Department of Commerce services expand to aid West Virginian manufacturing exports

On June 27, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Technology held a hearing entitled “Making It In America: Innovate Locally, Export Globally” at the John C. Byrd U.S. Courthouse and Federal Building in Charleston, West Virginia. Chairman John D. Rockefeller IV held this hearing in his home state to focus on the importance of exports for West Virginia’s future economic growth.

The panel included: The Honorable Suresh Kumar, Assistant Secretary for Trade Promotion and Director General of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service from the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC); Judy McCauley, West Virginia District Director of the U.S. Small Business Administration; Mark Julian, Deputy Executive Director and Director of Business and Industrial Development of the West Virginia Department of Commerce; Donald Gallion, Chairman of the West Virginia District Export Council and Senior Vice President for International Sales of FCX Systems, Inc.; and Randy Moore, Vice President, West Virginia AFL-CIO and International Representative of the United Steelworkers.

U.S. manufacturing capability dictates our level of economic success and has direct implications for national security. Most importantly— it creates jobs. Chairman Rockefeller discussed the economic success many West Virginian manufacturing companies have achieved by exporting their goods. However, not all companies have been able to effectively export their products. The federal government can help “connect the right companies with the right buyers.”

The main discussion was on West Virginian manufacturing and exportation. Kumar described programs available through the DOC. Notably, his U.S. Foreign and Commercial Service is a network of trade specialists throughout the U.S. and the world whose job is to connect manufacturing businesses to buyers in other countries; it is opening a new branch of this Commerce Connect service in Charleston.

Not all manufacturers have taken advantage of the DOC’s services. Gallion reminisced that the DOC has come a long way since he first started his aviation supply company, FCX Systems, Inc. In the 1970’s, he had no idea that the DOC could help small companies like his; it didn’t advertise its services effectively, and so he only knew it as a name, simply a part of Washington with which he thought he’d never interact. Over the past few decades, however, the DOC has worked to increase its visibility and better advertise its assistance programs (Commerce Connect expansion is a great example of this).

Julian also spoke on the need to get kids interested in manufacturing by introducing them to cool new technology early in life. This spurred Chairman Rockefeller to talk about his experience with the America Competes Act and, its importance to STEM education.

Chairman Rockefeller briefly talked about the troubling theft of American patents by international companies. Gallion said that many companies choose not to export goods because they do not wish to go through the process of getting an international patent and risk wider exposure of their technology.

Gallion also discussed the need for better free trade agreements that would help “level the playing field,” helping U.S. companies to be more competitive. U.S. companies that are exporting goods are doing much better in today’s troubled world marketplace than those that are not, he said. Chairman Rockefeller closed the discussion on an optimistic note, saying that he hopes no one ever gives up on West Virginia and its peoples’ innovative spirit.