State exports climbed 13 percent to $29.7 billion during 2014, and South Carolina was the top U.S. exporter of completed passenger motor vehicles, tires, synthetic staple fibers and ball or roller bearings and parts, according to data from the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Export sales of completed passenger motor vehicles grew 21 percent to $9.2 billion, making it the state’s top exported commodity for 2014.
The state imported $37.7 billion during 2014, according to the data.
Gov. Nikki Haley said that increases in exports – the fifth consecutive year of breaking export records – was due to the state’s “world class” workforce and business-friendly climate.
Currently, 54 percent of job openings in the state are for critical-needs jobs, while only 28 percent of South Carolinians posses the skills to fill those jobs, according to the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce. Critical-needs jobs are those requiring more education than a high school diploma but less than a four-year degree.
China remained South Carolina’s top export partner with $4.23 billion in export sales in 2014. Other top partners included Germany, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Algeria, Australia, Japan , Belgium and South Korea.
“Much of the exporting success that South Carolina is experiencing can be attributed to the state’s thriving manufacturing industry,” said S.C. Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt in a news release. “As a world leader in the production of tires, cars and wide-body commercial aircraft, it’s clear that we’re gaining a global reputation for the quality of goods that we produce.”
