November 2010
Welcome to the latest update from Invest in America, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s program to promote foreign direct investment to the United States This monthly update is meant to provide a few quick points highlighting some activities of Invest in America.
Invest in America Outreach
Invest in America will participate in:
- U.S. Cleantech Trade and Investment Mission to Lyon, France and Brussels, Belgium, November 29 through December 4, 2010
- Invest in America, Zurich, Switzerland, November 30, 2010
- Growing the U.S. Market, Milan and Turin, Italy, December 1-2, 2010
- Going Global to Grow Local: Tools, Trends, and Best Practices in FDI, Webinar, December 8
- International Association of Exhibitions & Events – Annual Meeting, New Orleans, Louisiana, December 9, 2010
Recent Invest in America participation:
- China Overseas Investment Fair, Beijing, China, November 3, 2010 (Exhibitors; Seminar: 2-4pm, Conference Room B, followed by a reception)
- The U.S.-China Business Federations Cooperation Forum, Washington, D.C., November 10,
- APEC Green Showcase in Green Device 2010, Makuhari, Japan, November 10-12, 2010
- The U.S.-China Pharmaceutical Industry Summit on Healthcare and Innovation, Washington, D.C., November 18, 2010
Reports of Note
KPMG and the U.S.-India Business Council have published a report, U.S. India Business: Advancing the Bi-hemispheric Partnership, which highlights the cooperative nature of the U.S.-Indian business relationship, and in particular Indian FDI in the U.S. According to the KMPG report, Indian firms invested $26 billion in the U.S. between 2004 and 2009, creating 55,000 jobs. The report also identifies Indian immigrants as an important source of innovation in the U.S. According to a Duke study, between 1995 and 2005, 26% of all startups in the U.S. were founded by Indian immigrants, generating $14 billion in revenue and 117,000 jobs. This report is especially relevant in light of President Barack Obama’s recent state visit to India.
The Organization for International Investment recently published its first half 2010 Greenfield Insourcing Projects, which reveals that green energy greenfield investments rose dramatically during the first six months of 2010, accounting for nearly 30% of all greenfield investment. These investments, totaling $9.6 billion, created 14,000 new U.S. jobs.
Firms choosing to engage in “re-shoring” or “backshoring,” which entails bringing operations back to the U.S. from overseas, is again making headlines as California-based ET Water announced this month that it is moving the manufacture of its smart irrigation controllers to California from China. ET Water hopes to improve production quality and product development in addition to reducing tariff costs. In Deloitte Debates: Bring Manufacturing Jobs Home!, from November 2009, Deloitte lays out the debate about re-shoring, highlighting the increase in efficiency and quality as well as even cost savings that drive firms to move production back to the United States.
Data
- Inquiries to date in 2010: 229
- Ombudsman cases in 2010: 26
Invest in America’s ombudsman program has achieved a number of successes in working across the federal government to address investor concerns and issues involving federal agencies. If a foreign investor has a federal-level issue that is jeopardizing an investment in the United States, please contact Aaron Brickman at 202-482-5199 or email Invest in America ataaron.brickman@trade.gov.
We invite you to connect with us through the “Invest in America” group on Linkedin.com.
Please address all comments and suggestions to info@investamerica.gov. For more information about Invest in America, please visit our website at www.investamerica.gov.
