(JEFFERSON CITY, MO) – From March 10 - 17, Governor Mike Parson and First Lady Teresa Parson will travel to Sweden and Germany for an international Trade Mission. Sweden and Germany are key trade partners for Missouri, with more than $29 million and nearly $680 million in exports in 2022, respectively.

Consistent with Governor Parson’s infrastructure and economic development priorities, the goal of the Trade Mission is to build relationships with key international figures to promote Missouri’s strong capacity for trade.

“Missouri’s global trade partners are valuable to its economy, and we’re excited to again promote the Show-Me State as an ideal business location,” Governor Parson said. “Leading Swedish and German companies are already investing and creating jobs right here in our state. This trade mission is another opportunity to strengthen existing relationships while encouraging future investment and growth.”

The Trade Mission will include stops in Stockholm, Sweden, as well as Frankfurt and Stuttgart, Germany, to meet with government officials, diplomats, and business leaders to promote Missouri as a prime destination for business investment and expansion. Governor Parson will meet with company representatives that have existing relationships in Missouri to thank them for their investments in the state and companies without a presence in Missouri to encourage them to consider Missouri for future investments.

The nearly $710 million in goods exported to Sweden and Germany in 2022 show the importance of international trade to the state’s economic success. Among the goods exported to Sweden, electrical equipment and fabricated metal products were among those in highest demand. Chemicals and pharmaceutical products ranked highly among exports to Germany.

Sweden Highlights

Governor Parson will take part in meetings with executives of several leading companies, including DeLaval, a global leader in milking equipment and solutions for dairy farmers, which already has a presence in Missouri.

Governor Parson will also participate in multi-sector and ag-tech roundtable discussions with key Swedish business organizations, in addition to meetings with U.S. Ambassador to Sweden Erik Ramanathan.

Germany Highlights

Governor Parson will take part in meetings with executives of several leading companies, including Merck KGaA, Heraeus, German airline Lufthansa, and more.

Governor Parson will also meet with several German companies to discuss future growth plans.

The Trade Mission is funded by the Hawthorn Foundation, a Missouri nonprofit organization. For updates on the trip, follow @GovMikeParson on Facebook and @GovParsonMO on Twitter.