New Hampshire led a national surge in export growth in 2013, according to the International Trade Administration, increasing its merchandise exports by more than 22 percent, to $4.3 billion.
Nationally, the US set an all-time record for the export of goods and services, reaching $2.3 trillion.
“We can attribute our growth to several factors, not the least of which is the savvy and innovative nature of our companies – their products are in demand around the globe,” said Tina Kasim, program manager for the International Trade Resource Center. “The other important factor is the strong partnership we have with the US Department of Commerce here in New Hampshire.”
The two agencies work closely with companies and manufacturers to connect them with trade opportunities.
“These numbers show that New Hampshire exporters continue to take advantage of international growth opportunities to diversify their market portfolios and grow their businesses,” said Justin Oslowski, director of US Commercial Service in Durham.
In the second year of funding of the State Trade Export Promotion program, New Hampshire used its nearly $300,000 award last year to provide matching grants to companies that enabled them to receive services about international markets.
New Hampshire’s merchandise export sales in 2013 outpaced the 2012 figures in many top destinations, including: the Czech Republic (+236 percent); Saudi Arabia (+196 percent); the United Arab Emirates (+161 percent); Colombia (+130 percent) and Canada (+109 percent). Key merchandise export categories include: Computer and electronic products; oil and gas; machinery manufactures; fabricated metal products and electrical equipment.
According to the ITA, the state’s largest market last year was Canada, posting merchandise exports of $1.4 billion, representing 31.7 percent of the state’s total merchandise exports. Following Canada was Mexico ($409 million); China ($266 million); Germany ($212 million) and the Netherlands ($177 million).
In 2012 (the latest figures available), the Manchester-Nashua metropolitan region recorded $1.6 billion in exports.
For more information about export, contact Kasim at the ITRC at 603-271-8444 or www.ExportNH.org or Oslowski at US Commercial Service at 603-953-0212.
Gov. Maggie Hassan this week appointed 26 people to the Economic Development Advisory Council. The membership represents all the cogs in the wheels that drive our economy – business, education, tourism, manufacturing, telecommunications, biotechnology, forest-based products, retail and more.
Established by a 2008 act of the Legislature sponsored by Hassan during her time in the state Senate, the council is charged with assisting the Division of Economic Development by providing advice on the trends and the needs across all sectors of industry and government to aid in the strategic planning efforts of the division.
In announcing the appointment, Hassan said the council will help to continue her efforts to help businesses grow and create good jobs that can support a thriving middle class.
“Through its work to assist and advise New Hampshire’s Division of Economic Development, the Economic Development Advisory Council is critical to our efforts to support innovative economic growth and help businesses create good jobs,” she said. “These appointees have a diverse track record of success in a variety of sectors across our economy, and I am confident that their service will help build a stronger, more innovative New Hampshire.”
The members of the council serve three-year terms and hail from all all corners of the state. The first meeting will be held at 10 am, March 21, here in Concord.
“With these appointments, the Economic Development Advisory Council will have broad representation of industries from every corner of the state,” said Department of Resources and Economic Development Commissioner Jeffery Rose. “This is very important as we seek their counsel in developing our economic strategy and I appreciate their time and commitment to serving on this board.”
The Governor’s appointees are:
Zenagui Brahim, director of the New Hampshire Manufacturing Extension Partnership, representing manufacturing;
Kendall Buck, vice president of the Home Builders and Remodelers Association, representing residential building;
Dean Christon, director of New Hampshire Finance Authority, representing state/local housing authority;
Patrick Clark, president/CEO of BurstPoint Networks, representing information technology/software;
Jaime Coughlin, director of New Ventures and incubator programs, member-at-large;
Eric Crainich, president of Design Standards Corp., representing biotechnology;
Katharine Eneguess, president of White MountainsCommunity College, representing higher education;
Phil Ferneau, founder/director of Borealis Ventures, representing venture capital formation;
Jeffrey Hayes, director of the Lakes Region Planning Commission, member-at-large;
State Senator Jeanie Forrester;
Judy Gove, director of the New Hampshire Electric Coop, representing electric/energy;
Stephen Heavener, director of the Capitol Regional Development Council, representing regional/municipal development;
Gale Hennessy, director of Southern New Hampshire Services, representing workforce development;
Chris Hodgdon, director of government affairs for Comcast, representing telecommunications;
State Representative Naida Kaen;
Carmen Lorentz, director of the New Hampshire Division of Economic Development;
Daniel Lee, associate professor of economics at PlymouthStateUniversity;
Patrick McDermott, director of external affairs for Hinkley Allen & Snyder, member-at-large;
Mark McKenzie, president of New Hampshire AFL-CIO, representing organized labor;
David Mullen, director of Pease Development Authority, representing real estate/commercial real estate development;
Jayne O’Connor, president of White Mountains Attractions, representing travel and tourism;
Eric Proulx, general manager of Tanger Outlet Center, representing retail;
Kathleen Reardon, vice president of Citizens Bank, representing insurance/banking/financial services;
Tim Sink, president of the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce, representing chambers of commerce;
Sarah Smith, extension professor at the University of New Hampshire, representing forest-based products;
Philip Suter, director of the Regional Center for Advanced Manufacturing at Keene State College.
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.”
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.
It’s snowing today here in New Hampshire and the white fluff will be adding up throughout the day. By this evening, the woods will be, as Robert Frost wrote, “lovely, dark and deep.”
Beginning Friday!
Our woods and fields are mostly at rest this month, which makes it a fine time to celebrate them at the greatest winter fair, the New Hampshire Farm & Forest Exposition, which kicks off on Friday morning at the Center of New Hampshire in Manchester. The expo marks its 31st year this year.
Part of the currency that gives the Granite State much of what we value, like open space and rural character, comes from our agricultural and forest industries. Both are integral to our economy in the jobs they provide, the spending of those wages in our communities and the economic multipliers that come from an industry of consumers and suppliers.
Tree Tapping ~ Fuller’s Sugar House ~ Lancaster
Then there is that which we can’t put a dollar value on – the scent of newly-mown hay on a summer’s afternoon, the architecture of a lovely old barn, a walk in the woods of a healthy forest and the sweet taste of maple syrup.
There’s lots of fun for children, too, and if they are under 16, they get admitted for free. Some representatives of 4-H will be on hand, there will be some animals and other kid-friendly activities.
So come on out and help celebrate our fields, farms and forests this weekend. Bring two non-perishable food items to help restock the NH Food Bank and $1 comes off the admission price.
Lorna Colquhoun
Communications Director
NH Division of Economic Development
Business Resource Specialist Chris Wellington, who covers western New Hampshire for the Division of Economic Development, is today’s guest blogger. Ed.
What happens when creative minds start thinking?
In the Monadnock region, Thursday nights get a makeover.
Keene State College is well-known for its liberal arts and teacher preparation programs, but over the past few years it has become a statewide leader for training the next generation of designers, manufacturers, engineers and machinists.
With the creation of the TDS Center in 2012 and the Regional Center for Advanced Manufacturing in 2010, Keene State College is on the front line of economic development in the manufacturing sector in New Hampshire. RCAM is a collaborative partnership between the Greater Keene Chamber of Commerce, Keene State College, River Valley Community College, the Keene School District and the business community.
Team Thursday Knights
Recently, I had the pleasure of attending the Manufacturing Enterprise Capstone presentation by 15 Keene State seniors. The Manufacturing Enterprise Capstone is part of the Sustainable Product Design and Innovation major, which is a relatively new, four-year major at Keene State College, which was built on the foundation of the Manufacturing, Design and Technology Education majors that have been at Keene State for decades.
The new SPDI major incorporates a strong emphasis on sustainable design and how it impacts manufacturing and engineering. For the Manufacturing Enterprise capstone project, students are given $500 to come up with an enterprise where they must create, design and develop a product, then market and sell it to their target audience.
Nights Out Belt Buckle
This year’s class created the entity Thursday Knights Inc. and developed the Knights Out belt buckle. It serves a dual role as a belt buckle and carrying case, which included a personalized engraved front and a money/credit card clip, for the low price of $20. During the presentation, the students explained how they wanted to create a product that allowed students to leave their wallets and purses at home when they went out on ‘Thursday Knights.’
At the start of the semester, students took on a particular role, as they would within any local manufacturing company. Whether they were the materials manager, Lean coordinator, engineer, quality control manager or marketing manager, they had to work in unison with the team to produce the finished product, with the goal of earning a profit at the end of the semester.
“This program provides our students with hands on experience and places them in real world situations that showcase the rewards and challenges of working in the manufacturing industry,” said Professor Christopher Gray.
Aside from the enthusiasm the students expressed throughout the presentation, one of the best aspects of the program is the support and encouragement from the business community. Ray Anderson from Knappe & Koester donated $700 worth of aluminum; NE Metal Finishing provided low cost tumbling and finishing services and additional support in the form of tooling came from True Tool Innovations and Vic Kissel from Maxcess International.
“Support from the business community is vital to the SPDI program and provides our students with valuable contacts once they graduate,” Gray said.
There is a myth in the US that manufacturing is a dying industry, but in western New Hampshire, advanced manufacturing is alive and thriving. Thanks to programs like SDPI, educators like Gray, the support of the business community and eager young students, manufacturing in New Hampshire has a very bright future.
To learn more about the SPDI program and opportunities to collaborate with RCAM and Keene State College please contact Chris Gray at 603-358-2951 or cgray@keene.edu
We like our morning coffee with a side of newsprint and we especially liked it this morning because of the announcement of this year’s 40 Under 40 class in the New Hampshire Union Leader.
nhEconomy.com is well-represented this year
Two members work right here in the New Hampshire Division of Economic Development and we are very proud of them and their accomplishments and we hope you are, too.
Chris Wellington is one of our business resource specialists and on most days, you can find him out in western New Hampshire, assisting businesses and manufacturers, whether through a visit to understand what they do or providing expertise and resources to help them grow and thrive in the Granite State. Chris is very passionate about his home state, especially about the opportunities in advanced manufacturing and for his peers to realize that it is possible to find and follow their dreams right here, right now.
Carmen Lorentz is already having a great day today, as she begins her brand new job as director of the Division of Economic Development. She, too, is New Hampshire born and bred and comes to us from the Belknap County Economic Development Council.
So today is a good day all the way around as we offer our heartiest congratulations to our team members.
Carmen Lorentz sworn in as director of the Division of Economic Development
The Division of Economic Development gets down to business Monday morning with a new director at the helm, following the swearing-in of Carmen Lorentz on Thursday afternoon. Her husband, Jonathan, and son, Julius, stood by her and, in fact, 5-year-old Julius also raised his hand to take the oath.
Lorentz, who grew up in the Lakes Region, most recently the executive director of the Belknap Economic Development Council, brings her experience to the state level, overseeing a staff of 20 that works with thousands of businesses each year in the areas of business retention, recruitment, international trade, government procurement and broadband development.
“I’m excited to join the outstanding team at the Division,” she said, “and I look forward to working with everyone to address the needs of New Hampshire’s business community.”
These are exciting times for New Hampshire, especially as we learn this morning that Politico Magazine ranks us as the strongest state in the Union. There are great opportunities for our businesses, companies and manufacturers to thrive and prosper in 2014.
So we are excited, too, Carmen, and we’ll see you Monday.
It may be a Monday morning, but that doesn’t mean we can’t talk about beer. Especially when it comes to our economy.
Good things are brewing in the beer economy and last week, we joined Gov. Hassan, Commissioner Rose and a host of brewmasters to toast our state’s breweries. We saw the launch of a new trade organization, Brew New Hampshire, and the unveiling of the new brewery map and itineraries now available online at our sister agency, VisitNH.gov. Brew NH is a partnership between distributors, brewers and the Department of Resources and Economic Development that will work to promote the state’s beer industry.
New Hampshire is gaining a reputation of creating some really great beers and people from all over are coming here to check it out. How much of a demand is there for beer tourism? The brewery map is the number 1 download on the VisitNH.gov website and, said Peter Egelston, who hosted the party last week at his Smuttynose Brewery (which will open soon at its new digs in Hampton), “You can plan an entire vacation visiting breweries and, not surprisingly, more and more people are.”
By the numbers, our microbreweries have over 3,100 employees, earning an average wage of $34,500, with an economic impact of over $362 million.
But more than numbers, they give us something intangible. Our local breweries give us the local flavor of the places we get to call home. Microbrewers have done much to revitalize their communities, embracing their identities and all that makes them special and it gives us a place to go, meet friends, raise a glass and make us glad we live here.
So cheers to Brew New Hampshire and to all you microbrewers across the Granite State.
The New Year is here and it is sparkling with opportunity, especially if you’ve decided that 2014 is the year you’ll finally do it – open your own business here in New Hampshire. It’s a great time for this particular resolution, as the economy here in the Granite State has a skip in its step as spending – and optimism – increases.
Is it time for you to open for business?
As with any dream, it’s one thing imagining yourself turning the ‘open’ sign to face the world every morning, but if trying to figure out how to get to that point is an obstacle, we have a solution.
It can be found on our website, www.nhEconomy.com, where the Starting a Business in New Hampshire page is, month after month, one of the most popular destinations. From creating a business plan and finding financing to obtaining necessary permits and hiring employees, this web page is hugely valuable in turning your dream into reality.
There is – and frankly, always has been – a great air of entrepreneurship and innovation in New Hampshire. From its earliest days of statehood, through the Industrial Revolution and into the 21st century, generations of Granite Staters followed their dream of making things better for their neighbors today and tomorrow and beyond.
If you are looking to join them, your journey begins by clicking over here.
