Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti kicked off the city’s new export initiative at the University of Southern California’s Galen Center – Founder’s Club on October 19. The program seeks to encourage local manufacturers to explore international trade opportunities and prepare them for the export process. It will help local businesses by addressing challenges, connecting them with training and counseling and escorting delegations of local companies on trade missions to pursue new business opportunities around the world.

“Los Angeles’ economy is surging — we’re creating jobs, attracting businesses, and making generational investments in a prosperous future for our city,” said Mayor Garcetti. “Increasing exports can make our economy even stronger, by helping local companies grow and create even more good-paying jobs. L.A. is already on the world stage, and this export initiative will give our businesses new opportunities to have global reach.”

The City of Los Angeles is co-applicant with the USC Center for Economic Development for the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership for Southern California (AMP SoCal) initiative, which supports aerospace and defense manufacturers in the southern 10 counties of California. In addition to the City of Los Angeles, AMP SoCal has over 100 partners in both public and private sectors, across government, academia and industry. Several AMP SoCal partners were present at the export launch event and participated in the panels and proceedings, including AMP SoCal executive council members James Watson, president and CEO, California Manufacturing and Technology Consultants (CMTC) and Ivan Rosenberg, executive director, The Aerospace & Defense Forum.

Trade and international investment is one of AMP SoCal’s six primary areas of focus for economic development. Ideally, each of the focus areas – which include workforce and training, supplier network, research and innovation, infrastructure and site development, trade and international investment,and operational improvement and capital access – create a synergy that forms a cohesive industrial ecosystem. AMP SoCal’s goal is to identify and address gaps within the six areas so that the aerospace and defense manufacturing network as a whole is strengthened throughout Southern California.

AMP SoCal leverages the efforts of its network, which includes Mayor Garcetti’s export initiative, to benefit the aerospace and defense manufacturing economy.

More Information

• Office of Mayor Eric Garcetti: Release: Mayor Garcetti Launches Export Program to Help L.A. Companies Expand Their Business Internationally
• AMP SoCal: Trade & International Investment
• AMP SoCal: Global Aerospace Business Opportunities page – calendar of international/U.S. trade shows and helpful aerospace trade and international business resource links