In The News
San Antonio Business Journal: San Antonio can improve its export opportunities, U.S. Trade Representative says
Washington,
October 6, 2014
Tags:
Trade
San Antonio can improve its export opportunities, U.S. Trade Representative says Oct 6, 2014, 2:55pm CDT
San Antonio companies have an opportunity to grab a larger share of Texas’ lucrative export business. That was the message U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman delivered to local business leaders. San Antonio officials agree that there is room for the city to gain more economic ground by pursuing greater trade opportunities. Texas exported nearly $280 billion worth of goods in 2013. That trade activity supported more than 1 million jobs in the Lone Star State, according to U.S. officials. San Antonio’s share of that export activity was $19.3 billion. Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth led Texas, generating $115 billion and $27.6 billion, respectively, in foreign trade last year. “Our job is to open more markets, to unlock opportunity so that more Texans can take advantage of the fact that so many of the world’s consumers live outside of the United States,” Froman said at a San Antonio Chamber of Commerce media event on Monday. That expansion, Froman insisted, would open up more opportunities, particularly for small and medium-sized businesses, in a city like San Antonio. Froman singled out Rackspace (NYSE: RAX) as an example of what foreign business opportunities are out there for San Antonio companies. He said Rackspace’s 200,000-plus clients are spread out over more than 120 countries. Froman believes there are greater export opportunities for Alamo City companies in a number of other industries, including agriculture, machinery, transportation and energy. Texas’ largest trade partner is Mexico. The Lone Star State shipped more than $100 billion worth of goods south of the border last year. San Antonio has long-standing economic and political ties with Mexico, and its geographic proximity to the country should free up more trade opportunities. “San Antonio is a great center for trade,” added Froman, who believes the city is positioned to attract more foreign investment. U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-San Antonio, who was in the Alamo City with Froman, says the region has some distinct strengths which should help it secure more trade activity. He cited workforce development and quality of life as two such factors which could be used to leverage more trade opportunities. “What makes us different is that we have awesome infrastructure," Cuellar said. “We have a north-south highway and an east-west highway,” San Antonio Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Richard Perez told me when asked what strengths the city has that will help it generate more export activity. “We have excellent rail access and we’re 150 miles from the ocean. We have people skilled in trade and how it works on the border here in San Antonio. “So we have all of the elements that make us a logical throughput for international trade,” he added. “Then you layer on top of that the fact that Mexico is in its infancy as far as its energy reform. This is the place to set up those headquarters and start moving (operations) into place.”
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