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Australian Trade Mission, February 2011 Day 3

Day 3 started bright and early with back to back breakfasts in Melbourne.  The first appointment was a husband and wife power couple in the biotech industry – both CEOs of different companies.  We discussed potential research trials to be conducted by IU in minority populations as well as potential operations in Indy.  (One firm has a small office in North Carolina they are open to relocating).  The rest of the appointments on days 3 & 4 were very focused on manufacturing.  As the economy continues to thrive in Australia, inflation (the TV was advertising a “low” 7.13% home mortgage interest rate) and the high cost of doing business is motivating companies to diversify their manufacturing.  Interesting how the Middle East unrest has reminded the CEOs I met with to max their Chinese production at 33% overall capacity.  Continue Reading

Australia Trade Mission, February 2011 Days 1 & 2

We arrived in Melbourne after 27 hours total travel time on Sunday afternoon.  On my 14 hour last leg I sat next to Ben, a physical therapist from Pittsburgh who was traveling to visit his Australian girlfriend. Hopefully Ben & I will both be successful in our “Foreign Direct Investment” efforts as  he convinces his lady to establish her HQ in the States as I secure HQs of the job creating kind. Quake Pletcher with Hoosier Oncology Group arrived safely too but unfortunately his clothes decided everything IS bigger in Texas and stayed in Dallas.  Although his flip flops & bright red IU ball cap were quite dashing we decided it wasn’t AusBiotech presenter attire  so after our orientation lunch reviewing the week’s schedule Quake and I proceeded to walk up hill and yonder to find a department store.  Two young ladies casually smoking cigarettes outside a mall directed us to Myers Department store where a total of 4 lovely sales reps helped us convert European sizes & outfit Mr. Pletcher.   After a thankfully quick cab ride back with a cabbie who really missed India and told us all the 40 reasons why he misses India we met the rest of the delegation to walk back to the mall to eat dinner.  Ironically as we entered the mall….yes the exact same two ladies were casually sitting outside smoking.   We attempted to eat dinner at NoBos a restaurant that Robert Deniro owns but is was a ” no go” because apparently it is reservation only.  So we ate at Spice Cafe a Chinese restaurant where the food was so spicy I drank two gallons of water & completely cleansed my sinuses.  The oddest courses were peanuts served in black vinegar  with cilantro & a salad with pea-pods, quail eggs & I do hope  the soggy strips were bamboo shoots. Continue Reading

An update on company expansions/relocations

February 2011
By:  Scott Miller, CEO, Develop Indy

An update on company expansions/relocations
You’ve likely heard that 2010 was a record year for new business development in Indy. Our city was able to attract more new job commitments than in any other year in the past decade. Throughout the year, we announced the numerous companies that were planning to expand or relocate to Indianapolis. While I can’t cover them all, I wanted to give you an update on a handful of them—their successes are proof that Indy is a great place to do business and progress in your career.
 
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Dallara: Speeding Toward Future Growth

He started with just five employees and the simple goal of getting closer to the driver. Now, he’s opening his first operations in North American and plans to add 80 employees to this facility alone. He is Gian Paolo Dallara, founder of Dallara Automobili and one of Indy’s newest employers.

Dallara, a world-renowned Italian automobile design and engineering company, and locally-owned Indy Racing Experience have joined their teams to develop a new technology center—complete with an automotive production area, quality control and technical sections, an engineering center, an interactive area, a restaurant and a state-of-the-art driving simulator—worth more than $7 million to the Speedway and Indy motorsports communities.

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Indianapolis Visit From Mayor of Hyderabad, India

Indy establishing partnerships with Indian city

By:  Courtney Zaugg

You may have seen in the news that Indianapolis hosted Mayor Banda Karthika Reddy of Hyderabad, India, last week. And you may wonder what Hyderabad – if you’ve ever heard of it – has to do with Indianapolis.

A lot, actually.

Indy and Hyderabad share some common industry focuses and, as Indianapolis strives to become more of a global city, it’s imperative that we have partnerships with governments and businesses around the world. India is an emerging market that is projected to show steady growth in the years ahead, particularly in IT, life sciences and agriculture—three global industries vitally important to Hoosiers. Continue Reading