WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) joined manufacturers and business leaders from across Connecticut in Windsor Locks on Monday to kick off the 4th Annual Connecticut Export Week. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Commerce International Trade Administration, this year’s annual conference focuses on the state of U.S. manufacturing and encourages businesses to take the first step toward going global. Today’s events highlighted companies that are major contributors to U.S. exports. Previously recognized “Murphy’s Monday Manufacturers,” like Alpha Q, Inc., Jonal Laboratories, Inc., and ACMT, Inc., joined today’s conference, as well as CertaScan Technologies, a previously recognized “Murphy’s Innovator of the Month.” In 2018, Connecticut commodity exports surged 17.7%, with companies exporting a record $17.4 billion in goods.

“I just returned from a trip to Jordan, Israel, and Iraq, where I flew on a Connecticut-made aircraft produced in a factory in Stratford. As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I’m reminded of the increasing global reach of Connecticut companies. That’s why I’m always visiting different companies and manufacturing plants in Connecticut, talking to them about how I can partner to try to open up new markets around the world,” said Murphy. “There are over 65,000 U.S. jobs that are supported by goods that are exported by Connecticut companies. In our state, we are increasing manufacturing jobs because of these new markets outside of our border. I’m so proud when I travel around the world to tell the stories about what our companies are doing, and I’m glad the U.S. Department of Commerce has made this commitment to highlight Export Week, and promote Connecticut companies around the world.”

“This is our 4th annual Export Week. This year we are celebrating our Connecticut manufacturing exporters that have helped our state export a record amount of goods in 2018 to overseas markets. Today’s event will highlight manufacturing trends along with additional must know export topics for company executives,” said Anne Evans, director at the International Trade Administration and organizer of Connecticut Export Week. “We are pleased to have Senator Murphy joining us as he has been Connecticut’s champion for manufacturers. He understands how important manufacturing is to this state and the nation’s economy.”

The manufacturing industry plays a crucial role throughout Connecticut communities, creating new jobs and accelerating the state’s economic recovery. Today, Connecticut’s 4,600 manufacturers account for 10% of the state’s jobs and 87% of the state’s total exports. In order to protect and grow manufacturing jobs in Connecticut, Murphy has introduced two pieces of legislation that aim to strengthen existing standards and prioritize the purchase of American-made goods, the BuyAmerican.gov Act and the American Jobs Matter Act. 

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