U.S. Exports Get Big Boost From Small Firms, New Data Show

America’s small firms are going global in a big way.

New statistics released by the Small Business Administration show that the number of small U.S. companies that export goods has tripled during the last decade to 209,455 firms in 1997, the latest year for which data were available.

The new export figures, compiled for the SBA by the Commerce Department, also show that:

* Nearly 97% of U.S. firms that export are small businesses.

* Small business’ share of exports has grown steadily to 31% of total U.S. export sales in 1997, up from 26% in 1987.

* Companies with fewer than 20 employees accounted for 65% of all U.S. exporting firms in 1997, up sharply from 59% in 1992.

The numbers were culled from U.S. export declarations, which track exports of goods but not services.

For more information, check out the SBA Web site at https://www.sba.gov/news/current99/99-94.html.

*

Marla Dickerson can be reached at marla.dickerson@latimes.com, and Lee Romney at lee.romney@latimes.com.