A late March 2010 event launched the President’s National Export Initiative (NEI) in Ohio at Cardinal Health (Columbus).  Senator Sherrod Brown introduced the featured speaker, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke (a former Governor of Washington).  Other officials from the Ohio Department of Development (ODOD) and U.S. Department of Commerce and Great Lakes Network director were present.

This Initiative is positioned to double U.S. exports in five years.  Former President Bush indicated that $1B in exports translates into roughly 13,000 total jobs.  Research on export policy indicates that $1B in exports translates into 6,000 manufacturing jobs.  Since roughly 95 percent of the world’s consumers live outside of the U.S. , export presents a huge opportunity for U.S. exporters, who typically focus on one company only (this applies to roughly 60 percent of all companies that do export business).

As announced in President Obama’s State of the Union Address in January 2010, an Executive Order has been signed, instructing the Federal government to enhance and coordinate Federal efforts to promote exports. The President ordered the creation of an Export Promotion Cabinet and the relaunching of the President’s Export Council (PEC) as part of the high-level coordination of U.S. export promotion activities.

At the Ohio kick-off, Locke said, “A few weeks ago, the President signed an executive order instructing the federal government to use every available federal resource in support of the initiative's goal of doubling American exports over the next five years and supporting two million jobs. The National Export Initiative (NEI) was designed with one overriding goal in mind: to get people back to work in jobs that provide security, dignity and sense of hope for the future. “

“Under the NEI, there is going to be more credit available for exporters, more government trade promotion and a sharper focus on knocking down the barriers that prevent U.S. companies from getting free and open access to foreign markets,” said Locke. “To put it another way: Prior to the NEI, export promotion may have been a ‘some of the time’ focus for many U.S. cabinet agencies and departments. 

The NEI makes it an ‘all the time’ focus.” 

The Executive Order establishes NEI to improve conditions that directly affect the private sector’s ability to export.  The NEI will work to accomplish the following over the next 5 years:

Under its purview, the NEI is addressing the following:

There are many resources that can help Ohio companies enter the export marketplace. The Small Business Administration is offering various tools, such as working capital loan guarantees for exports and insurance against non-payment. Meanwhile, the U.S. Export-Import (Ex-Im) Bank can help a U.S. exporter’s foreign customer obtain financing to purchase products manufactured in the U.S. PolymerOhio staff can help Ohio companies evaluate their potential for international export business and help them connect with the Global Markets Division of the State and U.S. Commercial Service to help leverage international relationships.

**

PolymerOhio, Inc. is a polymer industry-specific Ohio Edison Technology Center, which is funded by the Ohio Department of Development.  PolymerOhio focuses on enhancing the global competitiveness of the polymer industry, including companies from the plastics, rubber, bioproducts, and advanced materials segments. For more information, polymerohio.org

Working with its partners across business, state and local governments, academia, and the non-profit sector, the Ohio Department of Development works to attract, create, grow, and retain businesses through competitive incentives and targeted investments. Engaged every day in marketing, innovating, investing, and collaborating, the Ohio Department of Development works at the speed of business to accelerate and support the teamwork that is absolutely necessary for success by providing financial, informational, and technical assistance to those making an investment in Ohio’s future.