BEST EXPORT OPPORTUNITIES IN BROWARD COUNTY, FLORIDA
FORT LAUDERDALE AND BROWARD COUNTY
ECONOMIC OUTLOOK OVERVIEW
WELCOME TO GREATER FORT LAUDERDALE, SOUTH FLORIDA!
(Gateway to Latin America and the Caribbean)
Long known as an international tourist destination, Greater Fort Lauderdale is now the heart of a robust, economic high-growth region. As the geographic centre of the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), Greater Fort Lauderdale has everything you need to succeed - diversified workforce; large market with disposable income; easy access to national/international markets; world class educational options; business friendly government; and outstanding lifestyle. In addition, any area, can be designated as a foreign trade zone (FTZ) offering tax, tariff and import advantages.
Fort Lauderdale
Southeast Florida (MSA)
Population 175,000
Population 6.7 million - 8th largest in the USA
Retail/Restaurant Sales $ 6.1 billion
Retail/Restaurant Sales $ 106.3 billion
Civilian Workforce 84,369 62.5 % white collar, 6.5 % blue collar, 21.1 % service
Civilian Workforce 3.0 million - 61.1 % white collar, 17.3 % blue collar, 21.7 % service
Education - 42.3 % college degree, 18.9 % some college
Education - 37.7 % college degree, 8.7 % some college
All America City, National Civic League
Best Places to Start a Small Business, Bizjournals
Most Diverse City in Florida, Wallethub
Future Top Cities in US, fDi Magazine
Top 10 Greenest Mid-Sized Cities, MyLife.com
2nd Best Place to Start a Business, Kauffman Foundation
Top 10 Best Downtowns in the USA, Livability.com
3rd Least-Costly MSA to do business, KPMG
Top 10 Most Exciting Mid-Sized Cities in America
Home to more than 6,000 High Tech firms, Brookings Institute
Top 10 US Cities for Small Business, Biz2Credit.com
Best Places for Global Trade, Global Trade Magazine
Top 10 Best Cities for Millennial Job Seekers in Florida
BCPS High Schools Among America’s Best, Newsweek
Top 50 US “Tech Talent” Markets, CBRE
BEST Hottest Start-Up Hub in US, Kauffman Foundation
KEY INDUSTRIES
There are huge opportunities for British companies to sell consumer products. Broward County has access to 6.8 million people and a diversified multicultural population with an affinity for European and International products.
FOOD, DRINK AND HOSPITALITY
Greater Fort Lauderdale has over 4,100 restaurants, 63 golf courses, 12 shopping malls, 16 museums, 132 nightclubs, and 100 Marinas - hosted 15.4 million visitors who spent $ 14.2 billion in 2015. Embraced by the Atlantic Ocean, Fort Lauderdale has more than seven miles of beaches and more than 165 miles of inland waterways. Fort Lauderdale has 1,271 hotel/motel properties with 11,400 rooms and over 11.7 million square feet of shipping and dining venues.
CONSUMER PRODUCTS
There is tremendous perceived value to British brands and goods across the Americas, and SMEs from the world over are moving to these dynamic markets. South Florida’s vibrant multicultural community promises great demand for innovative, quality British merchandise. Not only the home to a vibrant Latin American community, South Florida acts as a shopping destination and showcase for millions of Americans that regularly come to South Florida every year.
AVIATION & AEROSPACE
Why are so many aviation & aerospace companies locating in Greater Fort Lauderdale?
MARINE
Known as the “International Marine Hub, “Greater Fort Lauderdale’s marine industry leads the State.
Fort Lauderdale is the home of the famous Annual Ft Lauderdale International Boat Show, and the marine industry encompasses world-class shipyards, manufacturing, wholesale/retail products, brokers, Dockage, and every conceivable type of marine service. The marine industry has an economic impact of $ 8.8 billion in Broward County, generating more than 110,000 jobs. Florida has Sales/Use Tax exemptions that are specific to the Marine Industry.
TECHNOLOGY
Why are so many technology companies locating in Greater Fort Lauderdale?
GLOBAL LOGISTICS
Global Trade magazine named the City of Fort Lauderdale as one of the best cities for Global
Trade - Fort Lauderdale has the facilities and workforce to support global logistics.
Port of Everglades: Four miles from downtown Fort Lauderdale
#1 in Florida for exports - worldwide trade of $ 25.22 billion
#1 in Florida by revenue - $ 153 million
#1 Container port in Florida by volume - # 10 in the USA
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL):
FLL four miles from downtown Fort Lauderdale, is ranked 21st in the USA
and 7th on the US Airport Affordability Index. FLL has 740 flights a day and nonstop service to more than 100 destinations
British Airways launched a new service to Fort Lauderdale from July 2017. It is the airline’s third route from Gatwick to Florida, and its fourth service to the ‘sunshine state’. The route will be served by a 777-200 aircraft operating three days a week year-round (four-a-week during peak summer) with each way fares available to book now on ba.com.
Colm Lacy, British Airways’ Head of Commercial for Gatwick, said: “British Airways will now serve four Florida gateways, offering more seats from London to the sunshine state than any other carrier. It’s a city that boasts beautiful beaches, Venice-like waterways, an international yachting scene and world-class restaurants, and is also within easy reach of Miami, so customers can visit both destinations as part of a trip to the sunshine state.
LIFE SCIENCES
Home to approximately 1,500 bioscience businesses and institutions that employ more than 26,000 people. Greater Fort Lauderdale provides a stimulating and supportive business environment for success in the life sciences industry - medical devices, biomedical, pharmaceutical, clinical research, manufacturing and distribution. The region’s academic institutions and research parks have joined together to form Life Sciences South Florida (LifeSciencesSF.org).
MANUFACTURING
Florida ranks in the top 10 for manufacturing and is home to more than 18,600 manufacturing companies with +321,000 employees - accounts for 72,000 jobs in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale MSA.
Comparative Costs for Manufacturing Companies in Florida versus Other Markets
ECONOMIC OUTLOOK OVERVIEW
WELCOME TO GREATER FORT LAUDERDALE, SOUTH FLORIDA!
(Gateway to Latin America and the Caribbean)
Long known as an international tourist destination, Greater Fort Lauderdale is now the heart of a robust, economic high-growth region. As the geographic centre of the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), Greater Fort Lauderdale has everything you need to succeed - diversified workforce; large market with disposable income; easy access to national/international markets; world class educational options; business friendly government; and outstanding lifestyle. In addition, any area, can be designated as a foreign trade zone (FTZ) offering tax, tariff and import advantages.
Fort Lauderdale
Southeast Florida (MSA)
Population 175,000
Population 6.7 million - 8th largest in the USA
Retail/Restaurant Sales $ 6.1 billion
Retail/Restaurant Sales $ 106.3 billion
Civilian Workforce 84,369 62.5 % white collar, 6.5 % blue collar, 21.1 % service
Civilian Workforce 3.0 million - 61.1 % white collar, 17.3 % blue collar, 21.7 % service
Education - 42.3 % college degree, 18.9 % some college
Education - 37.7 % college degree, 8.7 % some college
All America City, National Civic League
Best Places to Start a Small Business, Bizjournals
Most Diverse City in Florida, Wallethub
Future Top Cities in US, fDi Magazine
Top 10 Greenest Mid-Sized Cities, MyLife.com
2nd Best Place to Start a Business, Kauffman Foundation
Top 10 Best Downtowns in the USA, Livability.com
3rd Least-Costly MSA to do business, KPMG
Top 10 Most Exciting Mid-Sized Cities in America
Home to more than 6,000 High Tech firms, Brookings Institute
Top 10 US Cities for Small Business, Biz2Credit.com
Best Places for Global Trade, Global Trade Magazine
Top 10 Best Cities for Millennial Job Seekers in Florida
BCPS High Schools Among America’s Best, Newsweek
Top 50 US “Tech Talent” Markets, CBRE
BEST Hottest Start-Up Hub in US, Kauffman Foundation
KEY INDUSTRIES
There are huge opportunities for British companies to sell consumer products. Broward County has access to 6.8 million people and a diversified multicultural population with an affinity for European and International products.
FOOD, DRINK AND HOSPITALITY
Greater Fort Lauderdale has over 4,100 restaurants, 63 golf courses, 12 shopping malls, 16 museums, 132 nightclubs, and 100 Marinas - hosted 15.4 million visitors who spent $ 14.2 billion in 2015. Embraced by the Atlantic Ocean, Fort Lauderdale has more than seven miles of beaches and more than 165 miles of inland waterways. Fort Lauderdale has 1,271 hotel/motel properties with 11,400 rooms and over 11.7 million square feet of shipping and dining venues.
CONSUMER PRODUCTS
There is tremendous perceived value to British brands and goods across the Americas, and SMEs from the world over are moving to these dynamic markets. South Florida’s vibrant multicultural community promises great demand for innovative, quality British merchandise. Not only the home to a vibrant Latin American community, South Florida acts as a shopping destination and showcase for millions of Americans that regularly come to South Florida every year.
AVIATION & AEROSPACE
Why are so many aviation & aerospace companies locating in Greater Fort Lauderdale?
- Florida ranked 1st for aerospace companies (2nd consecutive year), PricewaterhouseCoopers
- Florida ranked 1st in the nation for aerospace manufacturing
- Florida ranked 2nd in USA for the number of aviation/aerospace companies
- Florida has Sales/USE Tax exemptions specifications for the Aviation Industry
- Greater Fort Lauderdale’s aerospace roots is a legacy of its history as an aviation hub - Pan Am and Eastern airlines – Fort Lauderdale is smack dab in the middle”.
- Embraer and Heiko are headquartered in Broward County
MARINE
Known as the “International Marine Hub, “Greater Fort Lauderdale’s marine industry leads the State.
Fort Lauderdale is the home of the famous Annual Ft Lauderdale International Boat Show, and the marine industry encompasses world-class shipyards, manufacturing, wholesale/retail products, brokers, Dockage, and every conceivable type of marine service. The marine industry has an economic impact of $ 8.8 billion in Broward County, generating more than 110,000 jobs. Florida has Sales/Use Tax exemptions that are specific to the Marine Industry.
TECHNOLOGY
Why are so many technology companies locating in Greater Fort Lauderdale?
- Florida is ranked 3rd in the USA for high-tech companies and exporting of high-tech products
- Florida ranked 4th in the USA for technology jobs, TechAmerica
- Ft. Lauderdale among Top 25 US High-Tech Cities, Business Week
- Ft. Lauderdale among Top 50 US “Tech Talent Markets, CBRE
- Ft. Lauderdale among most wired broadband areas in the USA, Forbes
- Home to more than 6,000 high technology firms, Brookings Institute
- Headquarters for Microsoft Latin America, Citrix and Research in Motion (Blackberry)
GLOBAL LOGISTICS
Global Trade magazine named the City of Fort Lauderdale as one of the best cities for Global
Trade - Fort Lauderdale has the facilities and workforce to support global logistics.
Port of Everglades: Four miles from downtown Fort Lauderdale
#1 in Florida for exports - worldwide trade of $ 25.22 billion
#1 in Florida by revenue - $ 153 million
#1 Container port in Florida by volume - # 10 in the USA
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL):
FLL four miles from downtown Fort Lauderdale, is ranked 21st in the USA
and 7th on the US Airport Affordability Index. FLL has 740 flights a day and nonstop service to more than 100 destinations
British Airways launched a new service to Fort Lauderdale from July 2017. It is the airline’s third route from Gatwick to Florida, and its fourth service to the ‘sunshine state’. The route will be served by a 777-200 aircraft operating three days a week year-round (four-a-week during peak summer) with each way fares available to book now on ba.com.
Colm Lacy, British Airways’ Head of Commercial for Gatwick, said: “British Airways will now serve four Florida gateways, offering more seats from London to the sunshine state than any other carrier. It’s a city that boasts beautiful beaches, Venice-like waterways, an international yachting scene and world-class restaurants, and is also within easy reach of Miami, so customers can visit both destinations as part of a trip to the sunshine state.
LIFE SCIENCES
Home to approximately 1,500 bioscience businesses and institutions that employ more than 26,000 people. Greater Fort Lauderdale provides a stimulating and supportive business environment for success in the life sciences industry - medical devices, biomedical, pharmaceutical, clinical research, manufacturing and distribution. The region’s academic institutions and research parks have joined together to form Life Sciences South Florida (LifeSciencesSF.org).
MANUFACTURING
Florida ranks in the top 10 for manufacturing and is home to more than 18,600 manufacturing companies with +321,000 employees - accounts for 72,000 jobs in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale MSA.
Comparative Costs for Manufacturing Companies in Florida versus Other Markets
STATE |
Personal Income Tax (Highest Rate) |
State Tax Climate Rank |
Manufacturing Average Wage |
Florida |
None |
4 |
$54,086 |
Alabama |
5% |
28 |
$50,962 |
Georgia |
6% |
36 |
$53,980 |
Illinois |
3.75% |
31 |
$54,555 |
N. Carolina |
5.8% |
16 |
$53,268 |
S. Carolina |
7% |
37 |
$68,868 |
Texas |
None |
10 |
$70,580 |