The Governor Encourages Illinois Firms to Register With the “Buy Illinois Network” – An Online Service to Promote Illinois Companies

CHICAGO – Following up on his commitment to helping Illinois businesses grow, Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich today unveiled the Buy Illinois Network Web site, an important tool that will help Illinois businesses market their goods and services online.  The Web site, www.buyillinois.net, will help consumers and purchasers locate vendors and producers throughout the state, allowing Illinois businesses to sell their products and services to a larger audience.  The Web site is a component of Gov. Blagojevich’s “Buy Illinois” initiative to increase opportunities for Illinois small and medium-sized businesses to more effectively sell their goods and services.

“Illinois is home to a wealth of high-performing companies, both large and small, offering unique goods and services in every major industry, so it’s important that we continue to find new ways to help our companies market themselves.  E-commerce is an integral part of the Illinois economy, and the Buy Illinois Network Web site provides a useful tool for Illinois businesses to sell their products and services across the state and beyond, which will allow them to grow and create more jobs for our working families.  This Web site will only be as strong as those who use it, so I encourage companies across the state to take advantage of this free service to help grow their business,” Gov. Blagojevich said. 

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) developed the Web site, which is free of charge for registering companies, to market Illinois goods and services by linking potential purchasers with producers who are located across the state.  The Buy Illinois Web site replaced the buyillinoisproducts.com Web site, formerly operated by the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA).  Those food processors and producers are encouraged to register free of charge with the new Web site. 

Illinois consumers spend billions of dollars on goods and services every year, and even a small shift in consumer buying habits to target more in-state buying would be a tremendous boost to the Illinois economy.  The Buy Illinois initiative includes a statewide series of regional trade fairs, procurement workshops and training programs in partnership with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and Central Management Services (CMS) designed to help companies and small business understand the opportunities to become suppliers, contractors and subcontractors with several state agencies.  The Buy Illinois Network Website is designed to continue this movement and build upon its success, helping businesses market their commercial products and services to potential customers across the state and stimulate more in-state, business-to-business commerce.

“Illinois companies have so much to offer and this initiative is a step in the right direction to help our companies find new customers and buyers, tapping into the vast opportunities of the online market.  In partnership with Gov. Blagojevich, this Web site will be another important economic development tool for our state, and I look forward to seeing this network grow,” State Senator Debbie Halvorson (D-Chicago Heights) said.
        
“It is clear that e-commerce is an incredibly powerful way for companies to reach new customers and clients, and it’s essential for Illinois companies to tap into this great resource.  Along with Gov. Blagojevich, I am encouraged that this initiative will have a positive effect in promoting the sale of Illinois goods and services, and I encourage companies of all types to take part,” State Representative Jim Watson (R-Jacksonville) said.

“Business is all about finding the right partners and customers and making as many of those connections as possible, which is exactly what Gov. Blagojevich and I want to accomplish with this new Web site.  This Buy Illinois Network Web site is another creative way the State of Illinois is helping businesses grow and prosper,” DCEO Director Jack Lavin said.

“The Buy Illinois Network is a valuable tool for the State’s purchasing experts to learn about products that Illinois entrepreneurs can offer to state government," said Paul Campbell, Director of CMS.  “Gov. Blagojevich believes we must do everything we can to support entrepreneurs across our state, and this initiative builds on his efforts to expand the Small Business Set Aside Program that is allowing Illinois businesses to have better access to and compete for state contracts.”

Gov. Blagojevich’s Opportunity Returns regional economic development strategy is the most aggressive, comprehensive approach to creating jobs in Illinois’ history.  Since a one-size-fits-all approach to economic development just doesn’t work, the Governor has divided the state into 10 regions – each with a regional team that is empowered and expected to rapidly respond to opportunities and challenges.  Opportunity Returns is about tangible, specific actions to make each region more accessible, more marketable, more entrepreneurial and more attractive to businesses.  It is about upgrading the skills of the local workforce, increasing the access to capital, opening new markets, improving infrastructure, and creating and retaining jobs.  Opportunity Returns is about successfully partnering with companies and communities, both large and small, to help all of Illinois reach its economic potential.