Contact: Laura Smith, Office of the Governor, 608-261-2162
MADISON – Governor Jim Doyle is traveling to Italy and Tunisia for a series of high-level business and government meetings from March 17-26, 2010.
In Italy, Governor Doyle will meet with top executives at Fincantieri Cantieri Navali Italiani S.p.A., including Chief Executive Officer Giuseppe Bono. Fincantieri is a large international ship building firm that owns Marinette Marine and Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay. Governor Doyle is working closely with Fincantieri and Marinette Marine to secure a major contract with the U.S. Navy to construct Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) in northeast Wisconsin. The contract for 10 ships is expected to be announced this summer.
Fincantieri has begun a $100 million investment plan to support the LCS program in preparation for the Naval contract. The company has already made significant investments in Marinette Marine, including breaking ground on a major expansion of its main indoor ship construction building in Marinette. Fincantieri has said they plan to transform Marinette Marine into the premier mid-tier shipyard in the United States.
Governor Doyle will also meet with Sergio Marchionne, Chief Executive Officer of Fiat S.p.A and Chrysler Group LLC. Additionally, the Governor will be visiting several other Italian companies and their CEOs to discuss potential investments in Wisconsin.
“The State of Wisconsin has been a close partner with Fincantieri and Marinette Marine in working to secure a U.S. Navy contact to construct Littoral Combat Ship ships in northeast Wisconsin,” Governor Doyle said. “There is also real potential with several other Italian companies interested in investing in Wisconsin. This is a great opportunity to continue our successful efforts to bring new companies and their investments to Wisconsin.”
While he is in the region, Governor Doyle will also hold meetings in his official capacity with top Tunisian government officials and leaders of Tunisia’s business community. Governor Doyle has maintained a strong relationship with the Tunisian government, and the Governor has had a standing invitation to visit the country’s business and government leaders for years.
Since taking office, Governor Doyle has successfully brought foreign companies to Wisconsin, resulting in major private investments and job creation. In the past month alone, two Spanish companies have announced they will build major new facilities and create jobs in Wisconsin. Ingeteam, a Spanish wind company, will build a $15 million clean energy manufacturing facility in Milwaukee and create 275 jobs. Talgo, a Spanish train manufacturer, will locate its national high-speed passenger rail manufacturing and assembly facility in Milwaukee, creating 125 direct jobs in Wisconsin and about 450 indirect jobs through vendors throughout the Midwest.
Wisconsin firms exported more than $293 million worth of products directly to Italy in 2009, making it the 13th largest export destination for Wisconsin, up from 15th in 2008. In 2009, Wisconsin exports to Tunisia totaled $8.8 million, up from $4.98 million the year before Governor Doyle took office.
