Ten Legendary Southern Locations for Latin American Trade
There is no U.S. region better situated logistically and economically for Latin American trade than the American South. If your company needs a new location to further business to and from Latin America, these 10 are second-to-none.
New Orleans, La.
The recovery is well underway in the New Orleans region and trade with Latin America is one major reason. Between June 2007 and June 2008, Orleans Parish was the No. 1 County or Parish in the U.S. in terms of job growth with 5.6 percent. The 10 parish region is home to many deep-water ports, including the Port of South Louisiana, the largest tonnage port district in the western hemisphere.
Houston, Tex.
The Houston region serves as the Latin American headquarters for several U.S. companies. With the Port of Houston and the Houston Airport System, the South's largest city is ideally situated for world trade, particularly with Latin America. The southern tip of Mexico is as close to Houston as is Chicago. Houston has two sister city relationships with Latin America and 23 percent of the Port of Houston's seaborne trade is with Latin American countries, topped only by Europe but exceeding Asia and the Pacific Rim. Of the 7.4 million international passengers using the Houston Airport System last year, almost 70 percent were from Latin America.
McAllen, Tex.
The McAllen region, including Mission and Edinburg, is strategically located on the Texas-Mexico border across from Reynosa, Mexico. The highly anticipated $80 million Anzalduas International Bridge, which is expected to open later this year, is three miles up the Rio Grande River from the Hidalgo-Reynosa Bridge and will enter the U.S. just southwest of McAllen. The new bridge will connect south McAllen and the Mission, Tex. international trade area to the west end of Reynosa, where many maquiladoras and other cross-border companies are located. The new route will be the most efficient way for business traffic from northern Mexico to reach the U.S.
Tampa Bay, Fla.
The nations of Latin America and the Caribbean are Florida's largest trading partners and Tampa Bay is right there in the mix with other major Florida markets. Florida exports to Latin America and the Caribbean totaled $23.8 billion in 2007, with Brazil being the largest trading partner. Tampa has long had strong trade ties to Latin America because of its large port system, the largest in Florida. In December, Tampa hosted the International Retailers of the Americas Conference, the first time the convention of business leaders from throughout Latin America was held on U.S. soil.
Miami, Fla.
Miami certainly is a legend in Latin American trade. Brazil, Venezuela, Columbia and the Dominican Republic are four of the five top trading partners with Miami-Dade County. The Port of Miami is a Southern leader in international freight and the Miami International Airport serves 58 passenger destinations in Latin America and the Caribbean. The Miami International Airport is also the fourth-largest freight airport in the U.S. behind only Memphis (FedEx), Los Angeles and Louisville (UPS).
Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
With Fort Lauderdale/Broward County being the home to Port Everglades, Fort Lauderdale offers an alternative Latin American trade location to neighboring Miami-Dade. Every year, new and emerging companies move to Broward County to increase their sales to Latin America and the Caribbean. Port Everglades is the 12th-largest container port in the U.S.
Mobile, Ala.
As a testament to Mobile's strong link to trade with Latin America, German steelmaker ThyssenKrupp is building a $4 billion carbon and stainless steel plant just north of Mobile. The plant, which will be operational next year, will process massive steel slabs that it imports through the Port of Mobile from its new plant in Brazil into a variety of products.
Biloxi-Gulfport
The Biloxi-Gulfport region has a rich history with Latin America. The Port of Gulfport has long been one of the most active points of entry for products such as tropical fruits, ore and other products from South America. In January, port officials announced a $570 million "Port of the Future" rebuild plan designed by CH2M Hill. The rebuild is planned in stages over the next 10 years and is expected to turn the Port of Gulfport into the largest shipping facility on the Gulf of Mexico. Currently the Mississippi Coast port is the third-busiest container port on the Gulf.
Palm Beach, Fla.
Like Broward County and Dade County in South Florida, neighboring Palm Beach County has all of the location advantages of a Latin America trade site, except that for larger projects, Palm Beach has more available land. Palm Beach County is part of the Miami Customs District, which has been utilized by much of Latin America and the Caribbean as the first destination for goods to be distributed to the rest of the U.S. and Europe and vice versa. The Miami Customs District accounts for an estimated 64 percent of Florida's total exports. It should be noted that the Port of Palm Beach District and the State of Florida are investigating the feasibility of developing an inland port close to Lake Okeechobee in Palm Beach County to expand and enhance South Florida's transportation and logistics industry and to increase the region and Florida's competitiveness in international trade and processing.
Lake Charles, La.
Lake Charles' location directly in the center of the South's Gulf Coast gives it a unique advantage. Apparently those involved with Gulf Coast trade agree. Lake Charles played host to the Gulf Coast Trade Alliance's 2009 World Trade Conference in early April. The Gulf Coast Trade Alliance is a partnership of states along the Gulf Coast who have a common goal of enhancing the economies of the coastal communities through global competitiveness. Lake Charles is home to the nation's 11th busiest port, 23 petrochemical facilities and the Chennault Airpark that features a 10,000' runway.