Governor Continues Aerospace Push
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowGovernor Mike Pence is wrapping up the final day of an economic development mission to the United Kingdom. He is scheduled to meet Wednesday with a potential business prospect. The Indiana delegation pitched business advantages of the state during a roundtable discussion Tuesday at the Farnborough International Airshow in London. July 15, 2014
News Release
London — Governor Mike Pence today expressed the many advantages businesses find in Indiana, meeting with global companies and participating in a roundtable dialogue at the Farnborough International Airshow (FIA), one of the largest trade fairs in the international aerospace industry.
“Indiana's reputation continues to soar on the global stage,” said Pence. “During an aerospace roundtable discussion today at Farnborough, we shared Indiana's story with prominent American aerospace companies that have excelled in their industry. Through participation in events like this, we ensure both our continued leadership in this market and that Indiana is known everywhere as the state that works.”
The dialogue, hosted by the Aerospace Industries Association, focused on the competitiveness of the U.S. aerospace and defense industrial base, as well as the importance of remaining globally competitive in a complex marketplace. During the roundtable, Pence discussed Indiana's development as an aerospace leader and what actions the state has taken to make locating there a business advantage. He also recognized the global aerospace companies already choosing to operate in Indiana, from Alcoa and BAE Systems to Rolls-Royce and GE Aviation.
Joining Pence at the roundtable were Washington Governor Jay Inslee; Ken Hyatt, Deputy Under Secretary for International Trade at the U.S. Department of Commerce; Scott Nathan, Special Representative for Commercial and Business Affairs at the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs and more than a dozen American aerospace companies executives, including David Joyce, president and chief executive officer of GE Aviation; Dennis Muilenburg, president and chief operating officer of The Boeing Company; John Langford, chief executive officer of Aurora Flight Services; Raanan Horowitz, president and chief executive officer of Elbit Systems of America and George Whitesides, chief executive officer of Virgin Galactic.
“The dialogue at this presentation showcased Indiana's strengths,” said Pence. “With an Indiana business environment free of excessive regulations and sky-high expenses, our message is resonating and presents a clear, competitive advantage for creating more jobs for Hoosiers.”
Pence then attended back-to-back meetings at FIA with leading aerospace companies, including GE Aviation and Raytheon, to discuss their plans in Indiana. In the afternoon, he travelled to London to meet with major executives at Tate & Lyle and the chief executive officer of BP, Bob Dudley.
During his meeting at Tate & Lyle, Olivier Rigaud, president of the company's specialty food ingredients division, informed the governor that the British agribusiness will invest more than $90 million in its two Lafayette, Indiana operations. Tate & Lyle's three-phased expansion includes plans to increase its Lafayette Sagamore facility's modified food starch production capacity, as well as a number of improvements to increase efficiencies at its Lafayette South facility.
“Bringing jobs and investment home to Indiana is the mission of these trips, so it is always encouraging when a company like Tate & Lyle decides to help us do just that,” said Pence. “Learning what the company has in store for Indiana helps us determine what we can do to strengthen our state's foundation for growth, and, with the aid of hardworking Hoosiers in the Lafayette area, this company has a bright future ahead in the Hoosier State.”
Updates from the Governor's jobs and economic development mission, including video clips and photos, will be posted throughout the trip here: http://www.in.gov/gov/UK2014.htm
Source: The Office of Governor Mike Pence