The results are in for the Massachusetts Export Center’s 2006 impact survey, and area businesses have reported record-high impact as a result of the Export Center’s help. Clients reported over $160 Million in export sales as a direct result of assistance provided by the Massachusetts Export Center in 2006.

“We have clients in all corners of the state producing innovative products and technologies that are in high demand throughout the world,” said Paula Murphy, director of the Massachusetts Export Center. “Our clients reported over $160 Million in export sales as a result of our assistance in 2006. Moreover, clients reported export growth of 27% between 2005 and 2006 – this is triple the state’s performance of 9% growth for the same time period.”

The Massachusetts Export Center, part of the state’s Small Business Development Center Network, is a government office that provides export counseling, technical assistance, training, international market research and export promotional services to Massachusetts businesses seeking to expand into new global markets. The Center has offices located in Boston, Holyoke, New Bedford and Worcester to help companies locally.

“Through the Massachusetts Export Center’s assistance, we have been able to increase our exposure overseas. The Export Center was able to locate potential buyers for our equipment we would have not been able to find otherwise,” said David Emello, vice president of Westrex International of Boston.

 “We found the services of the Massachusetts Export Center to be very helpful, and the assistance and information we received was used to draft our export compliance program. Thanks to the Export Center, our export operations are fully compliant with U.S. regulations,” said Bob Bartlett, plant manager and compliance officer at Microwave Engineering of North Andover.

The economic benefits of exports are well-documented. Exporting firms experience faster employment growth, are less likely to go out of business and create better-paying jobs than their non-exporting counterparts. In fact, one in five U.S. manufacturing jobs is dependent on exports. “The export sales resulting from the Massachusetts Export Center’s assistance translates into over 2,600 jobs that were supported, retained or created in 2006 using the U.S. Department of Commerce’s exports-to-jobs formula. The Massachusetts Export Center clearly generates significant economic impact -- they are true champions of small business exporters here in Massachusetts,” said Dorothy Zur Muhlen, director of the U.S. Department of Commerce, Commercial Service in Massachusetts.

“We are fortunate to have the Massachusetts Export Center as part of our network,” said Georgianna Parkin, state director for the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network (MSBDC). “Thanks to the Export Center, not only can the MSBDC help businesses to compete locally, but we can also help them to succeed globally.” The MSBDC is a federalstate partnership with support from the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Massachusetts Department of Business and Technology through the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.