Business Facilities - November 2007 - (Page 34)

BUSINESS REPORT Arizona ergistic opportunities,” says Sean Seitz, president and co-owner of American Solar Electric. “Between collaboration with ASU and the other businesses locating at the campus, we expect our presence on the campus to open up new partnerships and business opportunities.” Some other firms that have taken up residence at SkySong include FScreen Sci-Tech Co. (a solar technology firm from China), Aurigin Technology (a biomedical technology firm from Singapore), Sebit (an e-learning company from Turkey), and Ubidyne (a wireless technology developer from Germany). For Sebit and Ubidyne, which both launched operations in February 2007, SkySong is their first entry into the U.S. market. Sebit is work- SkySong is a mixed-use development consisting of research, office, and retail space located between downtown Scottsdale, AZ and the ASU main campus in Tempe, AZ. ing on an educational project with ASU to improve mathematics and science education in the Turkish middle grades. Ubidyne, a Siemens spinout, is developing digital radio frequency technology that will enable extremely efficient and compact mobile base stations needed by 3G and 4G wireless networks. AEROSPACE ACCELERATES IN ARIZONA With near-perfect weather year round, reasonable operating costs, and several prominent higher education institutions, Arizona has managed to attract nearly 300 aerospace companies, including Honeywell, Boeing, and General Dynamics. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (the eighth busiest airport in the world) and Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport are both key assets for Arizona’s aerospace companies. The latter is developing into an international aerospace center, with aircraft manufacturing, maintenance, modification, testing, and pilot training. PhoenixMesa Gateway features an aerospace center with more than 20 tenant organizations including Boeing, Ratts THE ARIZONA GLOBAL NETWORK Arizona is making a name for itself as a top location for foreign direct investment (FDI). Currently, more than 100 foreign-owned companies have operations in Arizona— including ST Microelectronics (France), Kyocera (Japan), Quadra Mining (Canada), and Dial Corporation (Germany)—and these numbers are expected to keep growing. In 2005, Arizona’s top five investors included Germany ($2.046 billion), Japan ($1.887 billion), the UK ($1.348 billion), The Netherlands ($1.105 billion), and Canada ($989 million). Foreign-controlled companies employed around 64,400 Arizona workers in 2005; about one-fifth of these jobs (approximately 13,100) were in the manufacturing sector. Foreign investment was also responsible for 3% of the state’s total private-industry employment. The Arizona Global Network (AGN), a public-private economic development consortium that works to attract international business, has played a large role in sustaining this momentum. “The weakening of the dollar is favoring foreign investment,” says Barry Broome, president and CEO of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council. “Right now FDI programs are being rolled out, and we currently have 30 or 40 SOURCE: GREATER PHOENIX ECONOMIC COUNCIL 34 NOVEMBER 2007 IMAGE PROVIDED BY SKY SONG companies in the pipeline that we are competing for. This is a result of several initiatives including a European program based in Frankfurt and London through OCO Consulting, our presence in Asia with ROI Investment, and the AGN.” Recent foreign investments include Redwood Group, a New Zealand-based real estate developer. The company spent more than nine months researching world markets before selecting Phoenix for its U.S. office. Redwood Group Vice President Andrew Crosby says Phoenix was chosen based on the city’s demographics, growing economy, welcoming business climate, and the emerging acceptance of urban landfill development in a city mainly known for large suburban, single-family home subdivisions.

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Business Facilities - November 2007 Contents First Words Snapshots Metro Spotlight: Indianapolis Region, Indiana Georgia's Pursuit of Industry Extreme Technology Sites A Tennessee Trifecta A Watershed Moment for Philly Metro Spotlight: Mexico-Texas Border Region High Tech and Aerospace Heat up in Arizona Meeting the Information Technology Challenge IEDC Announces 2007 Winners Corporate Moves: Alabama Northeast Arkansas Scores Major Investments Corporate Moves: Virginia Metro Spotlight: Martinsville-Henry County, VA Renewable Michigan Advertiser Index Ask the Expert

Business Facilities - November 2007

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