FedEx Express, the world’s largest express transportation company, has launched the SME Export eBook that identifies trends and provides insights into export activity by small- to medium-size enterprises (SMEs) across Asia Pacific.
The eBook builds on an independent research study commissioned by FedEx earlier this year. The study, entitled Global opportunities: Examining Import and Export Trends Among Small Businesses, surveyed 3315 respondents in six key Asia Pacific markets (China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan). It reveals the proportion of Asia Pacific SMEs that are currently exporting, how exports are benefiting their bottom lines, and the effect that selling overseas is having on their business growth.
Some of the most striking findings about SME business trends include:

• Just 36 per cent of Asia Pacific SMEs currently export to overseas markets, despite 77 per cent recognising the additional customer base that overseas markets could offer them.
• SMEs in the region that do export goods generate an average of US$1.8 million in revenue from exports each year.
• In Asia Pacific, SMEs that export are more than twice as likely to be experiencing rapid growth as SMEs that don’t export.
• They are also more likely to have a positive business outlook: 47 per cent of SMEs in the region that export are optimistic about their business prospects over the next year, compared to 38 per cent of SMEs that don’t export.

The SME Export eBook can be downloaded here.