Wyoming - state export profile

Although Wyoming is a small exporter of manufactured products, its overseas sales of manufactures has been going up. Between 1977 and 1981, those exports almost tripled, outpacing the states' production of manufactures.

Wyoming's exports of manufacturers totaled $18 million in 1981. Nonelectric machinery, stone/clay/glass products, and food products accounted for about half of the state's manufacturers exports. Lumber/wood products, chemicals, and petroleum/caol exports were each valued at $2 million in 1981.

Wyoming's share of U.S. agricultural products totaled about $100 million in fiscal year 1982. Wheat and flour, vegetables, meat, and hides and skins were the principal farm products sold abroad.

Wyoming is the leading producer and exporter of natural soda ash in the United States. U.S. exports of this product and similar synthetic material were valued at $121 million in 1981.

The state also was one of the largest exporters of bentonite clay, used principally in iron ore pelletizing, in foundries and steelworks, and in drilling mud. Wyoming's foreign sales totaled $14.4 million in 1981.

An estimated 500 jobs in Wyoming were directly or indirectly related to producing manufactured exports in 1981. These jobs accounted for one out of every 22 manufacturing jobs in the state.

In exporting, you have to adapt to the countries to which you are selling. You cannot apply U.S. practices and expect foreign countries to accept them."

So says Rudy Rutelionis, President of International Development for Information Handling Services of Englewood, Colo. His firm provides technological information involving worldwide industrial standards, specifications, and manufacturers' catalogs.

Rutelionis also advises novice exporters (1) to be patient; (2) to very careful in extending credit abroad; and (3) to obtain native agents/distributors, whenever possible.

Information Handling Services, which started exporting 10 years ago, sells about 20 percent of its services overseas to 70 countries. It started working on the Chinese market in 1977. Last year, the firm's sales to China totaled $300,000; they may double in 1985, and Rutelionis predicts China will be the company's largest market within five years.

COPYRIGHT 1985 U.S. Government Printing Office
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