COLUMBUS (September 8, 2004)-Governor Bob Taft today announced that 73 representatives from 60 companies and organizations throughout Ohio will participate in the Ohio Business and Investment Mission to Japan and Taiwan, September 24 – October 3, 2004. This is the largest number of mission participants in Ohio’s history.
“I am pleased that this year’s mission has generated such a high level of interest among Ohio businesses, organizations and universities looking to establish or strengthen relationships with Japan and Taiwan,” said Taft. “Our past missions have laid the foundation for millions of dollars in new business and foreign investments, as well as many new jobs, in the State of Ohio. That this is our largest delegation speaks to the success of our previous missions and signifies the importance of our relationships with Japan and Taiwan.”
Ohio business representatives will participate in business meetings and networking events designed to maximize their opportunities for success in Japan and Taiwan. While in Japan, the mission itinerary includes attendance at the 2004 Annual Conference of the Midwest U.S. Japan Association and the BioJapan 2004 tradeshow. Governor Taft will also present a keynote speech at a luncheon for the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan. In Taiwan, Governor Taft and mission participants will meet with key business officials, as well as host a reception honoring alumni of Ohio colleges and universities living in Taiwan.
Goals for the Ohio Business and Investment Mission to Japan and Taiwan include:
- Identifying companies interested in investing in Ohio;
- Promoting Ohio exports;
- Encouraging research and development collaborations between universities and organizations;
- Building educational, social and cultural exchanges.
In 2003, Ohio companies exported $1.1 billion in goods to Japan, the fourth largest export market for the State of Ohio. Japan is also Ohio’s largest single-country source of foreign direct investment, with more than 300 facilities employing nearly 70,000 Ohioans. Taiwan is one of Ohio’s top 20 export markets and a growing source of advanced technology collaborations. Among Ohio’s exports to Japan and Taiwan are industrial machinery, aerospace equipment, plastics and motor vehicles.
The Ohio Business and Investment Mission to Japan and Taiwan will be Governor Taft’s fifth international business mission, and the second time he will lead a delegation to Japan. The Governor’s previous missions -- Mexico, Europe, South America and Japan – have resulted in more than $473 million in projected new business and investment and 1,395 new jobs.
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Editor’s Note: A list of mission participants is attached.
Contact: Jennifer Bartko (614-466-4133) or Bill Teets (614-466-2382), Ohio Department of Development, or Orest Holubec, Governor’s Office, at 614-644-0957.
Company/Organization City County
ACAP, Ltd. Findlay Hancock
Allen Economic Development Group Lima Allen
Battelle Memorial Institute Columbus Franklin
Betco Corporation Toledo Lucas
Cinergy Corp., Cincinnati Gas & Electric Company Cincinnati Hamilton
Cleveland Clinic Foundation Shaker Heights Cuyahoga
COMPEX Lewis Center Delaware
Corna/Kokosing Construction Company Westerville Delaware
Denison University Granville Licking
Diagnostic Hybrids, Inc. Athens Athens
Diamond Export Company, Inc. Albany Athens
Ernst & Young Columbus Franklin
Farmers Ethanol LLC Adamsville Muskingum
The University of Findlay Findlay Hancock
The Findlay Publishing Company Findlay Hancock
Fifth Third Bank Cincinnati Hamilton
Findlay-Hancock County Chamber of Commerce Findlay Hancock
Findlay-Hancock County Community Development Findlay Hancock
Foundation
City of Findlay Findlay Hancock
Frost Brown Todd LLC Cincinnati Hamilton
Global HealthPath LLC Dublin Franklin
Global Recovery Group, LLC Columbus Franklin
Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce Cincinnati Hamilton
Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce Columbus Franklin
Greenebaum, Doll and McDonald PLLC Cincinnati Hamilton
Hahn Loeser + Parks LLC Cleveland Cuyahoga
Honda of America Mfg. Marysville Delaware
JPMorgan Chase & Co. Dayton Montgomery
Kent State University Kent Portage
LaSalle Bank Cincinnati Hamilton
City of Lima Lima Allen
Liquid Crystal Institute Kent Portage
Marion CAN DO! Marion Marion
Masuda Funai Eifert & Mitchell, Ltd. Cincinnati Hamilton
Molecular Research Center, Inc. Cincinnati Hamilton
Morgan Carbon Fostoria Hancock
Neace Lukens Columbus Franklin
New Bremen Economic Development New Bremen Auglaize
Village of New Bremen New Bremen Auglaize
Ohio Bankers League Columbus Franklin
Ohio Corn Marketing Program Marion Marion
Ohio University Athens Athens
OMERIS, Inc. Columbus Franklin
The Ohio State University Columbus Franklin
Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals Mason Warren
Paraxel International, Inc. Cincinnati Hamilton
Patheon Inc. Cincinnati Hamilton
Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP Columbus Franklin
The J.M. Smucker Co. Orville Wayne
Stirling Technology, Inc. Athens Athens
STERIS Corporation Mentor Lake
Sunpower, Inc. Athens Athens
Taft, Stettinius & Hollister LLP Cincinnati Hamilton
Team NEO Brecksville Cuyahoga
Treemen Industries Inc. Boardman Mahoning
Troy Development Council / Dayton Development Troy Montgomery
Council
Value Recovery Group Columbus Franklin
Vita-Mix Corporation n Olmstead Falls
