Archives For International

Maryland/DC District Export Council to train businesses in trade

Emily Kimball —  May 13, 2013
Maryland/Washington D.C. District Export Council, Inc.

Maryland/Washington D.C. District Export Council

Over $11.8 billion in merchandise traveled out of Maryland and into markets around the world in 2012.

While Maryland already has a flourishing export market, the Maryland/DC District Export Council is working to build that number even higher. The DEC plans to hold its first-ever Celebration of International Trade in Linthicum Heights on May 21, with a special focus on training businesses in exporting goods and services.

Registration for the Celebration of International Trade has reached 70 percent and will remain open online until the day of the event. Admission, including breakfast and lunch, is free for government employees and $99 for others.

The world market is a “surprisingly small place,” according to Carl Livesay, chairman of the DEC.

“Businesses perceive that there are overwhelming barriers to exporting goods and services, and that’s just not the case. It is confusing and it can be cumbersome, but if you align yourself with businesses and people who have traveled that path before, they will help light the way,” he said.

The region benefits from transportation systems that easily support trade, including the top-ranking Port of Baltimore and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. Livesay also described the area as a “hotbed and innovation and technology.”

“There’s no other area in the country that is better suited, better qualified or has access to stronger resources than we do here in Maryland,” he said.

Ultimately, as more companies in Maryland and Washington, D.C. trade internationally, the more the overall economy will grow and the national trade balance will improve. He said, ”We do not seek to help companies import foreign goods or services into the United States. To put it bluntly, this is about creating permanent, sustainable jobs right here in Maryland.”

The event’s main draw is an extensive list of prominent speakers, including Robert Walker, Deputy Secretary of the Maryland Department of Business & Economic Development; Laszlo Horvath, CEO or Active Media; and Todd Marks, CEO of Mindgrub Technologies.

Dozens of other industry leaders and exhibitors will present training sessions, ranging from mitigating risk in international trade to strategic tax consideration.

Secretary Murray: Maryland poised for business growth

Dominick Murray —  May 10, 2013
Dominick Murray

Maryland Department of Business & Economic Development Secretary Dominick Murray

Dominick Murray is Secretary of the Department of Business & Economic Development.

Maryland is a great place to start, run and grow a business. The parade of business friendliness reports published every year sometimes clouds that fact, but it does not change it.

The secret to Maryland’s success is simple — a highly skilled workforce, world-class research facilities, a core of high-tech industries and a growing community of entrepreneurs who are pushing the boundaries of the life sciences, cybersecurity, information technology, green energy and advanced manufacturing. And as a people, we are committed to making the smart, targeted investments to build on our strengths, shore up our weaknesses and make the future even brighter for our children and theirs.

Those investments are already paying off.

Maryland has recovered 97 percent of the jobs that were lost during the recession, compared to only 67 percent for the nation as a whole.  In the first quarter of this year, Maryland created 22,000 jobs at the fastest rate in the region and the fourth-fastest rate in the nation.  Maryland’s dynamic private sector led that job growth, creating more than 92% of our new jobs.  Maryland’s unemployment rate is at a four-year low for the second consecutive month.

Maryland is the unquestioned epicenter of cybersecurity, a distinction reinforced by the recent announcement of partnerships between the state, federal government and industry leaders Intel, Cisco, McAfee, and others in the National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence. The state is also a hub of life sciences innovation and discovery, home to the 2nd-largest per-capita cluster of bioscience companies in the country.  We created more STEM jobs than all but five other states in the nation over the past decade.

Recently, Chief Executive magazine ranked Maryland No. 41 in its “Best & Worst States for Business Report.” The ranking is disappointing. But, it deserves context.

Just a week earlier, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, hardly a mouthpiece for Democratic administrations, released its annual “Enterprising States” report ranking Maryland #1 for Entrepreneurship and Innovation for the second year in a row.  The Chamber has also ranked Maryland in the Top Ten for Growth and Economic Performance every year since they began publishing the study. The Milken Institute ranks our State #1 in research and development per capita and #2 for science and technology assets.  The nonpartisan group The States Project says we’re #2 for economic opportunity and the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation ranks us among the five states best positioned to succeed in the new economy.

While taxes are a frequent point of comparison between states, Marylanders have the 3rd-lowest state and local tax burden, adjusted for income, according to the non-partisan Federal Funds Information for States. The Council on State Taxation’s 2012 report found state and local business tax revenue was just 3.8 percent of private sector gross state product, the sixth-lowest rate in the country. And Maryland has still managed to make record investments in education, infrastructure and entrepreneurs. Our schools have been ranked No. 1 in the country for five years running by Education Week and we have done more than any other state in the nation to hold down the cost of college tuition according to The College Board.  Maryland boasts a high quality of life and we are making new investments in our highways, bridges, trains, buses, port and airport so people spend less time on the road and more time where they actually want to be.

Last year, the State embarked on the largest venture capital initiative in its history. Through the innovative InvestMaryland program, Maryland raised a record $84 million to invest in promising, young companies. These are the companies developing the next generation of products and services that will cement Maryland’s place as an economic force, and a leader in innovation, discovery and prosperity.  This Legislative Session, under Governor O’Malley’s leadership, we chose to expand our biotechnology and R & D tax credits, create a new cyber tax credit and streamline our public-private partnership process to encourage private investment in Maryland’s infrastructure.

Maryland is committed to making this State both the best place to live, and for businesses large and small to thrive. Together with our community of hard-working and innovative business owners, we can make that a reality. And as groups like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Fast Company and the Milken Institute recognize, we are well on our way.

Maryland businesses anticipate film credit extension boost

Emily Kimball —  April 9, 2013
Behind the scenes of "Veep"

HBO’s “Veep” was filmed in Maryland and benefitted from an industry tax credit.

During an episode of the popular Netflix series “House of Cards,” a female character angrily throws a framed picture.

Watching that moment from their living room, Bill and Susan Decker couldn’t help but smile as the actress broke their custom-designed product. The husband and wife are co-owners of Furst Bros., a historic Baltimore framing company, and they are among thousands of Marylanders who have benefited from the state’s growing film industry, many of them small businesses not directly associated with the film production business

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Maryland economy adds 10,500 jobs in February

Nick Sohr —  March 29, 2013

Maryland’s economy continued its streak of strong job growth as employers added 10,500 workers in February, according to figures released today by the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation.

Find details on the jobs report from January 2013 here.

As has been the case through most of the rebound from the Great Recession, Maryland’s private sector led the way, adding 6,000 jobs last month, an increase of 0.3 percent. Overall job growth was 0.4 percent, twice the national average of 0.2 percent.

The unemployment rate fell to 6.6 percent, down from 6.7 percent in January. The national rate was a full point higher.

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Behind the scenes at Maryland ship supplier R.S. Stern Inc.

Emily Kimball —  March 26, 2013
Port of Baltimore

R.S. Stern Inc. is North America’s oldest ship supplier, focusing on the Port of Baltimore.

In a colorful profile of the historic company, the Baltimore Sun provides a behind-the-scenes look at R.S. Stern Inc., North America’s oldest ship supplier, now based in a brick warehouse in Canton.

According to the article:

Whether it’s a war-zone deployment, a cargo ship in port for 18 hours or a passenger cruise ship on its regular stop, R.S. Stern Inc. has put groceries in larders and spare parts in engine rooms since 1870.

From its brick warehouse in Canton, the company’s 15 employees dispense uniforms and copier supplies, mops for swabbing and pork chops for dinner to about 1,000 ships calling on Baltimore and other nearby ports each year. Need a 4-by-6 Sri Lankan flag for the mast? Stern’s got you covered.

Find the full report here.

Maryland green jobs surge, state leads mid-Atlantic region

Jim Palma —  March 21, 2013
Maryland is a top green state

Maryland ranked among the nation’s greenest states in 2011.

By Jim Palma, Senior Manager, Research and Information, Department of Business and Economic Development

Maryland’s workforce was more “green” than all but five other states and the nation’s capital in 2011, according to data released Tuesday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The second annual (and final) Green Goods and Services Survey, which measured jobs in green services and goods production, found almost 92,000 Maryland workers held such jobs. Green jobs accounted for 3.7 percent of all jobs in the state. With an 18.3 percent growth rate from 2010, Maryland also had the largest percentage increase in green jobs of any state in the nation, including the District of Columbia.

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Maryland exports grew in 2012

Tim Windsor —  February 27, 2013
Photo by Ryan Crierie, flickr/cc

Photo by Ryan Crierie, flickr/cc

Exports from Maryland grew by 9% to record levels in 2012.

Exports of goods and services for the United States as a whole also reached record levels last year, totaling $2.2 trillion. U.S. Commerce Department officials credited efforts to remove trade barriers and help businesses compete globally with helping boost exports.

Maryland exports included transportation equipment, chemicals, computer and electronic products, machinery and primary metal.

The data comes from a report issued this week by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration which details the level (and in many cases growth) of export business in all 50 states.

There is also an interactive map available, which allows for detailed display of exports by category and destination country.

 

 

Indian business delegation visits Maryland

Nick Sohr —  April 25, 2012

By Nick Sohr, Managing Editor, MDBIZNews

More than 60 executives from Maryland and India gathered Tuesday in Baltimore to discuss business and economic connections between the state of 5.8 million and country of 1.2 billion.

The trip organized by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry follows a trade mission led by Gov. Martin O’Malley that shepherded more than 100 Maryland business leaders around India last fall.

The visits show the potential Maryland’s leaders see in India, and, likewise, the potential Indian companies see in Maryland.

R.V. Kanoria, president of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, chats with Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley

“India has transitioned from an agriculture economy to a service economy and there’s a renewed focus on our manufacturing sector,” said FICCI President R.V. Kanoria, addressing the executives at the World Trade Center in Baltimore.

Kanoria, who met with O’Malley when the governor was in India, said he sees potential for collaboration with Maryland and companies here in many of the areas state officials and business leaders see as critical components of the growing, high-tech economy — education, clean energy, life sciences and cybersecurity.

“That’s the other thing that struck me about India, the innovation going on,” O’Malley said. “In our state, many of our strengths are strengths I know that India also has — biosciences, health care management, information technology, aerospace, defense, engineering services, just to name a few.”

The governor touted the intellectual and spending power of the federal and academic facilities in Maryland, the network of business incubators here and the highly educated workers that call the state home as assets for any business looking for a new base of operations in the United States.

“As a people, we have long understood that our economic opportunities are very much determined by the educational investments that we make,” O’Malley said.

India is already a large, and growing, trading partner for Maryland. Exports from the state to India have increased 70 percent over the last seven years, according to O’Malley.

Maryland shipped $252 million worth of goods there last year, according to U.S. Department of Commerce figures.

Kanoria said the total value of goods and services traded by the state and his country totaled $100 billion in 2011.

Maryland opened a trade office in India in 2009 and Kanoria said FICCI wants to open a counterpart in the state by the start of next year.

“One of the defining aspects of our character as Marylanders is that we, from our founding, have always been engaged with our neighbors around the world,” O’Malley said, looking out over the Inner Harbor. “This port, almost since our state’s founding, has been the center of trade of commerce… It is part of our DNA.”

China Ex-Im bank to open first U.S. office in Md.

Nick Sohr —  April 13, 2012

By Nick Sohr, Managing Editor, MDbizMedia

The Export-Import Bank of China’s first U.S. office will be established in Maryland under an agreement the bank signed Friday with the state Department of Business and Economic Development.

The bank will be a source of capital for Chinese businesses investing in the United States and the office, to be located in the World Trade Center building in Baltimore, will do business development, project evaluation and relationship building.

“This is a unique opportunity for Maryland to further build on our already strong ties with China and serve as the gateway for Chinese companies looking to establish a U.S. presence,” said Gov. Martin O’Malley. “With China having one of the world’s fastest growing economies, it is critical that we move forward now to explore new opportunities for trade and investment, particularly in our shared strengths of science and technology.”

Indeed, China is the state’s second-largest trade partner, behind only Canada. Maryland exported $666 million worth of goods to China in 2011, an increase of 16 percent over the year prior.

“Establishing an office in Maryland will yield mutual benefit for both parties, and will help us to create jobs and increase trade and investment,” said Zhu Xinqiang, the bank’s vice president.

Maryland was has had a trade and investment office in China since 1996 and the state is home to 16 Chinese firms.

O’Malley led a trade mission to China, South Korea and Vietnam last year that resulted in more than $85 million in investment in Maryland, including $40 million from the Tasly Group. One of the leading Chinese biopharmaceutical companies, Tasly will establish a 443,000-square-foot production facility at the Shady Grove Life Sciences Center.

Maryland exports rose 7% in 2011

Nick Sohr —  March 8, 2012

By Nick Sohr, Managing Editor, MDbizMedia

Maryland’s exports grew 7 percent in 2011 to nearly $10.9 billion, Gov. Martin O’Malley announced Wednesday at the World Trade Center Institute’s annual International Business Leadership Awards event.

Last year was the second straight year of growth for Maryland exports, according to U.S. Department of Commerce figures. After hitting an all-time high of $11.4 billion in 2008, Maryland exports sank to $9.2 billion in 2009 as the global recession choked spending. Exports began to rebound in 2010, when the state shipped nearly $10.2 billion worth of goods overseas.

O’Malley called the extension of that trend into 2011 “a clear indicator that Maryland is continuing to stimulate our economy by exploring new markets for trade and investment.”

“Ultimately, our strength and global competitiveness depend on our willingness to make the modern investments that a modern economy requires to create jobs,” O’Malley said.

Canada was once again the state’s largest export market, accounting for nearly $1.7 billion, or 15.45 percent of goods shipped overseas.

Exports to China and South Korea also grew. The governor led a trade delegation of nearly 70 business executives, educators and government officials to those countries in June. The trip yielded more than $85 million in trade and investment deals for Maryland and companies located in the state.

China, the state’s second-largest export market, was the destination for $666 million worth of goods from Maryland, up from $573 million in 2010. Exports to South Korea, the fourth-largest market, rose to $538 million, up from $480 million.

Gov. Martin O'Malley and the chief minister of Hyderabad, India

O’Malley led a second trade mission last year, taking more than 100 people to India. That trip, just after Thanksgiving, netted nearly $60 million in deals.

Exports to India rose last year to $252 million, up from $232 million in 2010.

According to a report released Thursday by The Brookings Institution, export production supports 67,600 jobs in the Baltimore area. Exports support another 146,200 jobs in the Washington, D.C. metro area, which includes Northern Virginia, Maryland suburbs some of West Virginia.

The report showed national export trends mirroring those in Maryland. During the recession, growth in exports to major developing countries — China, India and Brazil — accelerated.

Maryland’s exports to Brazil were $192 million in 2010 and $272 million last year.

Vehicles represented the largest slice of Maryland exports in 2011, with $1.7 billion worth leaving the state for foreign destinations.

The Port of Baltimore shipped 446,403 automobiles last year, up 12 percent from 2010.

Electric machinery and machinery were the second- and third-most valuable export sectors, respectively, followed by aircraft and spacecraft in fourth place. Maryland exported $783 million worth of aircraft in spacecraft in 2011, a 52 percent increase over the $513 million in 2010.

 

Maryland exports by destination

2010 2011
World  $  10,163,267,062.00  $  10,879,302,820.00
1 Canada  $     1,588,495,695.00  $     1,680,623,565.00
2 China  $        573,637,574.00  $        666,495,759.00
3 Saudi Arabia  $        499,070,489.00  $        553,636,582.00
4 Korean Republic  $        480,527,618.00  $        538,133,009.00
5 Netherlands  $        676,723,510.00  $        514,688,587.00
6 Japan  $        400,116,173.00  $        432,146,110.00
7 United Kingdom  $        385,226,521.00  $        398,436,414.00
8 Mexico  $        488,305,898.00  $        322,227,189.00
9 Egypt  $        427,643,654.00  $        301,517,478.00
10 Belgium  $        284,938,756.00  $        278,884,941.00

Maryland exports by type

2010 2011
All  $  10,163,267,062.00  $  10,879,302,820.00
1 Vehicles/ Not Railway  $     1,722,934,362.00  $     1,706,042,161.00
2 Electrical Machinery  $     1,142,522,066.00  $     1,205,844,730.00
3 Machinery  $     1,144,135,361.00  $     1,147,861,143.00
4 Aircraft/Spacecraft  $        513,872,459.00  $        783,630,610.00
5 Misc. Chemical Products  $        755,163,344.00  $        663,040,923.00
6 Mineral Fuel/ Oil Etc  $        377,404,121.00  $        661,774,008.00
7 Optic/Med Instr  $        486,774,543.00  $        650,367,825.00
8 Pharmaceutical Products  $        667,666,251.00  $        432,852,932.00
9 Iron And Steel  $        250,975,701.00  $        420,200,581.00
10 Plastic  $        293,039,717.00  $        312,225,776.00

High-Tech Education Start-Up 2tor Inc. Moves HQ to Landover

MDbizMedia —  January 31, 2012

by Hilary Swaim, 2tor Marketing Coordinator

When 2tor employees explore the company’s new Landover headquarters, one of the required stops on the tour is Chip Paucek’s office.

CEO Chip Paucek at 2tor's new headquarters

As the company’s former Chief Operating Officer and recently appointed CEO, Paucek is the first to tout that his office — now outfitted with a fish tank, a world map mural and bright red couches — was the high-tech education company’s first operations center. Growing rapidly from one room and fewer than 10 employees when it was founded in 2008, 2tor’s Maryland office is now buzzing with nearly 250 employees (and counting) across four floors on Corporate Drive.

“It was a natural move for us to shift 2tor’s headquarters to Landover, with the majority of our employees being based here,” said Chip Paucek. “As a long time Maryland resident, I’m so proud to have been affiliated with so many local businesses including Hooked on Phonics in Baltimore.  I live and boat actively in Annapolis.  Old Bay runs in my blood at this point.”

The move to a new Maryland headquarters supports the company’s aim to be near the highly-educated workforce the state has to offer.  2tor plans to continue its hiring spree and currently has dozens of positions across the board, from account management, marketing, operations, human resources, analytics and administrative roles.  

 
Founded by Paucek and John Katzman, former leaders of Hooked on Phonics and the Princeton Review, respectively, 2tor is the nation’s highest-funded education technology start up that delivers graduate degrees online by forming partnerships with top-tier research universities. The company was able to raise $65 million in funding to date, with Bethesda-based Novak Biddle Venture Partners as an investor.

2tor’s partner programs combine real-time online classes, a dynamic learning management system and an immersive social network, 2tor’s programs are built collaboratively with each university partner’s renowned on-campus curriculum and professors. The company’s current partners include the University of Southern California, Georgetown University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Today, more than 3,000 students are enrolled and more than 500 students have graduated from 2tor programs and come from almost every U.S. state and 30 countries.

2tor employee, Denise Mack, in front of wall of university partner flags

At the Landover headquarters, the company highlights the strong connection between 2tor and its university partners. Each program is represented with official mascots, flags, custom beanbag chairs and walls painted precisely to university color specifications.

Learn more about 2tor’s partnerships:

  •  MAT@USC: Master of Arts in Teaching from the University of Southern California, Rossier School of Education
  •  MSW@USC: Master of Social Work from the University of Southern California, School of Social Work
  •  Nursing@Georgetown: Master’s in Nursing from Georgetown University, School of Nursing & Health Studies
  • MBA@UNC: Master of Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kenan-Flagler Business School

Reflections on India with Secretary Christian Johansson

MDbizMedia —  December 7, 2011

By Ashante Saunders

DBED Secretary Christian Johansson talks with MDBizMedia about the State’s recent trade mission to India and reflects on his cultural experiences.