Report Trade

Maine: The Benefits of Trade

October 5, 2017 1 min read Download Report

Tori Smith

Former Jay Van Andel Senior Policy Analyst in Trade Policy

Smith provided the conservative true north on free trade through her research and writing.

Summary

Businesses in Maine exported $2.9 billion in goods in 2016. Roughly 2,000 businesses, employing more than 17,000 Mainers, export goods to countries around the world each year. Service exports supported approximately 14,000 jobs in Maine in 2015. In 2014, 32,500 Mainers owed their jobs to foreign direct investment, representing 6.4 percent of all private-sector employment in the state. Maine has the 13th highest employment by foreign-owned firms as a share of total private sector employment.

Key Takeaways

Goods exports supported more than 17,000 jobs in Maine in 2015, with more than have supported by manufactured goods.

Businesses in Maine exported $2.9 billion in goods around the world in 2016. Nearly half of all exports from Maine were sent to Canada.

Maine has the 13th highest employment by foreign-owned firms as a share of total private sector employment. Service exports supported more than 14,000 jobs in Maine.

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Maine’s Leading Exports in 2016

32,500 Americans Employed by Foreign-Owned Companies in Maine

The number of Mainers employed for foreign-owned firms has increased by 3 percent since 2002.
Employment by foreign-owned firms represents roughly 6 percent of all private sector employment in Maine.
Maine has the 13th highest employment by foreign-owned firms as a share of total private sector employment.
Foreign owned firms account for 9,400 manufacturing jobs in Maine.

Maine’s Top Five Sources of Foreign Investment Jobs