Alabama exports set a record for 2022, and numbers haven’t even come in for the end of the year.
Alabama exports were $23.4 billion in value through November 2022, which tops the previous annual record of $21.7 billion set in 2017.
The numbers suggest that a strong recovery made in 2021 is accelerating, said Alabama’s commerce Greg Canfield.
“Alabama is full of next-level innovation taking place in key industries, and we’re ready to bring what’s happening inside our factories and laboratories, and within our entrepreneurial ecosystem to the world,” Canfield said.
Those 11 months of trade data in 2022 were 23% higher than the same time period in 2021.
Alabama-made goods were shipped to 194 countries in 2022. The No. 1 export category is transportation equipment, which includes motor vehicles and parts, aerospace products and parts, and ships, among other items.
Exports of Alabama-made vehicles were nearly $8 billion in the time frame, while aerospace parts shipments rose 31% to exceed $1.6 billion, according to data.
Other export categories showing strong increases during the first 11 months of 2022 included chemicals, minerals and ores, primary metals and paper.
Germany remained the top destination for Alabama exports in 2022, with Canada, China, Mexico and South Korea also being top destinations for Alabama goods.
