The Blog

Larry Williams, Interim Director, Community, Trade and Economic Development

03/10/09

Last month, Washington state reported $66.8B in exports in 2008. While this is a record number that makes Washington the fourth largest exporting state, only 3 percent of our companies export. What that means is that there�s an extraordinary opportunity for growth.

To help businesses interested in entering or expanding in new markets, the Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development (CTED) hosts the annual Washington State Trade Week event. During Trade Week, March 16�20, 2009, the state�s overseas trade representatives from China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Mexico, and Europe spend a week in various cities throughout the state conducting export seminars and one-on-one meetings with local businesses ready to begin (or expand) exporting their products.

Trade representatives provide valuable on-the-ground knowledge that helps local businesses understand and navigate the nuances of doing business in a foreign country. Our goal is for these conversations to continue after our trade representatives return overseas. With their specialized market knowledge, our foreign trade representatives can continue working with companies to connect them and their products with overseas buyers, agents, and distributors.

Washington�s overseas trade representatives and Seattle-based international trade program managers work in coordination with our business recruiters and, together, these expert groups work on behalf of Washington businesses every day.

Washington�s ideas, products and creativity have a reputation for reaching all corners of the world and we intend to keep a strong hold on that reputation in the 21st century. CTED�s international trade representatives, representing 30 countries, will travel to Bellevue, Wenatchee, Spokane, Bellingham, Seattle, Tacoma, and Kent. To learn more about Trade Week, visit the international trade site on www.cted.wa.gov. For more information on participating in this year�s Trade Week, please contact Julie Bennion at [email protected].