Gov. Jack Markell is continuing his push to get Delaware businesses exposed to the international marketplace in his weekly message.
Markell unveiled the plan Tuesday at a Delaware State Chamber of Commerce lunch in Dover, saying that those businesses that delve into exporting generally see big returns.
He says there will be a strategic plan for companies wishing to export and he announced upcoming trade missions to Canada, Germany, Mexico and South Korea.
“We’ll also support businesses by providing export counseling, connecting them with foreign buyers and offering grants to cover certain expenses and we’re already seeing the impact. Recently, we traveled north with four Delaware farmers to meet with Canadian retailers – all of which made commitments to purchase Delaware produce for the first time.”
To help, the state has launched a new website as a resource bank.
Full Text of Gov. Markell's weekly message:
Delaware’s economy continues to get stronger, with shrinking unemployment and the best job growth in the region.
A recent study rated us among the top two best-prepared states for the new economy, which will increasingly rely on new technology and innovation. But we’ll only realize our great potential if we ensure Delaware businesses have opportunities to engage with customers around the world – more than 95 percent of whom are outside the United State. Companies involved in global trade do 25 percent more business than those who don't, and export-related jobs pay 20 percent above the average wage.
We must do all we can to ensure Delawareans gain from these benefits. But it’s not that easy. Less than one percent of American businesses export. Sixty percent of those that export trade with only one country. The result is a tremendous amount of lost opportunities – especially for small and medium sized companies that lack resources to get started internationally. So we've announced a Strategic Export Plan for our state. We researched the countries with the greatest potential to purchase Delaware products, which has led to our upcoming trade missions in Canada, Mexico, Germany, and South Korea. We’ll also support businesses by providing export counseling, connecting them with foreign buyers, and offering grants to cover certain expenses. And we’re already seeing the impact. Recently, we traveled north with four Delaware farmers to meet with Canadian retailers – all of which made commitments to purchase Delaware produce for the first time.
To learn more about our efforts, visit our new website: Global.Delaware.Gov and click on Expand. By making global trade more accessible for our employers and workers, we’ll thrive in the new economy. And we’ll keep Delaware moving forward.
