Upstate Representatives Build FDI Pipeline on Canadian Mission Trip

As part of Upstate SC Alliance’s continuing efforts to build a stronger pipeline for foreign direct investment (FDI) in the region, members from the Upstate SC Alliance team recently headed north for the 2014 Canadian Mission Trip.

Upstate SC Alliance Business Recruitment Officer Jacob Hickman was joined by Economic Futures Group Director of Business Development Brian Nash on a trip to visit several businesses throughout the greater Toronto region, which has a robust manufacturing environment, particularly in the field of precision manufacturing.

Like others around the globe, many manufacturers in Canada are currently looking towards Upstate South Carolina as a region to consider when exploring possibilities of expansion or relocation. As Hickman and Nash demonstrated on the trip, the region is advantageous for these businesses for several reasons, including low operating costs, right-to-work policies, logistics, and a skilled workforce.

“In one of the final mission trips for the year, we continued to hear the reoccurring theme for 2014: companies worldwide are performing very well and ready to revisit expansion plans,” said Hickman.

The Canadian Mission Trip proved to be a successful one, laying a foundation for the possibility of further onsite evaluation of the Upstate by Canadian manufacturers.

“This is a critical time for us to capitalize on that momentum and our plans for 2015 reflect our dedication to this mission. We will continue to work hard on converting established company relationships into visits to Upstate South Carolina, as we understand that having executives experience the Upstate brand firsthand is key.”

For more information about the Upstate’s global business climate and current international initiatives please visit https://www.upstatescalliance.com/about-upstate/information-downloads#business-climate .