Minnesota will open a foreign trade office in the Dusseldorf-Cologne region of Germany, state officials said Wednesday.
The office will promote Minnesota exports and foreign investment in the state.
The announcement came while Gov. Dayton is in Germany on a northern European trade mission with academic and business officials.
Two more foreign trade offices are also in the planning stages and will be announced later. Minnesota's only current trade office is in Shanghai, China.
Katie Clark Sieben, commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, said in a statement:
"As Minnesota continues to compete on a global scale, increasing exports and attracting new foreign direct investment are top priorities in our road map to long-term economic success. Germany's central location in Europe and its strong economy make this region an excellent choice for one of our new trade offices."
Germany was Minnesota's fifth-largest trade partner in 2012 and also the fifth-largest international source of direct investment.
DEED officials said:
...foreign trade offices are smart investments that pay off by generating business activity. When Minnesota opened its Shanghai office in 2005, state exports to China increased 71 percent in the first year. Pennsylvania invested $6 million in 2011 to open 10 foreign trade offices, producing $831 million in export sales and more than 6,800 jobs.