Governor Rendell Concludes His First International Trade Mission
Press Release
GOVERNOR RENDELL CONCLUDES HIS FIRST INTERNATIONAL TRADE MISSION
PENNSYLVANIA'S TALENTED WORKFORCE, LOCATION AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES ATTRACT NEW INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENT
Governor Edward G. Rendell arrived home from a trade mission to Spain and the United Kingdom Tuesday having secured commitments from several Spanish and British firms to establish or expand operations in Pennsylvania.
Additionally, as a result of the Governor's efforts to promote and improve trade relations and increase international investments in the state, several Spanish companies are planning visits to Pennsylvania in the coming weeks.
"Our programs are beginning to pay off," Governor Rendell said. "Currently, only 2-out-of-50 states have made such a strong commitment to international business relations with Spain. At the end of 2006, Spain was our 20th largest destination for Pennsylvania exports. The commonwealth exported almost $193 million in goods and services to Spain in 2006an increase of almost 30 percent from 2005."
The Governor also announced that Integromics, a Spanish advanced technology company, will locate in Philadelphia as a result of discussions with the Governor and state officials.
"From Pennsylvania's supportive business climate to its unique location in the northeast, the commonwealth is a hot spot for foreign-owned companies to locate or expand their business operations," said Governor Rendell. "As the largest cross border investment destination in North America, Pennsylvania is a preeminent location for international investment."
Boden Ltd., a British online and catalogue marketer and distributor of men's, women's and children's apparel, will open a 60,000-square-foot catalogue clothing call center, warehouse and distribution center in northeast Pennsylvania. The company will invest at least $650,000 in the local and regional economy, creating at least 160 new jobs within the next three years.
The Department of Community and Economic Development's Center for Direct Investment and the Governor's Action Team worked with Boden Ltd. to secure a $511,000 financial package that includes a grant of up to $100,000 through the Opportunity Grant Program, $336,000 in Job Creation Tax Credits and $75,000 in Customized Job Training funds.
U.K.-based Bioquell, a manufacturer of bio-decontamination equipment for the U.S. Department of Defense, continues to invest in its Horsham facility and is considering further expansion that would enhance its existing sales and service offering.
"Currently, more than 1,100 British-owned facilities, employing more than 32,000 people, are located in Pennsylvania," Governor Rendell said. "Almost 25 percent of all foreign-owned firms in Pennsylvania have their headquarters in the U.K. I strongly believe there is tremendous potential for further increases in trade and investment relations between the U.K. and Pennsylvania."
In Spain, Governor Rendell traveled to Madrid and Bilbao, meeting with 65 Spanish companies and 10 CEOs.
Among the CEOs was Ignacio Sanchez Galan of Iberdrola, the leading Spanish electrical utility and the world's leading renewable energy utility, who discussed the company's goal of building upon Iberdrola's USA renewable energy subsidiary with offices in Radnor. Iberdrola Renewable Energies USA is seeking to expand the staffing at its Radnor location and to grow its Pennsylvania project pipeline.
One of the key goals of the Governor's visit was to build upon his administration's Pennsylvania-based renewable energy manufacturing cluster, which was highlighted by the arrival of the Spanish wind energy manufacturer, Gamesa. Gamesa now has invested over $110 million in four plants inside two factories in Pennsylvania, with close to 1,000 in-state jobs already in place.
During the trip, Governor Rendell said he was pleased to learn that Philadelphia native Julius Steiner has been selected as Gamesa's North American CEO.
"I'm confident that Julius will be an outstanding leader for Gamesa's Pennsylvania-based operations," the Governor said. "I congratulate Gamesa on its choice, and look forward to Gamesa's continued success."
He further congratulated Gamesa and the United Steelworkers on their first collective bargaining agreement, achieved prior to the Governor's visit.
"This ground-breaking, three-year agreement lays the foundation for a strong USW-Gamesa partnership," Governor Rendell said
The Governor and Environmental Protection Secretary Kathleen McGinty met with many of Gamesa's Basque region-based component manufacturing suppliers with the intent to create a "Gamesa renewable energy manufacturing cluster" in the Commonwealth.
Gamesa's investment in creating manufacturing jobs in Pennsylvania was made possible by the adoption of the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act by Governor Rendell and the Pennsylvania General Assembly, as well as commitments of 1,400 wind energy MWs using Gamesa turbines by local Pennsylvania-based utilities.
During every session of the trade mission, the Governor and Secretary McGinty outlined the Governor's Energy Independence Strategy, which would produce an $850 million fund for rebates, grants and loans that includes $200 million for residential and commercial solar-energy installations, $106 million to promote investment in renewable-energy businesses and $500 million for clean-energy projects and other energy-related economic development.
"Today's announcement shows that our strategic global investments are working to position Pennsylvania as an international location for investment," Governor Rendell said. "Last year, we passed the World Trade PA program to increase foreign direct investment into the commonwealth. We did so because we believed it was a worthy investment in Pennsylvania's economic future."
The Governor's $15 million World Trade PA initiative is aimed at accelerating and expanding the commonwealth's current trade and investment activities. To advance the commonwealth's competitiveness abroad, the World Trade PA initiative will increase Pennsylvania's share of trade in foreign markets, attract new foreign direct investment to secure jobs and capital, and leverage Pennsylvania's extensive network of overseas university graduates to promote new business opportunities for the state.
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