Postal Service Offers Support to National Export Initiative

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Feb 24, 2010, 10:45 ET

Global Shipping Helps Small/Medium-Sized Businesses Grow

WASHINGTON, Feb. 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Postal Service is expanding its partnership with the U.S. Department of Commerce to support the newly established National Export Initiative (NEI). Through its Global Business team, the Postal Service will build on its alliance partnership with the Commerce Department's International Trade Administration (ITA) to encourage and support small- and medium-sized businesses interested in establishing or expanding exports of their products to markets worldwide.

"The global market for goods produced in the U.S. is open to businesses both large and small," said John E. Potter, Postmaster General and chief executive officer for the U.S. Postal Service. "Our global shipping services open the gateway to the globe for American exports. We're pleased to participate in the NEI to support economic growth here at home."

At a speech before the National Press Club on Feb. 4, Commerce Secretary Gary Locke announced a series of new proposals for the NEI. "Today, less than 1 percent of America's 30 million companies export — a percentage that is also significantly lower than all other developed countries," said Locke. "And of U.S. companies that do export, 58 percent export to only one country."

Working with the ITA, the Postal Service will expand its outreach to small- and medium-sized businesses interested in entering into new export markets through global shipping solutions.

The Postal Service is a leading provider of international delivery services, providing business mailers with the ability to expand their markets by shipping packages and sending letters, documents and advertising mail to 191 countries.

A self-supporting government enterprise, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation, 150 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes. The Postal Service receives no tax dollars. With 36,000 retail locations and the most frequently visited website in the federal government, the Postal Service relies on the sale of postage, products and services to pay for operating expenses. Named the Most Trusted Government Agency five consecutive years and the third Most Trusted Business in the nation by the Ponemon Institute, the Postal Service has annual revenue of more than $68 billion and delivers nearly half the world's mail. If it were a private sector company, the U.S. Postal Service would rank 28th in the 2009 Fortune 500.

SOURCE U.S. Postal Service