Posts Tagged ‘Texas’

h1

U.S.-Africa Business Success Stories: How a Texas Oil Company Started Doing Business in Cameroon and Morocco

July 23, 2014

This post originally appeared on the Department of Commerce blog.

The geographic distance between Texas-based Arnold Oil Company and Sub-Saharan Africa may be thousands of miles, but their economic relationship has never been closer. U.S. businesses like the Arnold Oil Company are increasingly finding economic opportunity in Sub-Saharan Africa: between 2001 to 2012, U.S. trade to sub-Saharan Africa tripled from $6.9 billion to $22.5 billion dollars. Africa is now home to six of the top ten fastest growing economies in the world, leading President Obama to call sub-Saharan Africa the “world’s next major economic success story.” That is why the Department of Commerce is working to facilitate and advocate for American businesses in this growing region, and U.S. firms are eager to help unlock even more of Africa’s economic potential.

A family-owned supplier of automotive and oil lubricant products, the Arnold Oil Company became interested in expanding its business abroad. They met with the U.S. Export Assistance Center (USEAC) in Austin to request assistance in developing an exporting and marketing plan for their products. After creating a plan that satisfied the company, the USEAC arranged for a meeting with a representative from the U.S. Export-Import Bank to assist the Arnold Oil Company with financing its exports.

But the USEAC took its assistance one step further, introducing the Arnold Oil Company to a buyer in Cameroon, who eventually was signed as a distributer. As a result of this relationship, the Arnold Oil Company was able to ship their first exports of oil lubricants to Morocco, generating revenue of more than $24,000 in 2013. With assistance from the USEAC, the Arnold Oil Company was able to expand its business into one of the most economically dynamic regions in the world.

In 2012, the Commerce Department launched the Doing Business in Africa Campaign to help U.S. businesses, like the Arnold Oil Company, take advantage of the many export and investment opportunities in sub-Saharan Africa. As part of the campaign, Commerce has expanded trade promotion programs tailored toward Africa and dedicated an online Africa business portal to direct businesses to federal resources. In addition, on August 5, the Department of Commerce and Bloomberg Philanthropies will co-host the U.S.-Africa Business Forum, a day focused on strengthening trade and financial ties between the United States and Africa.  The Forum will be attended by President Obama, Secretary Pritzker, Mayor Bloomberg, and other senior U.S. government officials. The U.S.-Africa Business Forum will intensify efforts to strengthen trade and financial ties between the United States and Africa and seek to create partnerships that will promote trade, accelerate job growth, and encourage investment. These efforts are helping American businesses expand and enter the global market for the first time, and the Department of Commerce remains committed to helping create more exporting success stories.

Businesses interested in learning more about the benefits of exporting should contact their local U.S. Export Assistance Center.

Posted in Doing Business in Africa, Success Stories | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on U.S.-Africa Business Success Stories: How a Texas Oil Company Started Doing Business in Cameroon and Morocco

h1

Houston, We Have a…Conference!

April 25, 2014

Austin Redington is a Communications Specialist with the SelectUSA Program.

The U.S. energy sector is a hot topic, from renewable energy to the high-tech recovery of natural gas to the exploration of untapped resources. With so much buzz – and significant investment inflows – this year’s Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Houston, Texas from May 5-8, promises to be both timely and exciting.

Naturally, the International Trade Administration (ITA) will be there, and we hope to see you there too!

OTC 2014, which is supported by ITA’s International Buyer Program, is a leading international trade show focusing on opportunities in the fields of drilling, exploration, production, and environmental protection.

For attendees, ITA will be onsite offering services to international and U.S. investors, U.S. exporters, and international buyers. Here’s a brief look at what we’ll be up to:

  • For investors & U.S. economic development organizations: SelectUSA, the U.S. investment promotion program, will be hosting a “Build Your Business in the United States” lunch symposium, as an opportunity for attendees to meet federal and regional partners. The event will offer a case study about the U.S. investment climate, resources, and services. Attendees will also learn best practices from companies that have already invested. Register here by April 29th.
  • For exporters and buyers: We’re also offering our B2B Matchmaking service, which connects U.S. suppliers with interested international buyers. We recruit and screen each international buyer through our network of U.S. Embassies and face-to-face meetings to ensure the highest likelihood of connecting the “right” partners. Companies interested in engaging in this service are encouraged to sign up (click here for more).
  • For U.S. exporters: Our Global Markets team will be offering export counseling meetings and country-specific information. U.S. exporters will have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with our U.S. Embassy oil and gas industry specialists. Team members from 25 embassies will be available: Algeria, Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Cyprus, Egypt, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Qatar, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates. Representatives from the Small Business Administration and Export-Import Bank of the United States will also be on site.

ITA experts will be offering country briefings and procurement seminars. Stop by to learn about deep water exploration in Colombia or about oil and gas opportunities in Ghana.

As you can see, it will be a busy and interesting week full of opportunities to learn, meet, share, and connect. If you’re planning on going, we hope you’ll stop by and see us!

For more information on OTC 2014, go to the OTC 2014 website.

Further details on our OTC presence can be found on the Houston, Texas U.S. Export Assistance Center’s website. 

Posted in SelectUSA | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Houston, We Have a…Conference!

h1

State Economies Get Boost from Exports

August 8, 2013

Calynn Jenkins is an intern in the International Trade Administration’s Office of Public Affairs. She is studying political science at American University. 

Seventeen states set export records in the first half of 2013, including Connecticut, Indiana, and Wisconsin.

Seventeen states set export records in the first half of 2013, including Connecticut, Indiana, and Wisconsin.

If your business is not exporting, you may be missing out on key opportunities to expand your business and increase your bottom line.

New data released from the International Trade Administration (ITA) on state exports from the first six months of 2013 shows U.S. merchandise exports totaled a record $781 billion. Oklahoma, Georgia, and North Carolina are among 17 states that reached record highs in merchandise exports.

Goods exports from Texas grew the most in dollar terms, rising from $4.3 billion to $134.4 billion. Washington (up $3.8 billion), New York (up $2.8 billion), Kentucky (up $1.4 billion), and Louisiana ($960 million) were the next largest.

Exports are an important driver of U.S. economic growth. Total merchandise exports from all 50 states contributed to a record $2.2 trillion in goods and services exports in 2012, which supported nearly 10 million jobs. According to new data from the first half of 2013, U.S. exports are on track for another record year.

The Obama administration has made exports a national priority, launching the National Export Initiative (NEI) in 2010 to support American jobs. Helping U.S. companies become more competitive internationally is a critical step to shaping an American economy built to last. The Department of Commerce and ITA are committed to continuing the trend of export growth.

More information about individual state contribution to national exports is available through the International Trade Administration’s Office of Trade and Industry Information web page.

If your business is ready to take advantage of opportunities overseas, ITA is here to support. We helped U.S. businesses achieve more than 14,000 export successes in 2012. Visit your local Export Assistance Center today.

Posted in Export Data | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on State Economies Get Boost from Exports

h1

Border Export Strategy Impact in El Paso

March 24, 2011

Francisco J. Sánchez is the Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade

Today I was in El Paso, Texas with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Alan Bersin, Commissioner of the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol to highlight the importance of trade, border security, and the Border Export Strategy.

The International Trade Administration recently launched the Border Export Strategy (BES), which is a priority component of the National Export Initiative, which seeks to double exports from the U.S. by 2015 to support several million jobs.

The City of El Paso is an important gateway between the United States and Mexico, and total merchandise trade that passed through the El Paso district in 2010 amounted to $71.1 billion. More than 80 percent of this trade passed through the port of El Paso.

This strategy is designed to increase the export potential and opportunities for U.S. companies doing business along the shared Canadian and Mexican borders.

We are striving to enhance local public-private trade collaboration and support efforts to reduce trade barriers limiting secure and efficient commerce across our borders.

Despite security challenges in the border region, NAFTA trade statistics show a 29 percent increase in total trade between the U.S. and Mexico from 2009-2010. In addition to close collaboration on security and infrastructure issues in the interagency process, the Departments of Commerce and Homeland Security are working together to identify other potential areas for collaboration on U.S. exports. Potential areas include issues related to the Foreign Trade Zones, a review of the targeting efforts for goods and travelers, and technical assistance to other countries in the world, where customs operations are problematic for exporters and need to be modernized.

The City of El Paso sponsors a foreign-trade zone (FTZ) that is currently used by 19 different companies. In 2010, the El Paso FTZ handled $7.3 billion in merchandise – including $1.7 billion in exports – with more than 900 workers employed by the companies using the FTZ. The Foreign Trade Zone program is just one of the ways in which we can boost employment, manufacturing, and exports from the United States.

As we move forward with the implementation of the BES, I look forward to close collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security and the City of El Paso.

The U.S.-Mexico border is not a border economy. It is a vital part of the national economy of both nations, and I, for my part, will do what it takes to preserve, protect it and grow it.

Posted in Trade Policy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Border Export Strategy Impact in El Paso