Finding Ideas for Products to Export from the USA

Every day US products are exported to every corner of the world, adding up to hundreds of billions of dollars worth of goods and services exported each year. Many of these exports are completed by small and medium-sized business. The US Department of Commerce estimates export revenues from SMEs in 2007 at $312 billion, up from $102.8 billion in 1992, with SMEs representing 30.2 percent of total exports in 2007. This growth is indicative of boundless opportunity for the international entrepreneur. Used vehicles, vitamins, lighting fixtures, specialty beverages, cosmetics, medical supplies, and construction equipment are a few possibilities among hundreds of thousands. Following are a few resources to identify US companies with export potential.

The US Commercial which is the export trade promotion unit of the International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, produces Commercial News USA, a bimonthly publication promoting US goods and services for export. US companies with products and services meeting minimum US-content requirements are able to advertise in Commercial News USA.

The publication is sent around the world to readers in nearly every country. For anyone interested in identifying opportunities in international trade development, this magazine is an outstanding resource. Every business listed is interested trying to expand their export business and looking for new business partners. Electronic subscriptions are available for the United States, and both electronic and printed versions for anyone outside the USA. Past issue archives, and well as listings by industry are available on the US Commercial News website.

Another directory of US companies with export potential is The Export Yellow Pages, which is also produced in cooperation with the US Department of Commerce, through a partnership with Global Publishers LLC, a publisher of business directories based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Thomas Net provides an extensive listing of industrial suppliers in the US and Canada. Basic listings are offered for free, and the the directory contains hundreds of thousands of companies. Searches are efficient and user-friendly.