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Virginia High-Tech Exports Surge

Since 2006, Virginia has experienced the largest increase in exports of high-tech goods of any state, according to the American Electronics Association (AeA). That increase was propelled by the strength of the semiconductor industry, which includes the Henrico County manufacturing facility of Qimonda AG .

Thanks to the turbo-charged performance of recent years, Virginia now ranks 11th nationally for high-tech exports, up from 21st place in 2006. Semiconductor exports increased 53 percent from 2006 and 2007, totaling $2.3 billion last year. The finding was released Tuesday in AeA's annual report, " Trade in the Cyberstates 2008 : A State-by-State Overview of High-Tech International Trade."

"Virginia's technology industry continues to lead the way accounting for 38 percent of all net new jobs in 2007," said Virginia Secretary of Technology Aneesh Chopra in a prepared statement . "Our semiconductor industry in particular continues to deliver year-over-year production growth serving as Virginia's number one manufactured export."

There are two major semiconductor manufacturers in Virginia -- Qimonda and Micron Technologies ' facility in Manassas – as well as smaller manufacturers, such as Virginia Semiconductor in Fredericksburg. It was not clear from public reports to what extend the surge in exports was attributable to Qimonda, which produces memory chips.