I returned to Arkansas this past week after an economic-development and trade mission to Europe, with stops in England, France and Germany. This trip has given me a renewed optimism for increased European investment in Arkansas. We have been working for nearly three years now to reverse the international outsourcing trend and bring more foreign investment and jobs to Arkansas. We've just taken another step toward that goal with Mitsubishi announcing a new 100-million dollar wind-energy facility that will bring 400 new jobs to Fort Smith. I believe we will see more of this in the coming months and years, through both the expansion of existing companies and the arrival of new businesses from overseas.
European companies, including Dassault Falcon, L'Oreal, Nordex, Zodiac Aerospace, and Unilever, which makes Skippy Peanut Butter, already have a strong presence in our State. Our delegation met with their representatives and those from five other companies already invested here, and all ten companies expressed their continued commitment to Arkansas. Over and over, we were shown appreciation and gratitude for taking the time and effort to meet with these companies face to face.
In addition to the delegation visiting with foreign investors and American diplomatic officials, we also met with six companies thinking seriously about coming to Arkansas. The reputation we have built with companies already established here has given us international credibility. Some of the prospects are suppliers to Nordex, which recently broke ground on a wind turbine facility in Jonesboro. Visiting with them in person gave us the chance to discuss how their investment here would be mutually beneficial for their business and for our economy.
I take every opportunity available to sell the merits of our State - our quality of life, affordable cost of living, natural beauty, educational opportunities, and of course, the potential of our workforce. It's essential that Arkansas's virtues be known beyond our borders.
Education will always equal economic development. The better we can train our workforce, especially through relevant internships and apprenticeships at the college and university levels, the more we can connect students to future jobs and encourage them to remain in Arkansas. Some of our meetings in Europe focused on producing more qualified Arkansans in specific fields that could lead to more investment opportunities in our State.
The full benefits of this mission may not be known for months or years, but I am cautiously optimistic that within the next several months, I will have good news to report on additional forthcoming foreign investment in Arkansas. Cultivating economic development at the public level is just like running a business; it requires patience and realistic goals.
I am certain of one thing - the state's investment in this trade- and economic-development mission was worth it. Growing existing investment and improving relationships is every bit a priority as attracting new investment. The bottom line is: Jobs are jobs. My goal is simply to increase the number of jobs available to Arkansans.
It's always good to come home, but it's even better to come back feeling more confident about our business prospects for the future.