NEWSLETTER ARTICLES
May 1, 2010One Region One Economy One Voice
Economic development activity is even stronger in May, with 28 active projects, than it was in April. The continuing economic recovery remains a challenge though as companies hesitate to make final site location decisions. I’m not sure there has ever been a period of time in recent history where companies perform the necessary due diligence for a project and then delay the decision. As Southwest Indiana remains in the final group for two of Indiana’s largest economic development projects, our optimism is high.
Sometimes you just need to speak out for balance as has been the case in the continued scrutiny of Toyota. Toyota’s economic impact on Southwest Indiana has been significant and their responsiveness to quality issues has been, in my opinion, remarkably fast and unprecedented for U.S. automotive companies. In fact, their open communication with customers has taken viral social media to a new level. If you haven’t seen the YouTube video for the new Sienna minivan manufactured in Princeton, here it is and it is very, very funny. In two weeks, the video has two million views: Toyota Sienna.
In response to Fiat-Chrysler’s recent announcement that none of their first three new vehicles manufactured for the U.S. market will be made in our country, I got mad and shot off a letter-to-the-editor at Automotive News. Much to my surprise, they actually printed it. Though a firm believer in the free market system, it bothered me that the U.S. government could give a company $7 billion and not one new product slated for our shores will be made in this country. View Letter
Greg Wathen, APR
President & CEO
