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Dear Friends: In August, 2008 the Indiana Economic Development Corporation has established an office in London, United Kingdom. Indiana has enjoyed a close partnership with the United Kingdom and Europe for many years. More than 148,000 Indiana workers are employed by approximately 500 international companies, including more than 86,000 employees involved in international manufacturing companies. Indiana’s key investment partners include Japan, the United Kingdom, Germany and France. Some 70 companies from the United Kingdom – including BP, Rolls-Royce, Tomkins, BAE Systems, Rexam, GKN and others – have chosen Indiana for their plants. U.K. companies employ nearly 26,700 Indiana residents and have invested almost $6.1 billion in the state – placing Indiana sixth among U.S. states for U.K. investment. The Rolls-Royce aviation facility in Indianapolis, for example, is the company’s largest manufacturing facility outside of the United Kingdom, employing more than 4,000 workers. U.K. investment in Indiana continues to grow. In 2006, British Petroleum committed to invest $3 billion in upgrading its Whiting, Ind., oil refinery – one of that year’s biggest European investments in America. The United Kingdom also is Indiana’s third largest export market. Indiana exports to the U.K. now approach $1.9 billion annually and ranks 9th in the U.S. Indiana ranks first in the nation in production jobs created, second in the nation in the total number of jobs created, and second in R&D job created by international investment, according to a 2007 report by IBM’s PLI-Global Location Strategies service. In July, 2008 for the first time in the state’s history, Indiana’s credit rating has been raised to AAA, the highest rating by the independent credit rating agency Standard& Poor’s Ratings Service (S&P). We would like to extend a personal invitation to visit Indiana and to experience firsthand all that the state has to offer. We hope Indiana’s presence in the United Kingdom will add to this history of partnership and success by strengthening existing relationships and building new ones. |
 “As we researched potential locations to grow our company, it became apparent that Indiana values the life sciences and health industry. We are eager to leverage the assets available in the state and introduce our technologies to the global market.”
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