Research and analysis

UK-North Carolina trade and investment highlights

Updated 25 June 2021

The US and UK have a strong trade relationship worth more than $260 billion a year, and a total of $1 trillion invested in each other’s economies. This relationship plays a pivotal role in North Carolina’s economy and supports thousands of jobs in the state.

North Carolina jobs supported by UK companies

37,600 North Carolinians employed by UK subsidiaries in 2018

17,190 jobs are supported by exports from North Carolina to the UK worth $3 billion in 2019.

Value of exports to the UK from North Carolina

The UK was the 5th largest export market for North Carolina in 2019

Total value of North Carolina goods exports to the UK $832 million

Total value of North Carolina services exports to the UK $2.2 billion

Top exports from North Carolina to the UK 2019

Top North Carolina goods exports to the UK US$
Pharmaceuticals and medicines $87 million
Aerospace products and parts $70 million
Electrical accessories and parts $63 million
Vegetables and melons $56 million
Basic chemicals $54 million
Top North Carolina services exports to the UK US$
Miscellaneous financial services $465 million
Business management and consulting services $279 million
Bank lending-related services $241 million
Personal travel and tourism $214 million
Credit-related services $164 million
Year Goods exports to the UK (in $) Services exports to the UK (in $)
2010 926,637,831 1,198,868,220
2011 962,222,299 1,289,188,178
2012 951,837,892 1,420,323,818
2013 895,662,201 1,505,667,029
2014 1,011,773,538 1,680,361,598
2015 947,208,003 1,826,967,824
2016 1,421,965,180 1,831,407,823
2017 1,312,891,482 2,090,108,997
2018 965,712,257 2,277,869,981
2019 832,280,784 2,205,520,086

Sources

Goods, jobs and services estimates prepared by The Trade Partnership and derived from U.S. government and private industry data.

Companies trading with the UK from US Census, “A Profile of U.S. Importing and Exporting Companies, 2017-2018.”

Estimate of employment by UK subsidiaries from Bureau of Economic Analysis, Foreign Direct Investment in the United States database.