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VIENNA, Austria (May 23, 2018) – Governor Eric. J. Holcomb and First Lady Janet Holcomb met with Austrian businesses and government officials today in Vienna to thank them for their commitment to Indiana’s economy and Hoosier jobs and to pitch the state as a destination for continued international investment.
“Touring Fronius’s global headquarters and learning about their apprenticeship and workforce development programs was eye-opening, especially as we’re realigning our workforce efforts in Indiana,” said First Lady Holcomb. “We’re glad Fronius is thriving in Portage and look forward to seeing their next big innovations.”
Indiana is home to 12 Austrian business establishments, including Danzer North America, Emarsys North America, Fronius USA, Red Bull Distribution and Voestalpine. Trade between Indiana and Austria reached more than $230 million last year, with the largest exchanges occuring in pharmaceuticals, machinery, chemicals, and semiconductors and electronic components.
Yesterday, First Lady Holcomb, Mrs. Bosma and Mrs. Long traveled to Sattledt, Austria, to visit the world headquarters of Fronius. The company specializes in three main areas: welding technology, solar energy and battery charging. In 2011, Fronius USA relocated its North American headquarters from Michigan to Portage, Indiana, where it now develops manufacturing capacities to meet global demand for solar electronic inverters and welding technology.
Today, Gov. Holcomb, Secretary Schellinger, Speaker Bosma and Sen. Long joined the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (WKO) for a breakfast with its executive members to discuss opportunities to grow collaboration, investment and trade between Indiana and Austria. WKO is the parent of nine Austrian state chambers and more than 100 trade associations. During the event, the delegation met with chamber representatives and business executives to highlight the benefits of doing business in the Hoosier state.
The governor, secretary and legislative leadership also met with Austrian government officials in Vienna to foster international collaboration through mutual interests in economic development, education and workforce training, and innovation. Gov. Holcomb met with Director General Bernadette Gierlinger of the Austrian Federal Ministry for Digital and Economic Affairs as well as Deputy Foreign Minister and Secretary-General Michael Linhart of the Austrian Federal Ministry for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs.
Today’s meetings in Vienna are part of Gov. Holcomb’s sixth international economic development trip this week in Europe. So far, the governor and delegation have met with U.S. Embassy officials in the Czech Republic, established partnerships to advance economic development and defense relations in Slovakia, and visited major Indiana employers in Switzerland. Today, the delegation will travel to Berlin to meet with government officials and business executives in Germany, which is the state’s second-largest foreign direct investor by number of companies.
Indiana is home to more than 450 European business establishments that provide approximately 113,900 jobs for Hoosiers across the state. Nearly 60 percent of Indiana’s more than 190,900 jobs supported by foreign direct investment can be attributed to European firms.
