Indiana Lt. Governor and Governor-elect Eric Holcomb will lead an Indiana delegation to the United Kingdom in December, marking his first international jobs and economic development trade mission. The U.K. is Indiana’s largest European investor and second-largest global investor following Japan.
“My administration will work hard to foster relationships with job creators and government leaders in the U.K. and new markets worldwide and build upon the strong partnerships from which Hoosiers have already benefited,” said Gov.-elect Holcomb. “Here in Indiana, we are proud to boast an international economy in which nearly 800 foreign-owned businesses currently operate. International firms continue to choose to locate and grow in Indiana because of our low-cost, low-tax, limited-regulation climate, and today those businesses support 152,000 jobs for hardworking Hoosiers. We have a strong record, and I will tirelessly continue the momentum in the years to come.”
During the trip, the Governor-elect will meet with government officials in London as well as potential investors in Indiana’s top sectors, including advanced manufacturing, aerospace and defense, agribusiness, life sciences, logistics and technology. He will also meet with executives of U.K. companies that operate in Indiana, including senior directors from Rolls-Royce, whose chief executive visited Indianapolis in September and invited the Lt. Governor to visit the company’s U.K. headquarters.
Indiana is home to more than 60 U.K.-based business facilities that employ 31,800 Hoosiers across the state, including Rolls-Royce, BAE Systems, Tate and Lyle, BP, GKN Sinter Metals and Texmo Precision Castings. Additionally, roughly 20 Indiana-headquartered firms support facilities in the U.K., including Eli Lilly, Berry Plastics, Cummins and Zimmer Biomet. Indiana exported nearly $1.24 billion of Hoosier-built products to the U.K. in 2015.
The trade mission is scheduled as U.K.-based job creators are committing to invest in Indiana. Since 2009, U.K.-owned businesses have announced plans to invest more than $852 million to locate or expand in Indiana, creating more than 1,260 new Hoosier jobs.
The delegation, which will include Indiana Secretary of Commerce Victor Smith and Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) staff, will depart Indiana on Dec. 3 and return Dec. 7. The cost of the state delegation is being covered through private donations to the Indiana Economic Development Foundation.
