Florida's Export Players - Big and Small

    » Marketing Arm International, Port Charlotte

    More than 95% of Florida exporters are small and midsized businesses, which account for over 60% of Florida exports — more than any other state.

    Carol Brooks
    Port Charlotte-based Marketing Arm International exports environmentally friendly insecticides and fungicides.
    Eleven-employee Marketing Arm International exports environmentally friendly biological and botanical insecticides and fungicides to 40 countries. President Jose Lopez has begun entering second-tier Asian markets with similar latitudes, climate conditions and pests as his Central American and southern Mexican customers. Export sales last year rose 34%; in the first quarter of 2011, they rose by another 34%.

    » AppRiver, Gulf Breeze

    AppRiver sells web-based IT security services and applications primarily to small- and midsized businesses. Around 15% of the firm's $27.9 million in annual revenue was from international business in 2010.

    » SOHO Network Solutions, Jacksonville

    Florida's Standing

    No. 4
    Florida's rank among exporting states (for in-state origin exports)

    No. 2
    Florida's rank, behind only California, in the number of exporting firms

    By the Numbers

    28%
    Florida's share of United States' trade with Latin America and the Caribbean

    27%
    Percentage of Florida-origin exports that involve high-tech equipment

    55,000
    Number of Florida companies that export, accounting for 19% of all U.S. exporters

    SOHO Network Solutions sells crime scene investigation supplies and equipment and assembles crime scene investigation kits from manufacturers and exports them to more than 45 countries. Exports represent 98% of the company's $1.5 million in annual sales, says Vice President Helga Langthon.

    » Genicon, Winter Park

    Genicon manufactures and exports laparoscopic medical devices. With its largest markets largely in western Europe, South Korea and Saudi Arabia, 85% of the company's business is international.

    » Brijot Imaging Devices, Lake Mary

    Brijot Imaging Devices manufactures passive whole-body imaging scanners used in airports and sells them around the world. About half of its revenue comes from abroad.

    » Baptist Health South Florida, Coral Gables

    Baptist Health South Florida is exporting its expertise, advising foreign hospitals on how to set up specialized healthcare facilities.

    » Nationwide Equipment, Jacksonville

    Nationwide Equipment sells heavy construction, mining and marine equipment primarily to Africa. The company posted $75 million in exports last year — 95% of its business.

    » Winslow LifeRaft, Lake Suzy (DeSoto County)

    Winslow LifeRaft manufactures the life rafts that Brazil-based aircraft maker Embraer uses in its corporate jets and will soon be supplying life rafts for some of the company's military planes. The company does around 60% of its business outside the U.S., primarily in Asia, Europe and the Middle East.

    Scrub Island Resort, Spa and Marina
    OBM-designed Scrub Island Resort, Spa & Marina in the British Virgin Islands

    » OBM International, Miami

    Architecture firm OBM International gets 95% of its more than $10 million in annual revenue from Latin America, the Caribbean and the Middle East/North Africa. "Our business across all international markets has grown substantially over the last six months," says Michael Wilson, COO of the 65-employee firm. Exports of services — from consulting to accounting to real estate development to legal services — are hard to measure. But it is estimated that the state exported $29.9 billion worth of services in 2010.