Quinn wants to double Illinois exports

Gov. Pat Quinn says he has a goal when it comes to trade.

The Chicago Democrat says he wants to double the state's exports by 2015. His office said the value of Illinois' exports surpassed $49 billion last year.

To keep the attention on exports, Quinn kicked off Illinois Export Week on Tuesday. The event runs through June 24 and focuses on educating business owners about exporting their products around the world.

The governor's office said that in the first quarter of this year the state exported nearly $15 billion worth of non-agriculture goods.

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and local Small Business Development Centers are working with businesses to tell them about export opportunities.