CHICAGO – Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich today commended four Illinois businesses on their tremendous success during a recent state-led foreign trade mission to India that generated more than $14 million in sales for the companies. The Governor highlighted the efforts of Gundlach, a crushing technologies firm based in Belleville, which parlayed 45 one-on-one interviews with potential Indian partner companies into $1.5 million in pending new sales. The trip to India marked the latest in a series of foreign trade missions to countries across the globe designed to match Illinois companies with business opportunities abroad, and comes as a part of Opportunity Returns, the Governor’s comprehensive, regional economic development strategy designed to create jobs and spur economic growth throughout the state.
“I’m thrilled to welcome these firms home and congratulate them on their tremendous success. Each of them demonstrated the ingenuity and enterprising spirit that is responsible for building Illinois’ reputation as a leading-edge state in which to do business,” Gov. Blagojevich said. “India is home to a wealth of talented, sophisticated firms turning to the international marketplace to meet its diverse needs for goods and services. Leading this trade mission was an excellent way to introduce Illinois companies to the near limitless opportunities this market offers and help them forge lasting partnerships that can result in major business growth here at home. The success of Gundlach, and the other firms on this trip, is another example of how Illinois companies are proving they can compete and thrive on the global stage, and we’ll continue looking for innovative ways to open up new doors to help them do so.”
The trade mission was led by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity’s Office of Trade and Investment (OTI). Through the efforts of the OTI at home and abroad, the companies had various appointments with viable business partners in India. With the assistance of local chambers, associations and the U.S. Commercial Service, the OTI set up a total of 139 meetings for the four Illinois companies in Mumbai, New Delhi and Bangalore. All companies were impressed by the quality of the meetings and the structure of the entire mission.
“I know of no other organization, public or private, which could have set up such an excellent and effective schedule. The trade mission programs are a definite ‘best value’ for Illinois companies, especially for small companies such as ours,” said Gundlach Vice President Rick Dreyer.
“This is a great example of how Gov. Blagojevich’s economic development strategy to open up markets across the globe is paying impressive economic dividends for companies like Gundlach and others across the state,” State Senator James Clayborne (D-East St. Louis) said.
“Gov. Blagojevich and I are committed to helping fine companies like Gundlach find opportunities in India and in many other countries around the world. By playing this critical role of economic matchmaker abroad, we are creating more good jobs at home,” State Rep. Thomas Holbrook (D-Belleville) said.
The four Illinois companies that participated on the trade mission reported a total of $14.4 million in sales with an estimated $22.7 million in additional sales coming over the next year.
“The one-on-one consultations each of these firms had with Indian companies provided a highly efficient and effective way of reaching new clients and growing their businesses. Gov. Blagojevich understands the importance of opening new markets for Illinois businesses and, as the impressive sales generated on this trip demonstrate, these trade missions offer tremendous opportunities for Illinois companies to build fruitful partnerships all over the world,” DCEO Director Jack Lavin said.
Gov. Blagojevich’s Opportunity Returns regional economic development strategy is the most aggressive, comprehensive approach to creating jobs in Illinois’ history. Since a one-size-fits-all approach to economic development just doesn’t work, the Governor has divided the state into 10 regions – each with a regional team that is empowered and expected to rapidly respond to opportunities and challenges. Opportunity Returns is about tangible, specific actions to make each region more accessible, more marketable, more entrepreneurial and more attractive to businesses. It is about upgrading the skills of the local workforce, increasing the access to capital, opening new markets, improving infrastructure, and creating and retaining jobs. Opportunity Returns is about successfully partnering with companies and communities, both large and small, to help all of Illinois reach its economic potential.