AAPC: Increased Auto Exports Crucial to Increased Job Growth

Matt Blunt, President of the American Automotive Policy Council (AAPC), welcomed news yesterday from the Commerce Department that July exports of automobiles and other manufacturing goods and services has boosted American exports to an all-time high and pushed the nation’s trade deficit down to its lowest level in three months.

“A vibrant and productive American automotive manufacturing sector is a crucial ingredient to the nation’s overall economic blueprint for growth,” said Blunt. “In order to remain competitive in today’s global economy, we have to have an industrial base focused on manufacturing and production. Chrysler, Ford and General Motors have research, engineering and production efforts focused on making the best and most innovative automobiles, and as a result our exports have become more competitive around the globe. With one in five or more than half a million auto and auto-related jobs tied to Chrysler, Ford and GM auto exports and that makes a big difference for American workers.”

American Automobile Exports and Jobs:

Over the past six years, automakers and suppliers have exported nearly $600 billion worth of vehicles and parts, outperforming the next sector, the aerospace industry, by $20 billion last year alone.

From the research labs to the dealership lots, the auto sector supports nearly 8 million U.S. jobs.

Domestic automakers employ more Americans because they conduct the bulk of their engineering, manufacturing, marketing and finance work here in the U.S, while foreign competitors conduct the bulk of similar work abroad.

Chrysler, Ford and GM employ more than two out of three of America’s autoworkers and base eight-times as many workers here in the U.S. as their foreign competitors.

Chrysler, Ford and GM use twice as many North American-made parts as foreign automakers (64 percent versus 32 percent). In fact, Ford purchased nearly as many North American parts last year as Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Mazda, Suzuki, Isuzu and Mitsubishi combined.