The new office, "GP USA Export", is a branch of Wal-Mart Global Procurement, an internal buying agency formed by the company in 2002.

"We're living in a global marketplace," said Ken Eaton, Wal-Mart's Senior Vice President of Global Procurement. "And Wal-Mart wants to offer its customers the very best of what the world has to offer."

Wal-Mart Global Procurement has sourcing offices in 17 countries working directly with Wal-Mart merchandise buyers in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, China, Korea, Japan, Germany, and the United Kingdom. These sourcing offices, and the local nationals Wal-Mart Global Procurement employs, are the contact point for Wal-Mart (U.S. and International) retail operations to buy goods made in those and surrounding countries. While the GP USA Export office will not be able to handle requests from all retail companies abroad wanting to purchase U.S.-made products, it will be able to source products for all Wal-Mart retail stores overseas.

"We have almost 1,300 Wal-Mart stores outside the United States, and the number is growing steadily," said Eaton. "These stores create a global market for American made products. We know that many products made in the United States are already popular with Wal-Mart customers in these countries -- products ranging from popcorn to laundry detergent. We think there is a growing market for U.S. exports in the other markets where we operate, and we are excited about the opportunities this new office will create."

Eaton said the new U.S. Global Procurement office would work directly with the supplier community to stay current with its capabilities and to learn about new producers and manufacturers and new products. The GP USA Export office will give U.S. suppliers an advantage in exporting they may not currently have because of Wal-Mart's expertise on logistics and regulatory issues. A common complaint from U.S. companies wanting to export U.S. made products is that they cannot navigate all of the restrictive import regulations in foreign countries.

"We see the GP USA Export office as a window to new markets. But it will also shine a light on trade barriers to U.S. products," Eaton added. "We want to sell American products globally, but we will also need to work with the U.S. government to break down barriers that we encounter."

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. operates more than 2,870 discount stores, Supercenters and Neighborhood Markets, and more than 520 SAM'S CLUBS in the United States. Internationally, the company operates about 1,275 units. Wal-Mart employs over 1.3 million associates worldwide. Last year Wal-Mart associates raised and contributed $196 million to support communities and local non-profit organizations.