Automation Alley has set the bar high for exporting programs available to Southeast Michigan companies. As a result of Automation Alley’s trade missions, local companies have secured hundreds of millions of dollars in export sales.
These trade missions allow companies to capitalize on the growing demand for Michigan-made products and services around the globe. They also allow companies to explore opportunities for industry diversification. This summer, Automation Alley will set its sights on Mexico and the United Kingdom, two fast-growing centers of automotive and aerospace production, respectively.
The North American Free Trade Agreement, which was enacted in 1994 and created a free trade zone for Mexico, Canada and the United States, is the most important feature in the U.S.-Mexico bilateral commercial relationship, according to the U.S. Commercial Service. In addition, Mexico is the United States’ third-largest trade partner and second-largest export market for U.S. products.
Automation Alley will visit the Mexican cities of Guanajuato, Puebla and Queretaro, specifically focusing on the automotive industry. According to the U.S. Commercial Service, Mexico ranks as the eighth-largest vehicle producer in the world and is currently home to nine manufacturers, including General Motors, Chrysler, Ford, Nissan, Fiat, Renault, Honda, Toyota and Volkswagen. The country produces more than 2.5 million cars on a yearly basis, and according to the National Auto Parts Industry Association, Mexico ranks fifth worldwide in auto parts production, recently surpassing South Korea.
Like Mexico, the United Kingdom is an excellent place for Michigan companies to expand their business. According to the U.S. Commercial Service, the U.K. has the sixth-largest economy in the world and the third-largest economy in the European Union. The U.K. is the second-largest market in the world for U.S. service exports. While the U.K. is relatively small geographically, it has a population of more than 63 million people. With few trade barriers, the U.K. is the entry market into the European Union for more than 41,000 U.S. exporters.
Automation Alley’s trade mission to the United Kingdom will coincide with the Farnborough International Airshow, one of the world’s largest exhibitions. According to the U.S. Commercial Service, the U.K. aerospace industry is the second-largest in the world behind the U.S. The industry is split almost equally between civil and defense aerospace. The aerospace industry is a major category for U.S. exports in the U.K. Exports to the U.K. of civil aircraft, aircraft engines and aircraft parts from the U.S. were $6.2 billion in 2012, with military equipment exports running at $600 million.
Source: Automation Alley
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