U.S. Manufacturers at Home in Indiana
Indiana's pro-business environment has helped attract major new investment in the automotive industry.
For
example, in 2006, Cummins Inc. announced plans to build the company's
new family of light-duty, clean-diesel engines in its hometown of
Columbus, Indiana. The move will create 600 to 800 new jobs by 2012. In
January, Cummins announced it would add approximately 500 professional
employees to its Columbus work force and lease a downtown city office
building to meet the company's expected growth.
Just weeks ago,
hybrid vehicle battery maker EnerDel announced plans to locate its new
global manufacturing and development center in Indiana, a move that is
expected to create more than 850 new jobs across the state by 2012.
Founded
in 2004, EnerDel develops lithium-ion batteries for automotive
manufacturers that are lighter, occupy less space, provide more power,
and have a longer life than the nickel metal hydride batteries found in
today's hybrid cars. EnerDel's 600-pound lithium-ion battery packs will
power a Norwegian-made all-electric car, called Think. The two-seater
will become the first commercially available electric car, with plans
calling for up to 10,000 of the cars to be produced and sold in Europe
in 2009, with U.S. sales following.
As Cummins, EnerDel, and
other domestic vehicle production companies have discovered, Indiana is
the smart move for companies looking for a low-cost, pro-business
manufacturing environment.
Indiana Lures International Investment
Under
the leadership of Governor Daniels, Indiana has made international
investment a cornerstone of its efforts to grow a diversified economy.
As a result, international firms are discovering that Indiana's central
location, business-friendly environment, and highly skilled work force
add up to success across a range of business ventures, including
automotive manufacturing. In fact, according to IBM's PLI-Global
Location Strategies service, Indiana ranks first in the nation in
production jobs created and second in the total number of jobs created
by international investment.
Governor Daniels has led three
international missions to encourage expanded relationships between
Indiana and international companies, establish new investment partners
for Indiana, and renew the state's historic relationship with the
people of our major trading countries.
In 2005, Daniels led a
state business development trip to visit companies and officials in
Taiwan and Japan. In 2006, he led a delegation to Japan and South
Korea. And in 2007, the governor led trips to Germany, the United
Kingdom, and Japan. Those trips helped spur millions of dollars in new
investment and thousands of new jobs in Indiana.
Following the
trips to Japan in 2005 and 2006, Indiana became home to the new
Toyota-Fuji joint venture assembly line. The governor returned early
from his 2006 trip to Japan and South Korea to join Honda executives to
announce that Indiana would become home to the company's new North
American assembly plant. GETRAG also announced plans to build its new
Indiana transmission factory within weeks of the 2007 European trip.
Indiana's
history, heritage, and drive ensure that the state will continue to be
a destination of choice for both domestic and international automotive
investment. Indiana's low-cost business environment, skilled work
force, central location, unbeatable infrastructure, and history of
welcoming innovation and investment create an environment for
automotive manufacturing success.
When it's all added up, it's clear that Indiana's automotive industry isn't slowing down.
Information about Indiana's economic climate, business costs, and business investment opportunities is available at our website.
Nathan J. Feltman, Secretary of Commerce
Indiana Economic Development Corporation
One North Capitol, Suite 700
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Phone: 317-232-8800
Fax: 317-232-4146
www.AccelerateIndiana.com
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