Steamboats are docked on the Mississippi River in Memphis, Tenn., which is the border between Tennessee and Arkansas. (Photo/Henryk Sadura)

By Chuck Crumbo
ccrumbo@scbiznews.com
Published March 6, 2013

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Four Southeastern states, led by Arkansas, rolled up double-digit increases in export sales for 2012, according to the latest report from the U.S. Commerce Department’s International Trade Administration.

Arkansas notched a 36% increase in exports, followed by West Virginia, 26%; Louisiana, 15%, and Kentucky, 10%. All 13 states in the region posted year-over-year increases.

Overall, U.S. goods exports were up 4.6% to a record $1.54 trillion.

Transportation equipment, which totaled $2.1 billion, accounted for 38% of Arkansas’ $7.6 billion in sales, according to the Commerce report. Chemicals ranked second with $925 million in sales, followed by food and kindred products, $768 million; machinery, except electrical, $712 million, and primary metal products, $569 million.

The report showed that the Southeastern states continue to expand their export business at an impressive rate, said Sujit M. CanagaRetna, an analyst with the Atlanta-based Southern Legislative Conference.

Texas was the No. 1 exporter in the United States, ringing up $265 billion in sales. The Lone Star state has held the title of No. 1 exporter for the last five years.

Another member of the legislative conference, West Virginia, topped the nation for the percentage increase in the amount of goods exported from 2008 through 2012, CanagaRenta said. The Mountain State posted a 101% increase in exports — from $5.6 billion to $11.4 billion — during the past five years.

“West Virginia was the only state that secured a triple-digit export increase between 2008 and 2012, a further reflection of the state’s strong commitment to export promotion,” CanagaRenta said.

West Virginia’s performance was driven by coal exports, which grew 40% to $7.4 billion in 2012. West Virginia accounted for 49% of U.S. coal exports in 2012. Two of the top destinations for West Virginia coal were China, which bought $567 million worth of coal, and Japan, $395 million.

“While coal continues to be our traditional strength, our top exports also included manufactured products such as plastics, chemicals, machinery and components for medical, automotive and aerospace applications,” said West Virginia Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin.

Another state recording double-digit growth was Kentucky, which has export sales of $22 billion, an increase of 10% over 2011. Kentucky-made products and services were exported to 199 nations.

Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear attributed the increase to the state’s export initiative, which aims to team up agencies and organizations to connect international trade opportunities and the state’s businesses.

“This shows we are on the right path,” Beshear said. “Expanding markets by selling internationally is important to our business community, to our economy and to all Kentuckians.”

Sales of cars and trucks manufactured in Kentucky topped the chart at $4.4 billion. Aerospace products were second, followed by the resin/synthetic rubber sector.

Another fast-riser in the region was Alabama, which achieved a record-breaking $19.5 billion in exports in 2012 and just missed double-digit growth with an increase of 9.36%.

“This shows that Alabama’s economy is continuing to improve, and we are making gains in exporting to countries all over the world,” said Gov. Robert Bentley said. “Exports help us create and sustain more jobs. That’s why exporting is a critical component of Accelerate Alabama, our long-term economic development plan.”

Georgia experienced its fourth straight record year in 2012 as exports grew 3.2% to $35.8 billion. The Peach State’s exports have grown 51% since 2009.

“These figures are a good sign for Georgia’s economy. Last year, companies in 79% of Georgia counties utilized our international trade services to expand their markets and strengthen their businesses,” said Chris Cummiskey, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development.

Georgia’s top exports were non-electric machinery, aircraft/spacecraft, non-railway vehicles, electrical machinery, and wood pulp. The five sectors accounted for 52% of the state’s exports.

Neighboring South Carolina’s exports reached a record $25.3 billion, up 2.23% over 2011’s figures. Palmetto State businesses sold goods to 197 countries.

South Carolina’s top 10 exports were vehicles, machinery, rubber products, electrical machinery, plastics, optical and medical equipment, paper and paperboard, organic chemicals, wood pulp and cotton yarn and fabric.

For the second year in a row, South Carolina was the top state for exporting tires. Nearly 30% of all tires exported by the United States are manufactured in South Carolina, which is the nation’s No. 2 tire-making state.

In North Carolina, exports rose by 6% to record high $28.7 billion.

North Carolina’s largest market was Canada, which bought $7 billion or 24.2% of its exported goods. China ranked No. 2 at $2.5 billion; followed by Mexico, $2.3 billion; Japan, $1.7 billion; and Germany $1 billion.

The state's largest merchandise export category was chemicals, accounting for $5.3 billion of North Carolina’s exports. Other exports were machinery, transportation equipment, computer and electronic products, and textiles and fabrics.

Southeastern exports grow in 2012

State	2011	2012	Increase
Arkansas	$5,607,245,809	$7,620,505,061	36%
W. Virginia	$9,034,015,060	$11,361,868,167	26%
Louisiana	$54,976,078,091	$63,155,728,249.00	15%
Kentucky	$20,083,680,609	$22,092,307,895	10%
Alabama	$17,854,217,255	$19,525,676,355	9%
Mississippi	$10,930,321,504	$11,778,895,746	8%
North Carolina	$27,008,756,550	$28,746,966,697	6.4%
Texas	$251,005,673,768	$265,352,022,480	5.7%
Tennessee	$29,993,138,751	$31,125,450,147	4%
Georgia	$34,776,304,710	$35,892,205,893	3%
Florida	$64,904,313,111	66,398,008,572	2.30%
South Carolina	$24,697,462,187	$25,247,302,181	2.23%
Virginia	$18,088,836,844	$18,238,803,696	1%

Source: International Trade Administration