MAYBVM

36 37 look at our geographic position, we are at the very epicenter of the Western Hemisphere.We are also in an ideal position for east/west trade, par- ticularly after the expansion of the Panama Canal which will result in increased business formation. I believe that if you’re a Florida manufacturer, the path to growth and increased sales is interna- tional business. And the statistics bear that out –Florida is the number two state in the nation in what the National Association of Manufacturers calls ‘manufacturing export intensity’– that is the percentage of what you produce that is sold over- seas and not in the domestic market. “Also, Florida is one of the very top states in terms of the percentage of exports by small busi- ness. In 2016, Florida exported about $52 billion worth of tangible products. Out of those, almost two thirds were sold by small businesses. The national average is less than a third. So, it’s stra- tegically important to help manufacturers export. If we want to keep growing the export pie, keep bringing more money into the state, creating more jobs, helping small business is important.” “Number two: take advantage of the expansion of the Panama Canal and the new generation of commercial aircrafts that make direct flights be- tween Asia and Florida to help Florida companies do more business in Asia. Three: help more in- frequent or non-exporters among manufacturers to get into the business and once they’re in the business, diversify their exports. “Another key objective would be to expand Florida exports and trade with Mexico.We have a market share of roughly 30+ percent of every- thing the United States sells to everybody else in Latin America and the Caribbean, but our share of Mexico’s market in terms of U.S. exports is less than two percent.Why? Mexican/U.S. trade has always gone through the border. So, we are trying to divert trade to the Florida ports and airports. If we were to add one or two percent of export market share to Mexico, that would be billions of dollars in exports because that relationship is so huge. And it’s doable because our transportation costs by sea are very competitive to the cost of shipping something over the border.” ENTERPRISE FLORIDA ny grows organically and adds jobs. It’s a huge job engine. Roughly one out of every six jobs in Florida comes from exports or foreign direct investment.” BVM: “What do you say to those who suggest that the government should not be helping com- panies at all; that it should stay out of the ‘free market’? Mencia: “When it comes to the export side, I think most people, even those who are philo- sophically opposed, believe that there is role in helping small business; that they do need the extra push in order to succeed and the payoff is extremely significant.When companies grow through export, those products are created or- ganically - good companies with good products going to markets to create wealth in the local community and expand the job base. I believe that it’s in the national interest and the state in- terest to support small exporters. And our mission is to facilitate that.” BVM: What are some of the most significant objectives that you have for your division over the next several years? Mencia: “On the export side, it’s a very simple equation: retain or possibly expand market share in Latin America and the Caribbean and, at the same time, continue to diversify our exports to other parts of the world. Right now, a little over 60 percent of everything Florida companies export goes to Latin America and the Caribbean; about 20 percent to Asia; a little less than that to Europe; and then the rest of the world. It would be great if it were more like, 50/50–50 percent to Latin America and the Caribbean and 50 per- cent spread out to the world. That is a long-term goal: to better balance our export market share. “And Florida could not be more ideally posi- tioned to do more international business. If you