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Inward Investment Guides
United States Inward Investing Guide

United States Inward Investing Guide

Location USA is a guide for international companies looking to invest or establish operations within the United States. Location USA provides practical advice and guidance about facilities deployment, labor force skills, taxes and incentives, and more. For specific information on all 50 states, utilize the State Resources links.


Hot United States FDI Sectors: Advanced Manufacturing
Mark Crawford (Location USA 2012)
 
Improved technology and cutting-edge engineering can be applied to almost every type of manufacturing industry today. Foreign companies are finding plenty of opportunities to invest in manufacturing across the country, including steel fabrication, advanced materials, information systems, semiconductors and electronics, alternative energy, chemicals and plastics, heavy equipment, appliances, and rubber products.

German company SGL/BMW is building a $100 million plant in Moses Lake, Washington, to manufacture a special carbon fiber material for BMW's "Megacity" vehicle. The carbon fiber will be shipped to Germany, where the vehicle will be manufactured. The incentive package includes $200,000 to cover training costs for new workers.

In the U.S. Heartland, Canadian company Bombardier Learjet is expanding its manufacturing facilities in Wichita, Kansas, to build the company's newest business jet - the eight-passenger, intercontinental Learjet 85. The plant will cost about $50 million and employ up to 600 workers. Kansas provided Bombardier with $27 million in bond financing to keep the plane's assembly in Wichita.

With its long history of manufacturing excellence, transportation infrastructure, and skilled work force, the Southeast also continues to attract foreign investment in diverse sectors. In Louisiana, Africa-based Sasol North America will construct a $175 million gas-to-liquid tetramerization unit in Westlake - the first of its kind in the world. Nearby in Iberville Parish, Shintech Louisiana LLC (Japan) is undertaking a $1.3 billion expansion of its PVC manufacturing operations, creating 80 new jobs. Incentives include Louisiana FastStart work force training assistance and eligibility for industrial tax exemption and enterprise zone programs.

Alabama has also scored several big projects, including China-based Golden Dragon Precise Copper Tube, which will build a $100 million copper tube plant in Thomasville, resulting in 300 jobs. In return, the city will give Golden Dragon a 50-acre parcel that includes a $1.5 million, 50,000-square-foot building that the city constructed in 2009 to attract business investment. Thomasville will also spend about $300,000 to extend water and sewer connections. Golden Dragon is the first recruited Chinese company to build a new plant in Alabama, thanks in part to a new state bill that gives non-U.S. businesses with an investment project of more than $100 million and at least 100 local jobs tax reductions or exemptions from the state.

"This is the first, but it will not be the last, Chinese company that comes to Alabama," promised Governor Robert Bentley. "Alabama needs more jobs, especially well-paid jobs, and we hope to create those with the help of Chinese enterprises. Hopefully we can attract Golden Dragon's main clients and raw materials providers. I'm also expecting more cooperation between China and Alabama in biotech - many Chinese enterprises are doing well in this sector. In these days of global economy, we need to do our best to erase trade and investment barriers, rather than working on our own."

 
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About the Author

Mark Crawford
Mark Crawford is a full-time freelance writer in Madison, Wisconsin, who specializes in business writing. He is also the author of five books.
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United States Inward Investment Location Profiles
ARIZONA
Arizona - A Great Place For Business

Arizona is one of the fastest-growing, most dynamic economies in the United States. Both Fortune 500 and start-up technology companies call Arizona home, reaping the advantages of a competitive business climate and tax structure; a skilled, knowledge based work force; and world-class innovation, cultural, and scenic resources.

ARKANSAS
Your Success Story Starts In Arkansas

Arkansas's transportation network and central U.S. location define the state as a strategic distribution center. Midway between Mexico City and Montreal, Arkansas offers a valuable distribution advantage.

Little Rock, Arkansas: A Globally Recognized Brand

For two years in a row, the Little Rock region has been named "America's Fourth Strongest Economy" by the Brookings Institution's MetroMonitor. The Wall Street Journal calls it the nation's "Sixth Best Real Estate Market," while Forbes says it is America's "Seventh Best Place for Jobs."

KANSAS
Wichita, Kansas USA - Site of Choice for Advanced Manufacturing Enterprises

Wichita, better known as the Air Capital of the World, has also been ranked #1 U.S. metro for aviation manufacturing. Wichita has the highest concentration of aircraft and aircraft parts manufacturing employment (skills) in the United States.

KENTUCKY
Kentucky Is a Global Business Center

Kentucky remains a leader in attracting foreign direct investment, with nearly 35 percent of announced new investment in 2012 due to FDI activity. Today, about 420 foreign-owned firms from 30 nations employ nearly 80,000 people in the state.

NEW YORK
Think New York for Business Opportunity

When you hear "New York" you probably think of tall buildings and Wall Street — not cows, pastures, and a state whose leading industry is agriculture. In fact, we have both, and the world is taking notice of the abundant milk supply, sophisticated transportation system, and oneday access to almost 100,000,000 consumers.

OHIO
The Columbus Region Grows Increasingly Global Each Year

The Columbus Region is a thriving 11-county area located in Central Ohio. Home to 15 Fortune 1000 headquarters, with two million people and a population growth rate of 1.3 percent annually, the Columbus Region is one of the fastestgrowing major metropolitan areas in the Midwest, and is growing more and more global each year.

The New Ohio — A Leader in New Job Creation

Profitable. Diverse. Motivated. Strategic. Global. These are the words that describe the new Ohio and make us a leader in new job creation in the U.S.

OKLAHOMA
Tulsa - Where Business Grows

Home to more than 950,000, Tulsa, Oklahoma, perfectly balances convenience and affordability with the advantages of a highly skilled work force, a central location, a pro-business atmosphere, and an excellent quality of life. It is a dynamic, growing region that offers the fifth-lowest cost for doing business in the nation and is home to some of the nation's largest companies. These assets combine to make an ideal home for progressive companies competing in a global economy.

TENNESSEE
Select Tennessee for Your Next Investment

Tennessee's ideal location, strong transportation infrastructure, low costs of doing business, and high quality work force provide an attractive setting for investments from around the globe. With most major U.S. markets within a day's drive, Tennessee provides immediate access to eight interstate highways, an extensive network of railways and waterways, and the world's second-busiest freight airport in Memphis.

WEST VIRGINIA
Plastics - West Virginia's Multi-Billion Dollar Industry

Offering one of the highest concentrations of hightech, specialty, and engineering polymer production in the world; an abundance of necessary raw materials; a knowledgeable, highly trained and productive work force; and established transportation systems; it is no wonder West Virginia is home to a vibrant and growing plastics industry.