The Kansas Global Trade Services and the Kansas Department of Commerce held an export outreach meeting Thursday morning in Manhattan.

The purpose of the meeting was to provide information to local companies about exporting and the tools available to them in order to gain assistance.

A room full of local company heads and community leaders were on hand for the meeting Thursday at the Manhattan area Chamber of Commerce.

Karyn Page, CEO/President of Kansas Global Trade Services explained that the meeting offered an opportunity for the local companies to network and find answers they may have in regards to exporting.

“I heard a variety of questions, from a transportation related question about permitting and we had Kansas Transportation in the room, so that question was answered. We heard a question about getting paid and there was an international bank in the room,” said Page. “There were questions actually being answered in the room and that’s a really good thing.”

Page said that in 2013 the export of products in Kansas was about $12.5 billion, that does not include the export of services. Studies cited by Kansas Global Trade Services have found that each additional $1 billion in exports equals 6,000 jobs.

Thursday’s meeting was the first of six planned by the KGTS and KDC across the state.