E-commerce is, of course, not limited to America s borders, which is where the third area considered by the summit comes in. Federal export financing is critical to many smaller manufacturers. The regime of federal export support enables many companies to market their goods abroad. But as was noted at the summit, less than 13 percent of small manufacturers export abroad. None of these barriers are insurmountable.
Small manufacturers have a proud record of environmental excellence.
Small manufacturing employers and employees drink the water and breathe the air like all citizens. The world marketplace is growing increasingly competitive, putting serious pressures on the engines of our prosperity, namely manufacturing employees, the companies where they work and the communities in which they live. As mergers and consolidations continue at a rapid pace, the pressure small manufacturers, their workers and their communities intensifies. To stay competitive, efficiency is mandatory. The quest for efficiency is the great ally of environmental progress.