Denver is among 215 metro areas that recorded exporting growth in 2014, according to a report released Thursday by the International Trade Administration.
The annual reported Denver’s exported goods totaled $5 billion in 2014, a 37 percent increase from the previous year.
The number of metropolitan areas exporting more than $1 billion of goods across the globe reached an all-time high of 161 in 2014, exceeding more than $1.4 trillion, the report shows.
Denver ranked 14th of 25 metro areas for growth in exports from 2013 to 2014 — up $1.3 billion.
Denver-made goods accounted for 49 percent of Colorado’s $8.4 billion in total exports last year.
Exporting supported 43,615 jobs statewide, the report said.
Key export industries in Denver that contributed to growth were oil and gas extraction, machinery, computer and electronic products, chemicals and processed foods.
The chemical sector boasted the largest increase last year, up 70 percent, or $223 million.
Fort Collins reported $1 billion of exports, up 5.2 percent, while Pueblo reported $207 million of exports, up 15.5 percent, with metal manufacturing, machinery and metal product sectors leading the way.
“Denver, Fort Collins and Pueblo are three of Colorado’s top-growing cities, and export growth is a natural extension of a thriving business,” Stacy Feeney, international outreach manager for Colorado’s Office of Economic Development and International Trade, said in an e-mail.
Manufacturing and steel companies have fueled export growth for Pueblo, where export-related industries were stagnant for some time, Pueblo County economic development director Chris Markuson said.
“Evraz Steel is doing a tremendous amount of work,” he said. “Their primary product, where they’ve been filling orders like crazy, is their rail.”
Evraz North America has twice furloughed Pueblo workers this year, including 200 that makes seamless pipe used in oil and gas production.
United Technologies Corp., is manufacturing wheel assemblies for big commercial airliners, while Vestas Wind Systems is building wind turbines at its tower plant. Both contributed to Pueblo’s export growth.
“Pueblo has come a long way,” he said. “A real concerted effort that we are trying to do is to grow the local economy and get out of the commodity-based industry that Pueblo has had for a long time.”
Denver also recently launched an export promotion program that targets companies that are doing well locally but have never exported.
Additionally, the city this year intends to create an international export zone that offers federal, state and local business incentives to companies that relocate within the zone, according to city documents.
“We believe Colorado exports will continue to grow,” Feeney said. “The Colorado economy, as a whole, is growing ,and exporting is a natural growth pattern for expanding businesses.”
