Carol Johnson, Southern Indiana Business Report
FRENCH LICK – The city of Washington is the only city in the Radius Indiana region with a Japanese-owned company. M&C Tech opened a facility in Washington in 2018. Located along the Interstate-69 corridor, it manufactures parts for the auto industry.
Mayors and local economic development officials in cities around the Radius region let a group of Japanese business officials know there’s room for more in this region of southern Indiana.
City and county leaders touted their communities’ work ethic, workforce training programs, access to interstates and major highways as well as public safety during a breakfast last week at the French Lick Resort.
Consul-General of Japan in Chicago Yun Yanagi, Hiroyuki Nemoto, chief executive director of the Japan External Trade Organization; and Tsubasa Hashimoto, JETRO director of business development; attended the mayors breakfast.
Washington Mayor David Rhoads said the city of 13,000 is proud that M&C Tech chose the Daviess County city for its plant. Washington, he said, is poised for development.
“We have a 40,000 square foot shell building on the market that has proximity to I-69 and US 41,” he said. “We have three market rate housing developments that will add 290 housing units and we’re one of just a few rural counties that has had continued growth over the last 10 years.”
More than 300 Japanese-owned businesses have facilities in Indiana. Subaru, Honda and Toyota are the most well-known success stories of Japanese investment in Indiana. Nemoto told the mayors and LEDOs that cities can position themselves for consideration by investing in infrastructure to support industry, having a trained and capable workforce and location incentives.
Each mayor gave an overview of their community.
- Bedford Mayor Sam Craig said future infrastructure upgrades to accommodate growth, strong hometown values and low crime make Bedford an attractive place for companies to invest. In 2023, the city’s police department moved into a larger and more visible state of the art police headquarters and made interior and exterior improvements to city hall.
- Huntingburg Mayor Neil Elkins spoke of his city’s diversity that at one time was 80% German Catholic and now has a large Latino population. An expansion of the airport and a new $6 million airport terminal are also in the works. The city is home to the famous League Stadium and it owns its own utilities.
- The city of Mitchell is home to the second latest cement plant in North America – Heidelberg Materials – and has two plants that make racks used to hold assembly parts in factories. Mitchell Mayor Don Caudell also touted a recent renovation at Mitchell High School, investment in the school’s STEM lab and pathways program, and the city’s new automated trash pickup system.
- Growth is also the focus in Salem. Mayor Justin Green said 200 homes are expected to be built and he sees increased business investment following a large retail development.
- Linton is home to the Goose Pond Fish & Wildlife Area, a hunting and fishing area, and is located close to I-69 and Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane. First-term Mayor John Preble said there is new interest in developing the downtown and hopes to ignite a sense of pride and community involvement during his term.
- Infrastructure improvements are planned in Loogootee this year. Mayor Brian Ader said new booster stations will improve water pressure and the city’s water towers will be refurbished. The city has several natural recreation spots such as nearby Hindostan Falls and West Boggs Park. An annual community service day brings together high school students for a day of community service.
In lieu of mayors, LEDOS from Crawford and Orange counties spoke.
Crawford County LEDO Jesse Belcher highlighted the recreation areas at Patoka Lake and Sycamore Springs and on the economic side, Crawford County has a division of Jasper Engines and Transmissions, there is 70 acres available for development in the Industrial Park and Menke Trucking, a local company, recently doubled its capacity.
Orange County LEDO Skylar Whiteman touted the county’s vibrant tourism sector, Jasper Group’s Orleans location that employs 600 and school-based STEM programs that partner with local businesses.