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Posts Tagged ‘International Trade Resource Center’

Commissioner Rose: Exporting a Vital Part of NH Economy

Wednesday, August 6th, 2014

The recent article exploring New Hampshire’s exports, while interesting, drew conclusions that diminishes our role in a record-setting year for US exports.

In 2013, the United States set an all-time record – $2.3 trillion – for the value of goods exported around the world. New Hampshire was a part of that success, with strategic growth in some of our higher paying sectors, such as electronics, optics and military/defense components.

The US Department of Commerce uses a complex methodology to measure exports and their growth – methodology that has been in place for decades and which determines the value of each state’s activity in the global marketplace. The data provided is the accepted measure of exports by state and federal agencies, as well as the United Nations and the International Monetary Fund.

By using the Origin of Movement (OM) series, the Department of Commerce determines the breakdown of over $2 trillion in exports. The OM can be the location of where the item was produced or the location of a distributor, warehouse or cargo processing facility. New Hampshire export statistics credit the movement of oil into the state, just as another state receives credit for millions of dollars’ worth of components produced in New Hampshire.

The results can, indeed, be curious; such as how much oil the Granite State is credited with exporting or how much gold leaves Massachusetts or how many diamonds from New York. It is important to recognize that New Hampshire is by no means the only state that exports goods not usually associated with its leading industries.

OM is not a perfect system, largely because it was never designed to measure production. But it is the accepted way to calculate the worth of the nation’s exports. Under the definitions and regulations in place, oil is a New Hampshire export.

It is also important to note that there is more to exporting than the merchandise goods the OM series covers. Services, like consulting and financial services, as well as tourism and education, two important sectors in our economy, are considered exports, but they are not calculated in data compiled by the federal agency.

Exporting is a vital part of the state’s economy and every year, more of our companies are tapping into markets around the world with great success. Our record makes our state attractive to foreign investors, companies looking to expand in the US and international students seeking a quality education.

To simply extract the value of oil that flows through New Hampshire and proclaim the total to be credible data is overly simplistic and gives no credit to thousands of companies in New Hampshire contributing to the nation’s exporting success.

 

Jeffrey Rose

Commissioner

NH  Department of Resources and Economic Development

Commissioner Rose: The Value of Trade Missions to New Hampshire

Monday, June 2nd, 2014

Later this month, Gov. Hassan and I will accompany representatives of seven New Hampshire companies on a trade mission to Turkey, the first in several years. We are excited about the prospect of making connections in a country whose economy is vibrant and eager to do business with us.

International trade plays a vital role in our state’s economy and the legislature recognized this when it passed the bipartisan budget, which included funding for the state to resume trade missions. The International Trade Resource Center has organized trade missions over the past 15 years, to countries including Brazil, Chile, England, France, India, Ireland, Italy and the Netherlands. The cumulative result of these trips was tens of millions in contracts to businesses and manufacturers right here at home and relationships that helped to keep our state strong in challenging times.

A key to growth and prosperity for any company is the ability to find new customers. Securing global markets diversifies their bottom line. Trade missions offer connections and opportunities for our companies, which typically don’t have the means to hire export specialists. With a trade mission, we can offer resources to open many doors in a short time, such as partnering with the U.S. Department of Commerce and local business organizations in the host country to find potential partners.

Having the governor lead the mission elevates our companies as they meet with business and government organizations. This would not happen for a business going it alone.

When New Hampshire, and the nation, suffered through the recession a few years ago, we weathered it far better than some of our neighbors. This was, in large part, because our businesses sought out overseas markets to diversify their customer base, gain more orders and, most importantly, keep their employees working. That’s why in 2010, we set a record for exporting, sending $4.4 billion worth of goods around the world.

In 2013, New Hampshire led the nation in export growth, increasing its merchandise exports by more than 22 percent, to $4.3 billion. This demonstrates that our businesses and manufacturers can design, create and make products and components that are in demand around the world.

The momentum continues into 2014. Planning began months ago for the state’s first overseas trade mission since 2011 and included months of research, discussion about the needs of our businesses and where the demand is for their products and services.

Turkey quickly emerged as an important market for several reasons: It’s our 12th largest trading partner – last year, we sent $79 million in goods and services there. Its geographical location, at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East, makes it an attractive hub and there are increasing opportunities for our businesses, especially in areas such as aerospace and defense, health and medical technologies, education and construction machinery.

With the assistance of the Turkish Cultural Center in Manchester and the partnership with TUSKON (representing seven business federations, 202 business associations and over 50,000 entrepreneurs), we have arranged five full days of introductions, meetings and networking for our businesses in Istanbul and Ankara, as well as a news conference providing even wider exposure for the state.

In March, the state was running $25 million ahead of its revenue plan for the year, a solid fiscal position. April revenues fell significantly short of the previous year, although the state continues to run $3.9 million over its projections.

As a precaution in case revenues continue to fall, Gov. Hassan issued an executive order that includes a freeze on out-of-state travel. At that time, the governor and I, our businesses and our partners had discussions about whether to cancel the trade mission.

But the state, the participating companies and our partners in Turkey had already made significant financial investments into this trade mission, months before revenues dropped and the freeze was enacted.

I cannot overstate the value of international trade to New Hampshire’s economy and how eager our businesses are to explore exporting and to send their goods to global markets. The legislature agreed.

To cancel this trade mission would result in significant losses not only to our businesses, but in potential economic growth for New Hampshire.

 

Jeffrey Rose is the commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Resources and Economic Development.

Gov. Hassan Leading Trade Mission to Turkey in June

Wednesday, March 26th, 2014

Continuing her efforts to boost New Hampshire’s economy through the promotion of international trade, Governor Maggie Hassan will lead a delegation of New Hampshire businesses on a June trade mission to Turkey, where members will explore the increasing potential of a growing international market.

“To keep New Hampshire’s economy growing and creating jobs, we are focused on helping our businesses enter new markets and making the Granite State a leader in selling our goods and services around the world,” Gov. Hassan said. “This trade mission will build on the progress that helped make New Hampshire the fastest-growing state for exports in 2013 by helping our businesses find new opportunities in Turkey’s growing market.”

In 2013, Granite State companies and manufacturers exported more than $79 million in goods and services to Turkey. At the crossroads of Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East, Turkey is a regional commercial hub attracting the attention of American companies. The Department of Resources and Economic Development selected it as the trade mission destination after consultation with New Hampshire businesses.

“Turkey is New Hampshire’s 12th largest trading partner and there are increasing opportunities for our businesses, especially in areas such as aerospace and defense, health and medical technologies, education and construction machinery,” said Jeffrey Rose, commissioner of the Department of Resources and Economic Development.

Rokon International Inc., a leading manufacturer of all-wheel drive motorcycles whose products are used by military personnel, missionaries, farmers and hunters around the world, is one of five companies that have already signed up for the trade mission.

“At Rokon, we are always looking to find new markets abroad and joining the State of New Hampshire on this mission to Turkey is a great opportunity to increase exports and grow our business,” said Tom Blais, owner and CEO of Rokon.

The bipartisan budget Hassan signed last year increased international trade assistance and restored funding for trade missions to help businesses market and sell their products around the globe. Through November, business exports rose 22 percent in 2013, making New Hampshire the fastest-growing state in the nation for exports.

Organized in partnership with the Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists of Turkey (TUSKON) and the Turkish Cultural Center in Manchester, the trade mission will take place June 20-27.  TUSKON includes seven regional federations and more than 200 business associations, representing more than 140,000 firms in the Turkic region, which includes neighboring countries such as Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan. The organization will connect the trade mission’s participants with decision makers in business, government and higher education.

Companies interested in joining the trade mission are invited to attend an informational meeting at the Turkish Cultural Center, 540 Chestnut St., Manchester. The meeting will be held on April 2 at 8:30 a.m. and will feature Dr. Hakan Tasci of US-TUSKON and economist Mehmet Ozbes as speakers.

The cost for participation in the trade mission is $2,500, a reduced rate that is underwritten by TUSKON to promote the development and growth of the New Hampshire-Turkey partnership. The deadline for applications is April 25 and space is limited.

For more information, visit www.exportnh.org or call Tina Kasim, program manager for the New Hampshire International Trade Resource Center at 271-8444.

 

Laconia Manufacturer Putting the Bite Back on Your Snowmobile

Wednesday, March 5th, 2014

It’s the bane of the serious snowmobiler: The dull edge of a carbide runner.

A Laconia manufacturer came up with a solution to the seasonal problem and in the year since the Biteharder carbide sharpening tool went on the market, Glenn Welch of Welch Manufacturing says business has grown exponentially.

Why? His product is, pardon the pun, cutting edge and his business plan included establishing a Canadian market.

We helped with that.

Check out the video for the rest of this great story.

 

Lorna Colquhoun

Communications Director

NH Division of Economic Development

 

Gaining Altitude, NH Aero/Defense Companies Land in Singapore

Friday, February 7th, 2014

Asia’s largest air show gets underway this coming week and six New Hampshire companies are on the ground in Singapore, ready to make connections and gain entry into a new global market.

Justin Oslowski and Tina Kasim

Along with them are Tina Kasim, program manager of our International Trade Resource Center, and Justin Oslowski, director of the US Department of Commerce/US Commercial Service in Durham.

“The aerospace and defense industries are a fast growing sector for us,” Kasim said. “The companies attending represent our diversity and innovation and they are eager for the possibilities the Singapore and Asian markets will provide them.”

PAS-028

NH at Singapore

Over the past year, our aerospace and defense sector has been gaining altitude. It is one of our fastest growing industries and since it organized nearly one year ago, the New Hampshire Aerospace and Defense Export Consortium has boosted it even more. Our aero/defense companies are becoming familiar sights internationally; last June, five of our companies were at the International Paris Airshow and in July 2012, three companies took part in the Farnborough International Air Show. Their participation has been made possible through the federal State Trade Export Promotion program.

Singapore is New Hampshire’s 15th largest trading partner and with its range of aerospace design and manufacturing services, is a leading hub for the industry in Asia.

Attending are: AQYR Technologies of Nashua, which designs and manufactures highly portable, simple to operate, satellite communication terminals for military and governments worldwide; Corfin Industries of Salem, which provides component preparation services and is the exclusive provider of the Robotic Hot Solder Dip, which the company developed in the 1980s; LanAir Inc of Newington, which engineers and designs PMA parts; New England Wire Technologies of Lisbon, which designs and manufactures Litz, braids, cables and strands, ultra flexible single, multiconductor, and coaxial cables; RdF Corp., of Hudson, which designs, develops and manufactures surface, insertion and immersion temperature and heat flux sensors and Transupport of Merrimack, a stocking supplier of spares for gas turbine engines, including the T53, T55, AGT1500 AND TF series.

“This builds on the momentum gained from participating in the Farnborough and Paris Air Shows, and further solidifies New Hampshire’s reputation as a large and growing hub for the world’s aerospace and defense sectors,” Oslowski said. “As our first formal foray into Asia, I can’t think of a better market than Singapore. I’m confident our participating companies will show results in the very near future.”

Follow along over the next week during the Singapore Airshow via our Twitter feed and our Facebook page.

Lorna Colquhoun

Communications Director

NH Division of Economic Development

 

From NHEconomy.com to You!

Monday, December 23rd, 2013
The Team at the New Hampshire Division of Economic Development

The team at the New Hampshire Division of Economic Development

Wishing all our friends and partners

a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year!

Commissioner Jeffrey Rose

Interim Director Christopher Way

Deborah Avery

Robert Barry

Michael Bergeron

Gary Chabot

Lorna Colquhoun

Amanda Duquette

Elizabeth Gray

Cynthia Harrington

Tina Kasim

Martha Keene

Benoit Lamontagne

Carol Miller

Dianne O’Neil

David Pease

Justin Slattery

Chris Wellington

 

 

 

 

 

North of the Border Collaboration

Tuesday, December 3rd, 2013

This is a big week for the aerospace industry on both sides of the international border we share with Quebec. Up in Montreal, 800 people from all over Canada and the world were in town for the Forum Innovation Aérospatiale 2013 – Aero Montreal’s Aerospace Innovation Forum.

Given that our aero/defense industries are growing, this was the place to start the week.

Aerospace is a big deal in Quebec and especially in Montreal, home to the likes of the big names – Bombardier, Bell Helicopter and Pratt & Whitney Canada. We could illustrate this with facts and figures, but one of the speakers on Monday’s program explained it like this:

“Montreal is one place in the world where you can find all the parts you need to build an airplane within 30 kilometers.”

There was a spot on the program Monday afternoon for us and it was a momentous occasion, as the New Hampshire Aerospace and Defense Export Consortium signed its first international partnership with Aero Montreal.

AeroMontrealSigning_edited-1

Christopher Wrenn, left, of NHADEC signs the collaboration agreement with Aero Montreal.

“This is a big day for NHADEC and the state of New Hampshire,” said Christopher Wren of Gentex Corp. in Manchester, chairman of the export consortium, which was organized last March. “It’s important because we are such a young organization and it gives us the opportunity to partner with an organization that has a long history in aerospace. Our members will learn a lot, but we have a lot to offer to Aero Montreal.”

The agreement establishes preferred relations between the two organizations and encourages collaboration on topics such as training, research, joint trade missions and supplier development initiatives.

“This strategic collaboration will provide major opportunities for Quebec’s aerospace industry by encouraging trade and fostering partnerships between our two aerospace sectors,” said Suzanne Benoit, president of Aero Montreal, adding that it is the first step toward establishing a Quebec-New England aerospace corridor.

NHADEC was established by the International Trade Resource Center last March, one of the only export consortia in the country and boasts a membership of 70 companies. About 300 companies in New Hampshire have ties to the aero/defense industry and being able to tap into the connections, research and supply chain is going to be a great benefit to the sectors, which are growing in the Granite State.

“This signing really is an indication of the momentum we are building as a cluster,” said Jeffrey Rose, commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Resources and Economic Development. “Just as aerospace and defense are key industries here, it is in Montreal as well. As we grow this collaboration and grow our partnership, we’ll develop new opportunities for New Hampshire businesses.”

Canada is New Hampshire’s largest trading partner and we share an international border with Quebec. Montreal (depending on where you are) is only a couple of hours away. The prime driver of Quebec’s economy is aerospace and 98 percent of that activity takes place within the city limits.

So this is a collaboration whose time has come and with Monday’s signing, NHADEC and Aero Montreal are cleared for take-off.

For more information on the NHADEC, visit AerospaceNH.com.

 

Lorna Colquhoun

Communications Director

NH Division of Economic Development

 

Farewell to the Interns

Tuesday, August 20th, 2013
interns

Ethan Lafrance and Jen Lighthall interned with nhEconomy.com this summer.

            It’s awfully quiet in the office this week, as it is in many offices across the state.

             That’s because the interns have gone back to college.

We miss them.

Here at the Division of Economic Development, we had six of them spread out among our offices – the International Trade Resource Center, NH PTAP and in economic development.

Laura

Laura Wolfe

Jennifer Lighthall and Laura Wolfe spent the summer in the middle of the action, literally and figuratively in the heart of DED. Ethan Lafrance, Emily Tyler and Carter White made themselves at home in international trade and Mark Manganiello worked with all things government procurement.

All of them quickly became indispensible to us, diving into projects that weren’t always glamorous. Jen, who studies at Highpoint University and Laura, of Smith College, when not accompanying some of us out into the field on business visits around the state, made their way through everything from media clips to internet research to answering the phones.

Ethan, from the University of Pennsylvania, showed his passion for international business and helped the New Hampshire Aerospace and Defense Export Consortium with several important projects. Emily, home for the summer from Drake University, and Carter, from Hamilton College, were both immersed in market research projects.

Mark

Mark Manganiello

Mark, who’s obtaining his Master’s from UNH, spent about six months with NH-PTAP and singlehandedly organized the New Hampshire State and Local Vendor Fair last month, which was a very successful event.

Their projects wrapped up now, each one left behind some very valuable information and research and they all assured us that their experience was interesting and valuable as well.

Now that their computers are dark and their desks quiet … and clean … we miss their enthusiasm and curiosity, for it made us all slow down now and then to teach and explain and remind us that both of those traits are important in the work we do every day.

One other thing we got from the summer intern experience is that one day, these young people will graduate and head out into the world and make their mark on it.

Look out.

 

Lorna Colquhoun

Communications Director

New Hampshire Division of Economic Development

 

 

Scenes from the Paris Air Show

Thursday, June 20th, 2013

The International Paris Air Show is winding down today. For the past four days, five New Hampshire businesses have hustled around the airport at Le Bourget, meeting with potential customers and suppliers from all over the world.

The connections that have been made here are incredibly valuable and as the business cycles progress, the businesses represented here are confident that the future holds new business from around the globe.

Here are some of the highlights from the past few days.

An Airbus lumbers through the sky at the International Paris Air Show.


 

Shyang Puri of RdF Corp. in Hudson is interviewed by the US Embassy in Paris for a program segment on small businesses and exporting.

Ken Foote of Transupport in Merrimack and Justin Oslowski, director of the US Department of Commerce in Portsmouth, complete a video shoot with the US Embassy in Paris.

It’s a bird. It’s a plane.

 

Photos by Lorna Colquhoun
Communications Director
NH Division of Economic Development

Wheels Up for Paris Air Show

Friday, June 14th, 2013

We are taking off later today, heading for the Paris Air Show, accompanying 12 aer0 and defense related companies from here in the Granite State, Vermont and Maine. With thousands of exhibitors all in one place, it is an opportunity to connect with decision makers from around the world, who can see and hear what our companies offer, which translates into more orders and more jobs.

In all, 34 states will be represented at the international trade show, which is held every other year. The Best of New England booth is made possible through the State Trade Export Promotion program, funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Follow along with us on our social media channels, particularly on Twitter, as well as Facebook and the No Bull Business Blog.

Lorna Colquhoun

Communications Director

Division of Economic Development