Greater Des Moines set a new trade record in 2014, according to data released today by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Goods exports from the Des Moines-West Des Moines area totaled $1.4 billion last year, an increase of $82 million, or 6.2 percent, according to the International Trade Administration’s 2014 Metropolitan Area Export Overview.

“The vast majority of area exporters are small and medium-sized firms who are reaching new heights with their export success,” said Patricia Cook, director of the U.S. Commercial Service in Des Moines. “We work with hundreds of business clients each year, and many firms soon discover their export potential is much greater than originally thought.”

It was the fourth consecutive year of increased exports by the Des Moines metropolitan area, according to the report. Other highlights regarding Des Moines from the report:

• Greater Des Moines was one of 139 metro areas to achieve record goods export levels.

• More than 55 percent of goods exports from Greater Des Moines went to markets where the United States has trade agreements.

• Key merchandise export categories included chemicals; processed foods; plastics and rubber products; machinery; and agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting.

• The NAFTA, Asia, and European Union regions were leading destinations for goods exports.

U.S. metropolitan area goods exports exceeded $1.44 trillion in 2014, up $36 billion from 2013, and accounting for 89 percent of total U.S. goods exports last year. For the first time, 161 metropolitan areas tallied merchandise exports worth more than $1 billion in 2014.