The United States Postal Service (USPS) is awarding Anderson-based Bright Automotive Inc. a contract to develop an electric postal delivery vehicle. A standard USPS Long Life Vehicle will be retrofitted with Bright’s electric drive train and tested for one year in the Washington, D.C. area. President and Chief Executive Officer John Waters says “an electrified fleet will save the USPS millions of dollars annually, eliminate tons of emissions and reduce dependence on oil.”

ANDERSON, IN (March 5, 2010)   Bright Automotive announced today it has been awarded a contract by the United States Postal Service (USPS) to develop and test an electric postal delivery vehicle. Under the contract, Bright Automotive’s eSolutions team will retrofit a standard USPS Long Life Vehicle (LLV) with its integrated electric drive train, and place the vehicle in real-world service for one year in the Washington DC area.

Distinguished from other award recipients, Bright Automotive’s team is producing the IDEA, a purpose-built, lightweight, aerodynamic, all aluminum light commercial vehicle. Some of the same enabling technology developed on the IDEA will be directly applied to the EV propulsion conversion of the LLV. Applying the rear electric drive of the IDEA PHEV powertrain to the LLV positions Bright Automotive’s conversion with proven production-intent technology.

“We are thrilled to be working with the USPS to demonstrate how systems thinking can achieve economic solutions that reduce the cost to own and operate the USPS fleet,” said John E. Waters, CEO and President of Bright Automotive. “The adaptation of the electric drive system from our production vehicle uniquely distinguishes Bright Automotive’s LLV conversion in terms of technology, durability and cost. In addition, our analysis and experience in vehicle electrification, vehicle ownership and financing, fleet maintenance, service, and infrastructure development, has shown that an electrified fleet will save the USPS millions of dollars annually, eliminate tons of emissions, and reduce dependence on oil.”

The Bright eSolutions retrofit LLV is fully electric, uses no gasoline, and is capable of covering a high percentage of existing postal service routes. After delivery to the USPS in July 2010, the vehicle will go into service in the metro Washington DC area for at least one year. Bright eSolutions is also collaborating with a top Tier 1 automotive supplier, EDAG, Inc., another recipient of a USPS LLV conversion contract. Bright eSolutions is providing powertrain hardware and software support for two of the five contracts awarded under the program.

The USPS currently operates 142,000 LLVs, which average less than 20 miles of driving per day and have an average fuel economy of only 10 mpg.

Anderson, Indiana-based Bright Automotive is developing the first purpose-built light commercial plug-in hybrid electric vehicle for commercial and government fleets. The IDEA, scheduled for production in 2013, delivers a positive total cost of ownership to fleet customers by providing 5 to 10 times greater fuel efficiency than current fleet vehicles in its class. The IDEA operates in electric mode for 40 miles before switching to an estimated 36-mpg hybrid mode for 100+ mpg potential based on daily driving behavior. The IDEA is also an excellent choice for long-term replacement of the USPS LLV fleet, providing long life aluminum construction, improved functionality and ergonomics, larger payload and dramatic fuel efficiency improvement. Bright Automotive provides details on the IDEA at www.brightautomotive.com.

Bright Automotive is drawing on its team of seasoned automotive executives to provide technical expertise to customers through its Bright eSolutions division. Led by Nigel Francis, Bright eSolutions offers clients expert guidance and consulting on a variety of economic strategies in the field of HEV/PHEV/EV vehicle development, from EV powertrain integration and conversions, to aerodynamics and light weighting. Bright eSolutions Expertise Delivered.

Source: Bright Automotive

Anderson, Indiana 03/06/2010 Since Google announced their program to build an ultra-high speed fiber network somewhere in the US, cities have been pulling out all stops to gain Googles favor to be the place that becomes the home of this once in a lifetime opportunity. Among the cities that are courting Google for this opportunity is Anderson, Indiana. Not only is Anderson in the race, they have as good chance as any to be selected according to Mr. Darren Grille whom we spoke with today and its very easy to see why. Anderson, even with all the setbacks theyve endured, has continued to build a rich and vibrant downtown and city. Not only have they overcome the traumatic loss of General Motors, they have weathered the recent recession better then most towns their size. To say that Anderson has remained energetic and enthusiastic throughout all of this is almost an understatement. Anderson is not only the Home of Anderson University and an Ivy Tech Community College, but it also is home to the Flagship Enterprise Center and business incubator which is one of the top facilities of its kind anywhere. Anderson, Indiana also became the place where Nestle, in 2006, announced it would locate a facility to produce NESTLÉ NESQUIK Ready-to-Drink (RTD) and NESTLÉ COFFEE-MATE because of what Anderson had to offer. And there is so much more including the greening-up of areas where GM buildings once stood. There list of achievements in spit all all this enormous Does Anderson have a chance to land Google? Yes, they have a very good chance.

Follow this link:
Anderson Wants Google

PENDLETON, Ind., Jan. 27 /PRNewswire/ — Remy International, Inc. today announced it has reached a long term agreement with Allison Transmission to continue supplying Remy electric motors for the GM-Allison Hybrid EP40 and EP50 systems. The GM-Allison Hybrid EP40 and EP50 systems are the most advanced two-mode parallel hybrids for buses on the market.

Today the GM-Allison Hybrid Drive Systems with Remy electric motor technology are on the roads in over 94 cities worldwide. The EP40 and EP50 systems are infinitely variable speed hybrids that automatically choose to operate in a parallel or series hybrid path to maximize efficiency and minimize emission, fuel consumption, and noise. As public transportation needs are changing and public officials are calling for cleaner alternatives to yesterday’s public transportation choices, Remy and Allison are well positioned to deliver the intelligent solutions the market is now seeking.

The Allison-Remy long term motor supplier agreement extends through the end of 2014. Remy will continue to supply Allison with the stator housing assembly and two rotor assemblies for the EP40 and EP50 systems. Remy will continue supplying current volume levels and will increase volume with demand.

Remy CEO John Weber said, “We are proud of our relationship with Allison Transmission and are very pleased to reach this agreement extending our relationship into the future. Allison is a leader in advanced hybrid technology and we are confident that during the next five years we will together benefit from a significant increase in the demand for hybrid buses on city streets throughout the world.”

Allison Transmission Chairman and CEO Lawrence E. Dewey said, “Remy has been and continues to be the leader in electric hybrid motors. Their history of performance and reliability makes them the perfect supplier for this application. We are looking forward with Remy to a successful future in this growing market.”

Both companies are manufacturing in the United States. The Remy electric motors for the Allison systems are manufactured at the Remy Product Launch Center in Anderson, Indiana. Allison Transmission manufacturers their Hybrid Drive Systems in Indianapolis, Indiana.

With the largest hybrid motor production and testing facility in North America, Remy stands poised to provide the market with scalable solutions that are available quickly and at lower costs to help reduce dependence on fossil fuels and spur the adoption of hybrid motor technology for transportation.

About Remy International, Inc.

Remy International, Inc., headquartered in Pendleton, Indiana, is a leading global manufacturer, remanufacturer and distributor of light duty starters, alternators and hybrid power technology and Delco Remy brand heavy-duty systems. In business for over 100 years, today Remy International is actively collaborating with companies throughout the world to develop innovations that are transforming the vehicle industry. Recently, Remy International was recognized by the United States Department of Energy for its leadership role in the hybrid technologies space and awarded a $60 million grant under the Electric Drive Vehicle Battery and Component Manufacturing Initiative.

To learn more, visit the Remy brand website at www.remyinc.com.

SOURCE: Remy International, Inc.

Web site: http://www.remyinc.com/

ANDERSON, Ind. — One of the city’s many empty manufacturing plants is getting a second wind.

Plant 9, located at the intersection of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and 29th Street, once housed Guide Lamp Corp., providing hundreds of local jobs.

When the plant closed, the jobs dried up and pieces of the facility was leased to various businesses.

Now, a brand-new company is hoping to make its home in Anderson, starting with a 60,000-square-foot section of the massive property.

Titan Integrated Building Group has leased the east side of the building and expects to begin manufacturing building components in mid-March.

The business manufactures building trusses, floor systems and wall panels, emphasizing the use of wood products.

“This is a start-up operation,” general manager Casey Carey explained during a tour of the facility with city officials Monday.

Anderson Mayor Kris Ockomon met with Carey and other Titan officials, offering the city’s help in ensuring that the business is a success.

Titan co-owner Adam Olson said the business may be a start-up, but the management team has a combined 100 years of experience.

The company expects to serve residential, commercial and industrial customers, offering custom work guided by laser technology and a robotic saw.

As the company gets its start, Carey expects it will employ about 16 people, with an additional 15 hired if the company grows sufficiently in its first year.

Eventually, the company hopes to employ about 62 people, Carey said.

Ockomon was encouraged to learn that Titan plans to purchase about $1.5 million in new equipment for the location.

“It’s a significant amount of equipment to be invested in this building, let alone this community,” he said.

On Thursday, the Anderson City Council will vote on a proposed three-year equipment tax abatement for the company.

Although the home and commercial construction industry has been hit hard by the ebbs and flows of the economy, Olson is confident that the company can be a success.

“We feel that the timing is right as the economy bottoms out.”

The economic disadvantage to current housing market businesses equates to an advantage for Titan because the cost of starting a business has dropped right along with real estate prices.

“About 60 percent of our competition has dropped out,” Olson explained.

Companies fat with employees and overhead, he said, have been hit hard by the recession, and when the economy rebounds, the lean start-up company will be positioned to take full advantage, he said.

As competitors drop out of the market, Titan is given a better shot at success, he said.

“That opens the door for us,” he said.

Olson said Titan chose Anderson for its location in central Indiana.

It’s not yet clear when the company will begin hiring local workers, but Carey said they hope to begin manufacturing components in mid-March.

As the company gets set up in the shadow of Anderson’s General Motors legacy, Titan officials are excited to get the company off the ground.

“We don’t know what to expect, but we’re optimistic,” Carey said.

ANDERSON­, Ind. — An Obama administration official got a behind-the-scenes look at the cutting-edge technology that Bright Automotive wants to put on the road if it can get the federal assistance to build its plug-in hybrid van.

Teno Villarreal, special assistant for the Office of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers, spent the day in Anderson on Wednesday, finishing with a stop at the Flagship office of Bright.

Company officials told Villarreal they hoped to receive funding that would allow them to create as many as 6,000 jobs related to the Idea, Bright’s original design for a light, efficient and environmentally friendly utility van.

“Bright Automotive is all about jobs,” Lyle Shuey, vice president in charge of marketing, told Villarreal. “We’re positioned to do that as fast as we can, but we’ve been challenged with funding.”

Villarreal said he would be taking his observations back to Washington, where Bright has filed an application to secure federal loans of $450 million to begin mass production.

“It’s great technology, a great company,” Villarreal said after meeting with company officials. “There’s real excitement about the possibilities at Bright.”

Company CEO John Waters said after meeting with Villarreal that Bright would have a strategic announcement this year. “We feel like within six months we’ll have some pretty exciting announcements coming out,” he said.

Shuey discussed with Villarreal his years connected with the auto industry, starting with positions at local General Motors plants that began in the early 1990s. “We’re here for a reason,” he said, calling the area the Silicon Valley of electric vehicle technology, dating back to GM’s production of the EV-1 experimental electric car.

He touted the Idea as a vehicle that would be a homegrown, American product that would also create jobs for U.S. suppliers.

Before his visit to Bright, Villarreal got a taste of Anderson’s GM legacy when he toured local GM sites with a delegation of city economic development officials.

“We lost 25,000 employees and 8 million square feet of manufacturing space,” Economic Development Director Linda Dawson told Villarreal before the tour. “We are still left with all the property” after GM’s bankruptcy.

“It has created some problems for us,” she said. But with the growth of the Flagship Enterprise Park and the promise of Bright and other alternative-energy businesses, “We are well on our way for a tremendous recovery in Anderson.”

Villarreal said his visit marked an outreach designed to help Anderson understand how Washington might be able to help the community, and to help Washington understands the community’s needs.

“Our office really acts as an intermediary. We’re a red-tape cutter,” Villarreal said, between local communities hurt by the decline of the auto industry and federal agencies that can offer assistance.

Anderson-based Bright Automotive’s prototype vehicle, the Idea, is a plug-in hybrid utility van designed from the ground up as a fleet vehicle that can achieve gasoline efficiency of up to 100 miles per gallon.

ANDERSON — If local businessman Pete Bitar has his way, January 2009’s “Miracle on the Hudson” will be a one-time occurrence.

On Thursday, Bitar was informed his Anderson company, Xtreme Alternative Defense Systems, would receive a contract from the Air Force for its green-laser technology designed to keep birds away from airport runways.

The advancements could help pilots avoid potential disasters caused when birds get sucked into jet engines, Bitar said, such as the case last year when a flight went down in the Hudson River in New York City after hitting a flock of birds.

“It’s on people’s minds and it’s a compelling topic,” Bitar said. “It’s like our technology is solving headline problems. That’s pretty cool to be able to be in that kind of a game.”

XADS has been developing the green-laser technology to scare away birds near airports while maintaining pilot safety. In September, Bitar applied for a Small Business Innovation Research contract with the U.S. Department of Defense, which issued a solicitation for such technology.

In a message to Bitar on Thursday, the Air Force SBIR office said his proposal had been selected as one the Air Force expected to award but that any award was “subject to successful negotiations between our contracting division and your firm and to the availability of funds.”

The contract would be the fourth one awarded to XADS since 2002, when an SBIR contract allowed Bitar to start the company.

“It’s just the step before the contract,” Bitar said. “There’s not really much negotiation. It is a contract, but it’s treated sort of like a grant. The SBIR process does require you to deliver certain things along the way.”

SBIR contracts usually award companies about $100,000 for Phase I, which encompasses concept design. If chosen for a Phase II contract, SBIR would pay up to $750,000 for prototype development, Bitar said.

Indiana’s SBIR program automatically matches SBIR contracts awards to state businesses, giving XADS up to $200,000 to continue its work on the lasers.

“Having the state money come into the mix allows us to build some things and strengthen them,” Bitar said. “Our hope is to get everything operational by this summer.”

In the solicitation for SBIR contract proposals, the Air Force asked for a non-lethal system to deter birds from airports and military bases.

“Every year bird-strikes to aircraft, both military and civilian, cause millions of dollars of damage and in some instances, loss of human life,” the solicitation says. “Additionally, damage in and around facilities and aircraft where birds nest and congregate costs millions of dollars in the man-hours needed for bird prevention and clean-up. A cost-effective system is needed to effectively repel birds away from the areas that could result in aircraft/facility damage.”

Solutions offered by companies were asked to detect birds flying into areas where there was potential for collisions with aircraft and repel them using a non-lethal form of directed energy.

XADS’ solution to the bird problem involves using green lasers to scare away the birds, along with censors and steering mechanisms to shield an airport’s runway area without reflecting into pilots’ eyes.

Bitar said the lasers could be turned on by airport towers or by pilot radio controls. The lasers also could turn on automatically when a bird is detected in the area. The lasers would temporarily impair the birds.

“Birds just kind of freak out for the green lights,” he said. “We’ve done a lot of research over the last three years in terms of the experimentation with birds. They hate green laser light. I steered a whole flock of crows with a small green laser away from the area.

“There are other companies that have talked about green laser products for anti-bird applications, but they’ve never put it all together with airport applications.”

Bitar said the technology first would be used for military purposes before being moved into commercial applications, and he was excited that Anderson Municipal Airport could be the first to use such technology.

The Air Force “really wants to push it toward commercialization as quickly as possible,” Bitar said. “I think they would be ecstatic about us getting it into civilian markets sooner than later.”

Flagship Enterprise Center President Chuck Staley said he couldn’t think of any other Madison County businesses that had been awarded SBIR contracts. Staley regularly encourages Flagship clients to apply for the awards.

“They’re difficult to obtain,” he said. “It requires a lot of work, a lot of persistence. Pete does the well. He has very creative ideas that I think are relevant.”

Contact Aleasha Sandley: 640-4805, aleasha.sandley@heraldbulletin.com.

Pendleton, IN (January 19, 2010) – Remy International, Inc. today announced it is supplying Daimler with the Remy HVH™ electric motor used in the 2010 Mercedes-Benz ML450 Hybrid recently released to the United States market.

Remy CEO John Weber said, “Daimler has proven to be a strong partner and we are proud to have our HVH electric motors in the new ML450 Hybrid. Like Remy, the Mercedes brand has represented excellence in quality and design for a century. We look forward to many more years of innovative collaboration with Daimler as we seek to continually improve upon our successful pasts.”

The ML450 Hybrid, using Remy HVH electric motor technology, works together with a 3.5-liter V6 engine to attain improved fuel efficiency over comparably powered sports utility vehicles– or when needed, provide the acceleration of a powerful V8. Around town, the ML450 Hybrid can operate as a zero-emission vehicle when powered by its electric drive alone. Using a modified Atkinson cycle for maximum fuel efficiency, the V6 engine kicks in when needed and when accelerating on a freeway entrance ramp for example, the electric drive and combustion engine work together for a total of 335 horsepower.

Remy’s advanced motor technology contributes greatly to the Mercedes ML450 Hybrid’s performance and efficiency. The ML450 Hybrid will perform like a V8 consuming fuel like a 4-cylinder and can travel as fast as 35 mph while operating in full electric mode. Fuel consumption and emissions are down nearly 60 percent compared to similarly powered vehicles like the ML550.

Remy will be supplying two HVH electric motors per vehicle. The ML450 Hybrid will use the Remy HVH electric motors to provide drive and generation functions. These motors have the highest power and torque density on the market today and are a perfect fit for the ML450 which needed to decrease the transmission size to aid efficiency. The first motor is positioned close to the internal combustion engine and is used both as a motor and generator, providing over 80 hp to assist the drivetrain or charge the vehicle battery. The second motor located at the output end of the transmission generates 80 hp and 192 lb-ft of torque and is tuned for maximum electric drive performance plus recovery of regenerative braking energy to the battery.

The Remy HVH motors for the Mercedes ML450 Hybrid will be manufactured at Remy’s manufacturing plant in Mezokovesd, Hungary. And the Mercedes ML450 Hybrid will be produced at the Mercedes manufacturing plant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Remy recently announced the Remy HVH250™ which is an advanced electric motor for hybrid and electric applications based on Remy’s patented High Voltage Hairpin (HVH) technology. The HVH technology provides dramatically improved motor performance and cooling effectiveness. The world-class torque and power density allows for increased range in all-electric drive mode and the potential for a smaller internal combustion engine. These factors and more led Daimler to choose Remy’s HVH electric motor technology.

For more details about the HVH250™ Series electric motors visit the Remy website at: http://www.remyinc.com/hvh.asp.

About Remy International, Inc.
Remy International, Inc., headquartered in Pendleton, Indiana, is a leading global manufacturer, remanufacturer and distributor of light duty starters, alternators and hybrid power technology and Delco Remy brand heavy-duty systems. In business for over 100 years, today Remy International is actively collaborating with companies throughout the world to develop innovations that are transforming the vehicle industry. Recently, Remy International was recognized by the United States Department of Energy for its leadership role in the hybrid technologies space and awarded a $60 million grant under the Electric Drive Vehicle Battery and Component Manufacturing Initiative.

To learn more, visit the Remy brand website at www.remyinc.com.

— ANDERSON — A $2.7 million stimulus grant could bring new jobs to the local area.
On Monday, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke announced that the Economic Development
Administration, or EDA, has awarded a $2.7 million grant to the Flagship Enterprise Center and the
city of Anderson.
The grant is funded by stimulus dollars and will be used to build a second accelerator building for
start-up companies.
“This grant will help create new jobs and boost private investment in the Anderson region by building
a facility that will house early-stage businesses that are working to establish themselves in the
community,” Locke said.
Charles Staley, president and CEO of the Flagship, said the grant came at just the right time. “Timing
of the grant could not be better. The Flagship is at near full occupancy and we are having ongoing
discussions with potential investors and companies that match our areas of experience.”
The Flagship’s current 70,000-square-foot accelerator building is at capacity with the company
Altairnano, according to Anderson Director of Economic Development Linda Dawson.
The grant will be used toward the construction of a second building, she said, which will attract more
businesses to Anderson, with the promise of new jobs.
Staley said the project will cost $4.1 million and the Flagship will secure a 10-year loan in the amount
of $724,000 to help with the cost.
The city of Anderson has designated $900,000 for the project.
Though no companies have yet signed on to occupy the new building once completed, Staley said the
Flagship will look to fill the compound with companies aimed at developing new technology and
alternative energy sources.
The new facility will be located on 73rd Street between the railroad crossing and the Nestlé plant,
Staley said.
Staley said the new building will spur the creation of about 100 construction jobs and 150 to 400
primary jobs during the first five-year cycle.
Dawson estimated that 1,000 to 2,000 spin-off jobs would be created among area businesses tapped
to contract with the new companies located at the new facility.
The Flagship has an emphasis on attracting companies that create alternative energy or new
technology, Dawson said.
The Flagship shows no signs of slowing down, according to Dawson. “When you consider the recent
excitement about alternative energy and the demand the public is going to put on businesses to
deliver alternative energy products, that demand is right exactly in the scope of what the Flagship is
all about.”
Contact Brandi Watters: 640-4847, brandi.watters@heraldbulletin.com

ANDERSON — In a 45-day whirlwind, the building at 516 Meridian St. transformed from an empty shell to a full-fledged casket manufacturing plant as Anderson company C.J. Boots Casket Co. moved into its new home.  As company owner Chris Boots put it, “Moving a casket company is quite the undertaking.”

After outgrowing its 20,000-square-foot facility on 38th Street, C.J. Boots Casket Co. began looking for other space, finding the 43,000-square-foot downtown building at the beginning of August. The company moved into its new digs the first week of November and started production there the next week.

“It’s been amazing,” Boots said. “The support from the local businesses and contributors made it helpful.”

The new building had the right price and its layout was conducive to Boots’ business flow, he said. It will allow the company to expand production, particularly on its lines of green, oversized and entry-level hardwood caskets, and eventually to hire more workers.

“We hope to be able to build our business in such a way that we can create more jobs and more opportunities for the city of Anderson for years to come,” Boots said.

The new casket plant at the corner of Fifth and Meridian streets was once a Ford dealership, a distribution center, a skating rink and a dance studio, said C.J. Boots Vice President of Marketing and Merchandising Jim Rogers. Workers spent long days, nights and weekends remodeling it to fit the casket company’s needs.

“They worked very, very hard to make this happen in a short amount of time,” Boots said. “All of the roads led to Fifth and Meridian.”

The company’s new offices have plush navy carpet and warm tan walls, and the production plant is separated into stations, where each casket is handmade in a series of steps. It takes about 34 hours to finish one casket, Rogers said.

“We’re into lean manufacturing,” he said. “You won’t see a ton of caskets sitting around. Everything we do comes from raw lumber. We do everything in-house.”

The caskets are made from lumber, 80 percent of which comes from Indiana. Each casket is handmade from its wooden exterior to its fabric interior, which can be customized with embroidered or photo panels. Rogers recalled one casket made for a young boy with cancer that had an interior made from Indiana Pacers jerseys and a logo of the Fishers Police Department painted on the outside.

The company has made about 20,000 caskets in its 10 years in business. It ships caskets around Indiana and to 14 other states.

Boots said he wanted to keep the company in Anderson because all of its employees live there.

“We’re glad to say that a casket company can help bring more life to downtown Anderson,” he said.

By Aleasha Sandley, Herald Bulletin Staff Writer

Contact Aleasha Sandley: 640-4805, aleasha.sandley@heraldbulletin.com.

ANDERSON — Alternative energy companies were at the top of local economic development representatives’ lists when they took a two-week-long trip to China and Korea to build relationships with businesses there.Anderson Economic Development Director Linda Dawson and Board of Works Chairman Greg Graham joined Anderson/Madison County Corporation for Economic Development Director Rob Sparks on the trip, in which they came in contact with nearly 80 companies that could eventually build in the Midwest.

Dawson said 80 percent of the companies the group called on were involved in alternative energy, including batteries, hybrid electric vehicles and solar and wind power. The other 20 percent, she said, were companies that had expressed interest in the United States for their distribution and manufacturing facilities.

The group also visited with investment firms in Beijing, as well as consulting firms and an attorney to try to bridge cultural and financial gaps between business in China and in the United States, Graham said.

“We want to start a global advisory group…that can assist us and assist the companies that are wanting to come here,” Dawson said.

To that end, the officials also made a stop at the U.S. embassy in China to try and find out how they could ease the process by which Chinese business people receive visas to visit sites in Anderson.

Finally, Graham signed a document recognizing Anderson’s sister-city relationship with the Yuhang District in the Chinese city of Hangzhou. Yuhang’s district head also signed the document.

The trip, Dawson said, was productive and busy.

“These aren’t junkets,” she said. “They’re really grueling. Prior to us going on these trips, we try to establish some rapport with these companies.”

While many Asian companies locate their U.S. operations on the West Coast because of proximity and a larger population of people of Asian descent, they are becoming interested in the Midwest because of its low cost of living and location in the middle of the country for quick shipping. The alternative energy companies are particularly interested in Anderson, Dawson said, because of its automotive history.

“That’s where the future is,” she said. “That’s where Anderson’s forte is. Our labor force is abundant with electrical engineers. Our work force talks the same language that these alternative energy companies do.”

Sparks spent much of his time in Asia selling not only Anderson, but Madison County and the east central Indiana region.

“Everything we sell is regional,” he said. “It’s kind of getting people across the world to know where we’re at. You do a lot of door-knocking before you get somebody to answer.”

That’s why both the city Economic Development Department and CED will continue focusing on Asia for future trips. The most recent trip cost about $8,000 per person — with more than a third of the cost coming from CED — but the cost is necessary to continue local economic development representatives’ focus on Asia, specifically Korea and China.

“We’re really starting to understand where we’re going to focus our efforts and our energies,” Sparks said. “I think it really is becoming clear this trip. There is value in building relationships.”

Discontinuing trips to China and Korea would be detrimental to efforts to build relationships with companies there, Dawson said.

“They know you’re serious and you’re going to help them through the process of locating here,” she said. “There’s a different set of criteria that Asian companies use, and a major one is relationships. With American companies, it focuses strictly on the bottom dollar.”

Mayor Kris Ockomon is dedicated to the city’s global attraction program, Dawson said, although economic development officials might have to review and more clearly define its goals for future trips because of a city budget crisis.

“You can’t create jobs without marketing your city,” she said. “We feel like we have to get the biggest bang for our money.”

Sparks said both CED and the city likely will spend the same amount of money next year as they did this year for economic development travels.

“Our hope is the use of our time and the use of the funds are going to pay dividends in our community,” he said.

By Aleasha Sandley, Herald Bulletin Staff Writer