House are aimed at preparing the next generation of Americans to be successful workers in the years to come, keeping the United States as the most attractive destination for potential investors.

Another area where the United States is seeing significant growth is the digital economy – the secondary focus area of the UNCTAD report. Noting that digital multinational enterprises (MNEs) are expanding at a dramatically faster rate than other multinationals, the report highlights notes that more than 60 of the top 100 digital MNEs are U.S.-based (for Internet platforms this rises to 10 of the top 11). This in turn is shaping global investment patterns in the 21st century economy. Demand-side factors such as income levels, population size, economic growth, and education levels are key elements in determining the amount of private investment in internet infrastructure, putting the United States ahead of other global competitors in attracting digital enterprises.

Are you interested in exploring the digital economy? SelectUSA’s investment specialists help companies understand the overall economy and investment trends using consumer information and industry overviews. SelectUSA also helps connect potential investors to economic development organizations, who then provide guidance and incentives at the local level. Learn more at www.selectusa.gov.

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Coming Soon to Louisiana: $8.1 Billion and Thousands of Jobs

October 31, 2014

Vinai Thummalapally is the Executive Director of the SelectUSA Program.

Under Secretary Hyatt (center) joined Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal (left) and Sasol CEO David Constable to celebrate the announcement of Sasol's new facility in Louisiana.

Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade Ken Hyatt (center) joined Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal (left) and Sasol CEO David Constable to celebrate the announcement of Sasol’s new facility.

Earlier this week I had the pleasure of visiting Lake Charles, Louisiana to congratulate South African energy giant Sasol Limited on the firm’s final investment decision to build an $8.1 billion ethane cracker and derivatives complex. Sasol has also confirmed an additional $800 million investment in infrastructure, utility improvements, and land acquisition.

When making the announcement, Sasol President and CEO David Constable anticipated that the new complex will triple the company’s chemical production capacity in the United States and create 500 permanent jobs in the state of Louisiana, in addition to thousands of indirect jobs. Construction of the complex will employ an additional 5,000 people between now and 2018.

This decision represents an historic investment for the company, for the State of Louisiana, and possibly for the United States. This project was initially announced in 2012, along with a gas-to-liquids (GTL) facility. If the GTL project also moves forward, the entire complex would be one of the largest foreign direct investments (FDI) in manufacturing the United States.

I was also thrilled to congratulate the state and people of Louisiana for their efforts to attract and support this investment. Louisiana Economic Development (LED), the Southwest Louisiana (SWLA) Economic Development Alliance and the Port of Lake Charles began to work with Sasol to identify sites back in 2011. Their hard work has continued throughout this venture.

Our team at the U.S. Department of Commerce has worked with Sasol and LED since 2012 to encourage Sasol to create these jobs in the United States. SelectUSA, the U.S. government-wide investment-promotion program housed in the International Trade Administration, coordinated within Commerce and with other federal agencies to identify resources and address questions or issues related to federal regulations. President Obama established SelectUSA in 2011 to serve precisely this purpose: to act as a single point of contact for investors, as well as for state and local governments, to facilitate job-creating investment.

For example, SelectUSA brought the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration, as well as Commerce’s Economic Development Administration and Minority Business Development Agency to the table to assist with workforce development information and resources. Every day we hear from companies about the importance of workforce development, and we have been impressed by the innovation we’ve seen in the Lake Charles community.

Sasol, the State of Louisiana, and several local partners cooperated to develop tools to support both Sasol’s investment success as well as the long-term economic vitality of the region. In December 2013, the Southwest Louisiana Workforce Resource Guide and a corresponding mentoring program were launched as part of a collaborative community effort. This fall, Sasol and the Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana unveiled the next step: a pilot scholarship fund for job training. The SWLA Economic Development Alliance leads the Resource Guide Steering Committee, which will continue to collaborate with the Foundation to extend the program to support other key industries in the region.

Sasol has demonstrated its strong commitment to the U.S. market, to this project, and to the people of Louisiana. Their investment is also a testament to our strong economic climate, and shows the opportunities for companies from around the world to operate, grow, and succeed in the United States.

For more information on how SelectUSA can assist investors or economic development organizations, please visit www.selectusa.gov and follow @SelectUSA on Twitter! Make sure to mark your calendar for the SelectUSA Investment Summit on March 23-24, 2015 and sign up on our website for updates.

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More Mini Babybel, Made in South Dakota

October 10, 2014

Felicia Pullam is the Director of Outreach for the SelectUSA Program, part of the International Trade Administration.

Leaders from Bel Brands USA and the Brookings, SD community joined to cut the ribbon on a new facility that will support an estimated 250 new jobs.

Leaders from Bel Brands USA joined South Dakota state officials and leaders from the Brookings community to cut the ribbon on a new facility that will support an estimated 250 new jobs.

SelectUSA has about 250 reasons to congratulate Bel Brands USA and Brookings, SD, for their new investment agreement!

Why 250? Because that’s the estimated number of jobs supported by a $144 million, 170,000 square-foot Mini Babybel facility that just opened in Brookings.

Bel Brands USA is a subsidiary of the Paris-based Bel Group, and currently employs nearly 1,000 people in Illinois, Kentucky, Wisconsin, and South Dakota. In fact, the company has been named one of Chicago’s “101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For” six years in a row.

This new facility is a great example of how foreign direct investment (FDI) creates U.S. jobs, builds skills, and links markets. Companies from France employed nearly 525,000 U.S. workers in 2011. The total stock of FDI from France in the United States was $239 billion in 2013 – the fifth highest of any country.

Bel Brands USA decided to invest in the United States because it is now the top market for Mini Babybel cheese. In fact, sales volumes of Mini Babybel increased by 24 percent in 2013 – that’s roughly 10,000 tons of cheese last year.

They researched several locations across the country, and their decision to set up shop in Brookings was driven by three key factors:

  • Access to raw materials – More specifically, access to competitively priced milk. They will be processing a whopping 500,000 pounds of milk per day, purchased through two dairy co-ops in the region.
  • Business-friendly environment – The state and local governments worked closely with the company. For example, the South Dakota Department of Labor has been helping with recruitment efforts to ensure Bel Brands USA finds the talent they need. They had great turnout at a “walk-in” interview event in August, and they’re still moving full steam ahead on hiring.
  • Collaboration opportunities – The company was impressed by what South Dakota State University has to offer. Graduates of the Dairy Science program will help build a strong and lasting workforce. Bel Brands USA partnered with the biochemistry program in creating a lab in the new facility, and they are exploring other ways to cooperate.

What does this case study mean for other companies investing in the United States? Businesses all have particular factors that are critical to their competitiveness, varying by industry, business model, and strategy. Given the size and incredible diversity of the U.S. market – most companies can find exactly what they need in this country to be successful. With creativity and communication, local communities across the United States can be partners in this success.

How can SelectUSA assist? SelectUSA, the U.S. government-wide program to facilitate investment housed within the International Trade Administration, stands ready to assist investors to understand the U.S. market, gather data, and connect with the right people. If there are questions or issues related to federal rules and regulations, SelectUSA serves as an ombudsman to help companies find clarity. SelectUSA also works with state and local economic development organizations to provide counseling and information, a platform for promotion, and investment advocacy.

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German FDI in the United States – Investor Confidence on the Rise

April 3, 2014

Amy Zecha is an International Investment Specialist with SelectUSA. Her portfolio covers Central and Eastern Europe, including Germany.

Image shows two businessmen meeting face to face. Are you an international investor based in Germany? Meet with SelectUSA representatives and U.S. states, cities, and counties to find new investment opportunities!

Are you an international investor based in Germany? Meet with SelectUSA representatives and U.S. states, cities, and counties to find new investment opportunities!

Ranking as the third largest investor in the United States, Germany plays an important role in the U.S. economy with more than 10 percent of all FDI in the country.  Of the $2.7 trillion in FDI stock recorded in 2012, Germany accounted for more than $272.2 billion. SelectUSA has identified Germany as a key focus market and will lead multiple delegations of economic development organizations (EDOs) to Germany throughout the coming year, including groups to Hannover Messe in April, and Automechanika in September.

The German American Chamber of Commerce does an annual survey of German-owned subsidiaries in the United States called the German American Business Outlook. This report indicated there was a five-year high in investor confidence, with 98 percent of German firms in the United States expecting to see business growth in 2014. This level of confidence is reflected by the 31 percent of respondents planning the launch of new product lines and 75 percent anticipating making new hires for the coming year.

Survey respondents expressed some concerns about the lack of a skilled workforce in the United States, but still remained positive about the overall outlook in 2014. This upbeat outlook may be due in part to the various efforts by both the United States and Germany to address workforce issues, including the German Skills Initiative.

This collaborative effort between the German Embassy and the U.S. Department of Commerce focuses on bringing the German dual-track vocational training to the United States, concentrating on areas where high-skilled manufacturing clusters are located. The program matches German and American businesses with educational institutions to help create workforce training programs that will help produce workers with the specific skill sets demanded by the businesses of today – and tomorrow.

Register now for the Hannover Messe 2014 investment event

The commitment to workforce development and working with the German business community is demonstrated at all levels of the U.S. Department of Commerce. In November 2013, Secretary Penny Pritzker traveled to Munich, Germany to meet with German CEOs interested in establishing facilities (or expanding existing operations) in the United States. During her trip, she visited with business leaders from BMW, Frauenhofer, and iwis Motorsystems to learn more about their best practices for training and apprenticeship programs.

These kinds of relationships and exchanges on best practices will only enhance the attractiveness of the United States to international companies. As future workforce and training initiatives and partnerships come online, we expect to see growing interest in the U.S. market – not just from German companies, but others around the world.

Author’s Note: For potential investors interested in speaking directly to SelectUSA representatives and meet with U.S. states, cities, and counties, we will be hosting the USA Investment Center at Hannover Messe 2014. To schedule an appointment, please visit http://selectusa.tema.de/.

To learn more about SelectUSA and our global programs for both EDOs and international investors please visit www.selectUSA.gov or follow us on Twitter at @SelectUSA. 

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FDI Supporting the U.S. Economy

February 10, 2014

Felicia Pullam is the Director of Outreach for the SelectUSA Program.

We’re excited to announce the release of SelectUSA’s report on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the United States: Drivers of U.S. Economic Competitiveness. 

The paper takes a closer look at the impact of FDI on the U.S. economy. Included in the report is an analysis of the competitive advantages that make the United States an attractive destination for investors and trends in FDI by geography and industry sector.

Update: Want more SelectUSA information?  Sign up for our newsletter!

Foreign direct investment is a prime source of capital, job creation, innovation, and cross-border trade. FDI has continued to flourish in the United States because firms worldwide recognize the United States as an innovative and stable market executed in the world’s largest economy. The United States offers an unmatched opportunity for success due to its renowned educational institutions, growing industry clusters, first-class research and development centers, protection for intellectual property rights, an entrepreneurial environment, access to global markets, a predictable regulatory climate, and increasingly competitive cost factors.

Key takeaways include:

  • The United States is both the largest recipient and source of FDI in the world. FDI has long been an integral part of our economy. In 2012, the total stock of direct investment in the United States was $2.7 trillion and FDI inflows totaled $160.1 billion.
  • FDI creates jobs:  As of 2011, the most recent data available, majority-owned subsidiaries of multinational firms with U.S. operations employ more than 5.6 million workers and pay an average annual compensation of $77,600.
  • FDI contributes to U.S. innovation and helps drive exports:  These firms also spent more than $45 billion in research and development here and accounted for 20.5 percent of U.S. goods exported in 2011.
  • The five largest country sources of FDI in the United States are the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, Canada, and France, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.  The latest estimates of FDI stock by ultimate beneficial owner reveal that Together, these economies account for nearly 61.5 percent of total FDI stock.  In addition, markets across Asia, Latin America, and Europe have substantially grown their FDI position in the United States in recent years.
  • The United States wins out in investment climate according to the June 2013 FDI Confidence Index, A.T. Kearney awarded the United States the top spot.  The World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Competitiveness Index ranks the United States among the top ten economies based on strengths in innovation, education, and overall size of economy.

Download the report here: Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the United States: Drivers of U.S. Economic Competitiveness.

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