Georgia's Tech Exports Total $3 Billion in 2006
Tech Exports from Georgia Declined by 10 Percent in 2006

Alpharetta, GA (July 17, 2007) – AeA, the nation’s largest technology trade association with 2,500 member companies representing all segments of the high-tech industry, today released a special trade report detailing national and state trends in the international trade of high-tech goods. The report, Trade in the Cyberstates 2007: A State-by-State Overview of High-Tech International Trade, covers all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.

High-tech merchandise exports from Georgia to the world totaled $3.0 billion in 2006, up 31 percent from $2.3 billion in 2000. Tech accounted for 15 percent of all exports from Georgia, with computers and peripheral equipment the leading tech export sector at $674 million. Georgia's communications equipment sector was hit particularly hard, dropping from $1.4 billion in 2005 to $0.6 billion in 2006.

"Exports can provide Georgia's tech industry with important markets for their goods," said Sandra Hofmann, AeA Southeast Council Chair. "What is often missed in the discussions about trade is that it saves money for United States’ consumers by allowing in low cost goods from around the world. It also directly supports thousands of jobs here in the Peach State."

Nationally, Trade in the Cyberstates 2007 shows that international trade of high-tech goods continues to rise. High-tech goods exports grew by 10 percent for a total of $220 billion in 2006, representing 21 percent of all U.S. exports to the world. High-tech imports totaled $322 billion in 2006, up by 9 percent, resulting in a tech trade deficit of $102 billion. Nationwide, tech exports directly supported 683,900 jobs in the United States.

Trade in the Cyberstates 2007 provides a comprehensive review of international trade of high-tech goods at the national and state-by-state level. The report provides 52 state overview pages highlighting high-tech exports with detailed data on historical export trends, exports by individual tech sector, and leading export destinations by country.

This report is a partner publication to AeA's annual flagship publication, Cyberstates, which provides national and state-by-state data on high-tech jobs, wages, payroll, and other factors. In the past, the high-tech trade data was included in the Cyberstates report. This new report provides a tremendous amount of detailed data that was not previously published. Like Cyberstates, Trade in the Cyberstates uses official government statistics and is not survey data.

AeA members can purchase Trade in the Cyberstates 2007 for $125; non-members for $250. Visit www.aeanet.org/trade to download the report, or call 408.987.4200.

What Does High-Tech Trade Mean for Georgia?

•  $3.0 billion in high-tech exports (19th ranked cyberstate)
   
• Down $327 million in tech exports between 2005 and 2006
   
• 15 percent of exports from Georgia are tech exports (ranked 25th)
   
• 11,300 jobs in Georgia are directly supported by tech exports

Georgia’s Leading Tech Export Destinations:

• $713 million in tech exports to Canada
   
• $297 million in tech exports to Mexico
   
• $224 million in tech exports to the Netherlands

Georgia’s Leading Tech Export Sectors:

• 7th in communications equipment exports at $642 million
   
• 16th in computers and peripheral equipment exports at $674 million
   
• 22nd in industrial electronics exports at $399 million

Source: Trade in the Cyberstates 2007

Data are for 2006.

Published by AeA, Advancing the Business of Technology (www.aeanet.org)

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About AeA

AeA, the nation’s largest technology trade association with 2,500 member companies representing all segments of the high-tech industry, is dedicated solely to helping our members’ top line and bottom line. We do this in partnership with our small, medium, and large member companies by lobbying governments at the state, federal, and international levels, providing access to capital and business opportunities, and offering select business services and networking programs. For more information, please visit www.aeanet.org.

This page was last updated on 07/16/07.  
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