Oregon governor courting business in Europe

Oregon governor to lead business mission to Europe

• By Brad Cain, Associated Press Writer
• On 8:28 am EDT, Wednesday October 21, 2009

SALEM, Ore. (AP) -- Gov. Ted Kulongoski is leaving for Europe on Wednesday on a mission to promote business ties, but don't expect the trip to result in announcements of new companies coming to Oregon.

In the midst of this deep recession, Kulongoski plans to meet with CEOs of companies already doing business in Oregon to make sure they're happy and planning to stay. He said he's also going to urge them to consider expanding their Oregon operations as the economy improves.

"The best way to do that is to sit down with their executive officers and reassure them that we're a strong partner," the governor said Tuesday.

Kulongoski will travel to Germany, Denmark and The Netherlands, where he plans to meet with executives of Daimler AG, Vestas Wind Systems and FEI Co.

The three companies employ about 1,500 people in Oregon. Kulongoski and other state officials are hoping those companies will double the number of Oregonians they employ in the next few years.

"It's very different from a recruiting trip," said Tim McCabe, head of the state's economic development agency. "This effort is targeted at specific companies" that currently employ Oregonians.

The business mission comes as the state's latest unemployment report showed continuing weakness, with businesses shedding 10,300 payroll jobs in September. Oregon's jobless rate was 11.5 percent last month, among the nation's highest.

Kulongoski plans to meet with Dieter Zetsche, chairman of Daimler AG, to thank the German automaker for deciding to keep its Freightliner truck manufacturing plant open in Portland. He also going to get a briefing on Daimler's work in electric vehicle technology -- an area Kulongoski has been promoting in Oregon.

Kulongoski also plans to urge wind-energy firm Vestas, which has its North American headquarters in Portland, to boost its investment there and get a briefing on research and development at FEI, a Hillsboro high-tech company with European operations.

The governor is scheduled to return to the state Oct. 29.

Buzz up!