EXPORT
Export Delaware is an initiative of the Delaware Department of State. We are the official export resource for Delaware’s small businesses. If you are a new exporter, or want to explore new markets, we can help you get started.
Export Delaware assists Delaware companies that seek to export their products and services. Our experienced staff provides on-site guidance to businesses that are looking to explore export opportunities or to expand their current export activities to new markets.
Some of the most successful exporters are innovative small- and medium-sized businesses (which account for 98 percent of U.S. exporters). Businesses that export have faster-growing sales, create more jobs and are less likely to go out of business than non-exporting establishments.
History
In 2014, Export Delaware was charged with expanding the State’s export program to offer more services and reach more businesses throughout the state. Export Advisor, Beth Pomper developed the first ever strategic export plan for the State to determine where Delaware companies will have the most success overseas. Here’s a glimpse of what we’ve accomplished since then:
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Export Delaware hired international trade representatives in target markets to represent Delaware’s small business in-country. The countries included Canada, Germany, Switzerland, Mexico, and South Korea.
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Activities were planned to help Delaware businesses penetrate the target markets, including international business trips, meetings with foreign trade representatives, seminars and education opportunities for Delaware companies, and many more local events.
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In 2017, Export Delaware expanded the strategic export program to include Ireland, Colombia, Singapore, Malaysia and Australia, and additional trade representatives were engaged to support the program.
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Export Delaware has received six State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) grant awards from the Small Business Administration. Nearly $935,000 of grant funds have been distributed to assist Delaware companies to enter and develop markets over the last several years.
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To date, Export Delaware has supported more than 96 Delaware companies participate in international business trips around the world. As a result of the activity, the participants have achieved $148 million in export sales and 52 Delaware jobs have been created.
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The ongoing Strategic Export Plan is evaluated on an annual basis. Activities are planned at the time Export Delaware applies for the federal STEP Grant for the upcoming fiscal year (October–September).
Our experienced staff provides on-site guidance to businesses that are looking to explore export opportunities or to expand their current export activities to new markets.
What Delaware Businesses Are Saying
To date, we’ve organized 19 international business trips, and awarded over $1 million of STEP grant funds to support Delaware’s small businesses achieve new export sales. Read the personal testimonies from businesses we’ve worked with and learn how we can help your organization.
Long-term Focus Helps this Delaware Exporter Win Big in Mexico
In 2015 Jeremy Dayton took his first business trip to Mexico with the State of Delaware. Since that trip, he’s returned to Mexico four times, and Polymer Technologies has developed several sizable customers there. Read how.
Serious leads, new high-level connections made on recent business trip
Sanjay Kapuria wasn’t sure what to expect when he agreed to join a Delaware trade mission to Mexico earlier this fall. He knew that Mexico held opportunities for Jaykal LED Solutions, his lighting business, but wondered whether the trip would be worth the travel costs.
Batta Environmental Receives Major Export Contract in Mexico
In 2018, Batta Environmental participated in a State-led business trip to Mexico. As a result, they received a sizable USTDA grant-funded contract award to provide environmental engineering services for CONAGUA.
How to Build Trust with Your Overseas Partners in Southeast Asia
Before 2018, GS-Tek had only received a few inquiries from Southeast Asia from their website. They joined Export Delaware on a business trip to Singapore and Malaysia in the Spring of 2018, and after that, everything changed.
Business trip with Export Delaware lands Solar Unlimited five new major contracts in Mexico
George Chambers identifies himself as a “solar power ‘peddler’” in a recent interview with Delmarva Now. However, Chambers is much more than that—the 70-year-old businessman is the driving force behind Lewes-based Solar Unlimited, a provider of solar-powered energy systems.
International Focus a Key for This Women-Owned Business
In 2019, Habbart was invited to join the State of Delaware on a business trip to Ireland. Export Delaware’s international trade representative in Ireland, Declan Barry helped to coordinate the trip. Barry and the Export Delaware team took care of all the trip logistics and even set up one-on-one business meetings with vetted, potential customers.
In Africa, Building Business Means Building Relationships
Bill Rawheiser, President of Sun-In-One, has been traveling and exporting to various countries in Africa for over a decade. In this article, we’ll share how Bill got started in Africa, and why Delaware exporters should consider focusing efforts to expand exports there right now.
How GS-Tek grew their exports nearly 33 percent
Delaware’s GS-Tek is achieving international financial success by entering new markets. The Newark-based chromatographic products manufacturer has worked closely with the U.S. Commercial Service’s Philadelphia U.S. Export Assistance Center (USEAC) to identify key international trade shows and trusted business partners.
Related Topics: Beth Pomper, Delaware Export, Expand, export, Export Consultation, Export to Canada, export to Germany, export to Mexico, export to South Korea, Exportech, start exporting, Strategic Export Plan
