Global connections: a snapshot of international business in Utah.

• Author: Miller, Derek B.
• Position: Worldview - Travel narrative

Last month I traveled to the World Trade Center Association annual meeting held in Algiers, Algeria. As I was sitting in the airport waiting to board my flight, something out of the window caught my eye. It was a powerful Boeing 787 Dreamliner leaving the runway, headed for yet another national or international destination.

Having recently toured the Boeing facility in Salt Lake City, I reflected on what General Manager Larry Coughlin said about Boeing's airplanes during the visit: "Every Boeing airplane has a piece of Utah in it."

The tail for the 787 Dreamliner and the structure that supports the dashboard for all of Boeing's airplanes are produced at facilities in West Jordan and Salt Lake. Airplane parts are just one example of the many interesting products exported from Utah that may surprise people. Utah's exports range from dairy products made at Schreiber Foods' facility in Logan that are eaten in well-known restaurants around the world to courts produced by Connor Sport Court of Salt Lake City that will be used in the Brazil Olympic Games.

Utah has received many accolades recognizing it for its economic success, and part of this success can be attributed to the focus that has been placed on expanding companies internationally.

Exports matter

Exports are an important part of Utah's economy, and the good news is they are growing. In 2015, Utah exported $13.3 billion worth of goods, an 8 percent increase from the previous year. While primary metals make up a large portion of Utah's exports, the state has been working to diversify and grow exports in other areas as well. Some of Utah's top export products include computer and electronic products, chemicals, food and kindred products, and transportation equipment.

The private and public sector put international business as a top state priority a decade ago with the creation of World Trade Center Utah--and it has paid off. Utah is one of the few states in the nation with a trade surplus of $4 billion, and it ranks ninth for export growth in the United States. This is an impressive feat for a small, landlocked state.

So what does this all mean for Utah? According to a policy brief produced by the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah, the state's 2014 international goods exports generated $4.1 billion in earnings, supported more than 95,000 jobs and contributed almost $7.6 billion to the state's gross domestic product. These impacts represented 4.8 percent of total...