Attention world: KC is open for business

Mar. 30, 2011  |  By: Chris Gutierrez  |  Category: Economic Development, KC SmartPort
Tags: exports, imports, international trade, World Trade Center Kansas City

As a kid growing up I collected beer cans.  But not just any beer cans. I collected cans of foreign beer.  I was amazed that I could package up a small box of U.S. beer cans (open from the bottom to raise the value) and mail them to a collector in Europe, Asia or South America and receive a package of their cans in return.   This was my first experience with international trade and I was hooked.   My college degree was in international business and my career has always been connected to international business.

Jumping forward to today, I’m excited to be involved in a new branding of the World Trade Center – Kansas City.   The WTC brand and level of services provided to companies is well known around the world.  Companies doing business internationally recognize this WTC brand and seek assistance from the organization. This is a huge area of opportunity for the Kansas City region.

The Heartland International Index, which is a leading economic indicator measuring monthly changes in new exports orders and imports in a nine state area centered on KC, announced February 2011 export orders rocketed over January 2011.  This was a 22% jump in just one month.    The Heartland Index is tracked for IBNews by Ernie Goss of Creighton University.   The chart below shows the index over the last few years.

A recent Brookings Institute study entitled “Export Nation” reported that during 2008 the Kansas City area generated $8.4 billion in exports.   That is the equivalent of 9.1% of the gross regional product for the KC area.  That put the KC area in the top 40 metros in the U.S. for export totals.   Exports support 77,465 jobs in the KC area.

But we can be doing a lot more. Here in the greater Kansas City area, a collaborative effort is underway to dramatically elevate Kansas City’s international business opportunities and invigorate World Trade Center – Kansas City.

Several significant players in the promotion of international business opportunities have come together to focus on the customers, those companies who seek international opportunities.   The initial partnership includes the International Trade Council of Greater Kansas City, the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, the Kansas City Area Development Council and KC SmartPort.  Each group brings distinctive programs and areas of expertise to this effort to raise Kansas City’s exposure globally while at the same time effectively assisting Kansas City area companies with exploring international markets.

Each of the four initial partners of the World Trade Center – Kansas City have a unique and important role:

• The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce has established a crucial foundation and will continue to promote World Trade Center – Kansas City to serve domestic and international companies within the Kansas City region as well as international companies that want to do business in Kansas City.

• The International Trade Council of Greater Kansas City will continue to provide important services to support the educational and training needs of its members. From internships to networking the ITCKC will now be more closely tied to World Trade Center – Kansas City to grow the services both currently offer.

• To assist domestic and international companies within the KC region, we will leverage the expertise and industry connections of KC SmartPort, the regional authority on supply chain solutions. KC SmartPort will be able to assist companies by taking advantage of existing assets in our region to increase exports and to procure goods and services from international markets.

• The Kansas City Area Development Council will assist with branding and regional marketing of World Trade Center – Kansas City to increase its visibility with companies in the KC area as well as globally. As companies utilize the services provided by the World Trade Center to gain new international contracts and partnerships, the companies will grow and create new jobs within the region.

In addition to assisting local companies, the international credibility that a robust World Trade Center brings will only strengthen an already solid business case for international investment in our region.  The Kansas City area has a solid base of foreign direct investment and the World Trade Center effort will assist in the attraction of additional companies.

The location of the World Trade Center – Kansas City is the iconic Union Station.   Union Station was built in 1914 as the hub of transportation and commerce and today stands as a reminder of how the KC area grew and prospered.   The World Trade Center – Kansas City at Union Station will once again be the venue for growth and economic prosperity for the greater Kansas City region.