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A monthly partnership publication of
the Louisiana Department of Economic Development
the New Orleans U.S. Export Assistance Center
and the World Trade Center of New Orleans |
Past Issues |
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- NEW ORLEANS
OPENS ONE-STOP BUSINESS RECOVERY CENTER
- HOMELAND SECURITY BUSINESS
WEBSITE
- HURRICANE CONTRACTING
INFORMATION CENTER
- PORT
OF NEW ORLEANS APPROVES RELIEF MEASURES FOR CUSTOMERS
- GOVERNOR CREATES
LOUISIANA RECOVERY AUTHORITY
- MAYOR APPOINTS
NEW ORLEANS RECOVERY COMMISSION
- EXPORT
COUNCIL CONVENTION TO BE HELD IN NEW ORLEANS
- LOUISIANA
EXPORTS UP 7.4% IN PRE-HURRICANE 2005
- NEW TRADE LEADS
FROM EXPORT ASSISTANCE CENTER
- INTERNSHIP AVAILABLE AT WTC
- IDB HOLDING MODERNIZATION
SEMINAR
- COLOMBIA
LEADERSHIP FORUM IN BOGOTÁ NOVEMBER 8-9
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| The City of New Orleans Office of Economic Development and
the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) on October 21 announced the
opening of a Business Recovery Center to support the reestablishment of
New Orleans businesses. "This center will provide businesses with a
one-stop experience to address all of their needs," said Don
Hutchinson, Director of Economic Development for New Orleans.
The Center is located at One Canal Place, 365 Canal St., Suite 1050,
and provides extensive services to businesses damaged by Hurricane
Katrina. Business owners can visit the center daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
to access assistance from the City, the SBA, the Louisiana Department of
Economic Development and Louisiana Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs).
Businesses can also contact the Center at (504) 589-6685.
Representatives are on hand from City of New Orleans offices, including
Economic Development, Job 1, Neighborhood 1 (the Department of Housing and
Neighborhood Development), Safety and Permits and Revenue. In addition,
Entergy, the Small Business Development Center, Good Work Network, and the
Department of Occupational Licenses, local banks, and other private
institutions also are available to help assist local business owners with
their immediate needs.
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| Open For Business centralizes information to inform
businesses about working with the Department of Homeland Security.
Designed to assist the business community, it includes links to contracts,
grants, small business opportunities, research and development and
contacts. Visit www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/interapp/editorial/editorial_0416.xml.
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| On October 11 Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez
announced the Hurricane Contracting Information Center (HCIC) that will
help U.S. businesses, especially minority, women and small businesses
participate in the Gulf Coast rebuilding efforts. HCIC includes a website
(www.RebuildingtheGulfCoast.gov)
that allows companies to register with government agencies providing
contracts to rebuild the Gulf Coast, and a call center (1-888-4USADOC)
with representatives from different government agencies onsite to provide
information on rebuilding opportunities.
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| The Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans has
voted unanimously to offer rent relief and financial concessions to its
industrial tenants and terminal operators who are recovering from
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. On October 20 Commissioners voted to amend 16
leases with industrial tenants to defer rent for up to four months
starting September 1, 2005 and to extend the tenants' leases at the end of
the current lease for the number of months rent was abated. Also, port
officials will work to provide additional sites on a month-to-month basis
for operations during the tenants' recovery process. Commissioners also
voted to allow port officials to adjust the minimum annual revenue
guarantees for marine terminal operators to help them remain competitive
and encourage additional ship calls.
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| On October 17 Governor Kathleen Blanco announced the
creation of the Louisiana Recovery Authority as the guiding agency to lead
the state's rebuilding efforts in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and
Rita. The authority will focus on key state issues such as housing, jobs,
transportation, healthcare, and education.
Governor Blanco appointed her point-person on recovery, Chief of Staff
Andy Kopplin, to head the agency. The Governor also appointed a
distinguished 24-member Board of Directors to oversee the authority and to
direct short and long-term recovery plans. As advisors to the Governor,
the board will seek public input and will set benchmarks to gauge
progress. Governor Blanco appointed Dr. Norman Francis, the long-time
president of Xavier University in New Orleans to chair the board. Walter
Isaacson, president and CEO of the Aspen Institute and former chairman of
CNN, was appointed as vice-chairman.
After Hurricanes Katrina and Rita 1.5 million Louisiana residents were
displaced, 81,000 businesses were disrupted and are at risk, and at least
200,000 homes need to be replaced. In addition schools, universities,
hospitals, and transportation infrastructure are damaged or destroyed and
there is severe financial fallout throughout the state, as well as massive
environmental damage.
The authority will also focus on issues such as economic and workforce
development, infrastructure, family services, and the environment and will
be largely staffed by state employees on loan from cabinet agencies.
Operating with unprecedented financial accountability, the authority will
coordinate the rebuilding across all levels of government, and will
support community recovery and resurgence. The Governor charged the board
and authority to complete specific tasks in seven-day, 30-day and 100-day
time frames.
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| New Orleans Mayor C. Ray Nagin has announced a new
initiative, Bring New Orleans Back, to help rebuild the city. The mission
of the Bring New Orleans Back Commission is to work with the Mayor to
create a master plan by the end of the year that rebuilds New Orleans
culturally, socially, economically, and uniquely for every citizen.
The fundamental goal of the commission is to advise, assist, plan and
help the City of New Orleans develop recommendations on all aspects of
rebuilding. Mayor Nagin named 17 leaders to the Bring New Orleans Back
Commission, which is co-chaired by Mel Lagarde, President & CEO of the
Delta Division of HCA (Healthcare Corporation of America), and Barbara
Major, a community organizer. The Commission will work with committee
members, including individuals in New Orleans and those displaced after
Hurricane Katrina, and update the public about the planning process.
The Bring New Orleans Back Fund is also a tax-exempt organization under
Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. 100 percent of every
dollar given, minus only transaction costs to process credit card
payments, goes directly and fully to help rebuild New Orleans. Donations
are deductible for computing income and estate taxes. To donate or for
details, go to www.bringneworleansback.org.
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| The New Orleans District Export Council (DEC) has announced
that plans will go forward for the National DEC Conference to be held in
New Orleans on September 18-20 next year. The conference, held in a
different location each year, traditionally brings together 300-400 DEC
members from around the country. The District Export Council is made up of
leaders in the business community and appointed by the U.S. Secretary of
Commerce. The DEC's knowledge of international business provides a source
of professional advice for local firms. District Export Councils play
various roles in the business community from mentoring to peer level
counseling, to sponsorship of seminars and trade events. DECs also
advocate for small and medium-sized exporters and speak out on national
trade policy issues through a variety of means including the issuance of
trade policy recommendations decided upon at the national conference.
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In the January-August period of the
year prior to the widespread destruction caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita,
Louisiana's total merchandise exports reached $13.4 billion, a 7.4 percent
increase compared to the first eight months in 2004, according to a report
issued by the World Trade Center of New Orleans.
The main products exported were
various types of agricultural commodities, chemicals and petroleum, processed
foods, and industrial machinery. The state's leading export markets were Mexico,
Japan, and China.
"Louisiana was on course to break
last year's export record of $19.9 billion", said Lawrence Collins,
Director of International Services with Louisiana Economic Development.
"That will obviously change in the aftermath of the
hurricanes, but we still do not know to what degree. Our deepwater ports are up
and running and we expect to see the numbers pick up again later in the
year."
The WTC report was generated by the
World Institute of Strategic Economic Research (WISER) from U.S. Census Bureau
data. It covers the exports of both Louisiana originating products and some
major commingled bulk commodities (especially grain) produced in other states
that are shipped abroad from Louisiana's ports and recorded as Louisiana exports
because of the difficulty of identifying the actual states of origin.
Mexico continued to rank as the
leading export destination for the January-August period with shipments valued
at $1.5 billion, an 18.7 percent increase over the first eight months of 2004
due to the increased value of chemical and petroleum shipments resulting from
soaring global oil prices, plus the duty-free benefits of the North American
free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Following Mexico as Louisiana's principal export markets were Japan with
$1.4 billion of shipments and China with $1.1 billion.
Among all states, Louisiana was 14th
in exports, the highest ranking of all southern states after Texas, which was
first in the country, Florida, which ranked 8th, and Georgia in 12th place.
"Those Louisiana companies not
affected by the storms continue to do well in expanding their export
markets, and those that were impacted may want to look at exporting as one way
to establish new markets and sales as they rebuild their businesses," said
"Donald van de Werken, Director of the New Orleans Export Assistance
Center. "Now is an excellent time for companies to be thinking globally,
even if they have not done so before."
According to Eugene Schreiber,
Managing Director of the World Trade Center, "The WTC and its partner
organizations will be holding more export-import seminars and training classes
soon in a number of cities throughout the state; instituting new e-trade vehicles with relevant news,
trade leads and other information; and generally expanding the WTC's outreach
statewide."
The
following three charts summarize the data
reported above.
Trade reports that provide information 97 commodities (HS) to more than 200 countries
worldwide, as well as export totals of other U.S. states, are available on the
WTC’s website by clicking the links below.
Louisiana
Exports by Country
(US $, HS Database)
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Description
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AUG
2004 YTD
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AUG
2005 YTD
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%
Change
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TOTAL
ALL COUNTRIES
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12,442,645,770
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13,363,637,596
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7.4
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1
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MEXICO
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1,263,891,112
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1,499,504,883
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18.6
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2
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JAPAN
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1,588,475,638
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1,381,008,294
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-13.1
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3
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CHINA
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905,422,194
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1,142,968,710
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26.2
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4
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CANADA
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935,011,225
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1,024,261,428
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9.6
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5
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NETHERLANDS
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365,999,135
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512,069,349
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39.9
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6
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COLOMBIA
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371,916,762
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391,525,196
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5.3
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7
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EGYPT
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344,146,533
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369,535,615
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7.4
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8
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BELGIUM
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287,261,677
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344,528,843
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19.9
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9
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SOUTH
KOREA
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477,224,364
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344,223,010
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-27.9
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10
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BRAZIL
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248,253,234
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270,882,380
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9.1
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Louisiana
Exports by Commodity
(US $, HS Database)
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Description
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AUG
2004 YTD
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AUG
2005 YTD
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%
Change
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TOTAL
ALL COMMODITIES
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12,442,645,770
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13,363,637,596
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7.4
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1
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CEREALS
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3,739,097,748
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2,745,387,199
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-26.6
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2
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MINERAL
FUEL, OIL ETC.
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1,300,418,793
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2,126,928,661
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63.6
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3
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OIL
SEEDS, MISC GRAIN, SEED, FRUIT
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2,020,687,820
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2,068,077,293
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2.4
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4
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ORGANIC
CHEMICALS
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1,355,091,437
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1,534,696,577
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13.3
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5
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PLASTICS
AND ARTICLES
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636,894,709
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868,535,965
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36.4
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6
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FOOD
INDUSTRY RESIDUES & WASTE
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579,551,123
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588,079,034
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1.5
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7
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INDUSTRIAL
MACHINERY
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349,125,545
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519,014,312
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48.7
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8
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MISCELLANEOUS
CHEMICAL PRODUCTS
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355,266,776
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483,869,250
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36.2
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9
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RUBBER
AND ARTICLES
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328,279,110
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373,809,716
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13.9
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10
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INORGANIC
CHEMICALS
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118,288,705
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263,991,965
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123.2
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11
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ANIMAL
OR VEGETABLE FATS, OILS
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293,643,243
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249,061,684
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-15.2
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12
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VEHICLES,
EXCEPT RAILWAY, PARTS
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213,584,893
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247,319,695
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15.8
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13
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PAPER
& PAPERBOARD & ARTICLES
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188,571,555
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219,039,526
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16.2
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14
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ELECTRIC
MACHINERY
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96,715,240
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87,947,252
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-9.1
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15
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IRON
AND STEEL
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37,978,161
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80,277,857
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111.4
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U.S.
Exports by State
(US $, HS Database)
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Description
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AUG
2004 YTD
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AUG
2005 YTD
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%
Change
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TOTAL
ALL STATES
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532,999,715,132
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592,177,759,417
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11.1
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1
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TEXAS
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76,057,569,370
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84,949,343,364
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11.7
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2
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CALIFORNIA
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72,097,781,888
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75,932,103,770
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5.3
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3
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NEW
YORK
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28,314,254,937
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33,126,975,189
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17.0
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4
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WASHINGTON
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22,034,111,687
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25,818,138,059
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17.2
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5
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MICHIGAN
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23,412,479,082
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24,397,244,347
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4.2
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6
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ILLINOIS
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19,618,197,625
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23,373,176,647
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19.1
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7
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OHIO
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20,131,576,701
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22,793,021,829
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13.2
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8
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FLORIDA
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19,018,934,055
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21,913,031,857
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15.2
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9
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PENNSYLVANIA
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12,027,561,921
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14,452,521,878
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20.2
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10
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MASSACHUSETTS
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14,540,051,835
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14,404,173,633
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-0.9
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11
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INDIANA
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12,559,536,926
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14,178,066,931
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12.9
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12
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GEORGIA
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12,438,941,897
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13,964,276,967
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12.3
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13
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NEW
JERSEY
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12,568,852,481
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13,840,203,091
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