HP to Locate Service, Support Center in Conway, Create 1,200 IT Jobs

On Thursday, June 19th, HP, one of the world’s largest IT companies, announced plans to locate a state-of-the-art customer service and technical support center in Conway. The center will employ as many as 1,200 people in highly skilled technical positions.

A simultaneous announcement was held in Rio Rancho, New Mexico for a second center.

“HP is delighted to be creating these new centers in cooperation with the communities in Conway and Rio Rancho,” said Jon Flaxman, HP executive vice president and chief administrative officer. “With these new facilities we expect to improve processes and achieve efficiencies that will help us continue to improve the total experience for our growing number of customers.”

The center will provide sales, service and technical support for the company’s broad range of customers.
The Conway Development Corporation will construct a $28 million, 150,000 square foot building and lease it back to HP. The facility will be located in The Meadows, the Corporation’s 181 acre office and technology park in southern Conway.

“HP conducted a nationwide search and chose Conway as one of the locations based on multiple factors, including the quality of the workforce, business environment, standard of living and government cooperation,” said Gary Fazzino, HP vice president, government affairs.

Governor Mike Beebe said HP fits perfectly into the state’s target industries.

“This historic announcement for Conway and Central Arkansas demonstrates the new direction of Arkansas’s 21st-century economy,” Beebe said. “This is both a significant investment in our state providing high-quality, well-paying jobs and marking the beginning of a partnership between Arkansas and one of the global leaders in Information Technology.”

“Conway has been shaping itself, transforming, directly preparing for this day for years,” said Conway Mayor Tab Townsell. “To have those efforts recognized and appreciated by a company like Hewlett-Packard is incredible. Today’s announcement is that work realized.”

The HP project originated with and was coordinated by the Arkansas Economic Development Commission and the Metro Little Rock Alliance.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Brad Lacy
Conway Development Corporation
(501) 329-7788 brad@conwayarkansas.org

Joe Holmes
AEDC Marketing and Communications Director
(501) 682-5154, jholmes@arkansasedc.com

Man Indistries Purchases 155-acre Site in Little Rock

(Little Rock) – At a March 14, 2008 news conference, Man Industries (India) Ltd. announced today that it has completed the official purchase of its project site – 155 acres on Zeuber Road just south of the Little Rock Port. J.C. Mansukhani, managing director of Man Industries (India), completed the land closing on August 8th in Little Rock. Construction is scheduled to begin in late August on the $100 million new manufacturing facility, which will employ 250 people.

Man Industries (India), a leading pipe manufacturer based in India, announced its plans to locate the new facility at the Little Rock Port back in March. The Man USA Inc. facility will also serve as headquarters for North and South America.

Man’s Little Rock location will have will have the capability of producing 300,000 tons of HSAW (Helical Submerged Arc Welded) pipes annually. These pipes will be used primarily in the petroleum industry. A coating facility will also be on site.

“The execution of this first facility is significant for Man, as we strengthen our presence in the U.S. market and take an important step towards investing in this region," said Ramesh Mansukhani, Chairman of Man Industries (India) Ltd. "Based on the U.S.’s growing demand, Man is very confident about its future growth opportunities in the U.S. Man is committed long-term to strengthening infrastructure in this region so as to serve the fast-growing American market, as well as partnering with the local community to be a good citizen and a good neighbor. It's of utmost importance that a strong manufacturing base, supported by the project’s Operations and Management team, seamlessly intertwines to help Man deliver quality products on time and on budget to all its esteemed customers."

Man Industries currently has two manufacturing facilities in Gujarat and Madya Pradesh. The addition of the Little Rock manufacturing facility will allow the company to expand and better serve the market, according to Mansukhani.

The Man Industries location continues to be coordinated by the Metro Little Rock Alliance and the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Additional information can be found at www.mangroup.com.

About Man Industries (India) Limited:

Man Industries (India) Ltd., an ISO 9001 / 14001 / 18001 accredited company, is a leading manufacturer of SAW (Submerged Arc Welded) Pipes (Line Pipes) and Coating Systems for high-pressure Oil & Gas applications with a potential production capacity of approximately one million tons per year. The Company is part of the well diversified Man Group, growing under the leadership of Mr Ramesh Mansukhani. Starting as an Aluminium Extruder in 1988, Man Industries has now become a large player in SAW Pipes. It is also a significant sized player in Spirally Welded Pipes and Coating Systems. Man Industries’ operations are spread globally with offices in the U.K. and U.A.E. besides India.

The shares of the Company are listed with Bombay Stock Exchange and National Stock Exchange and the GDRs of the Company are listed with Dubai International Financial Exchange (DIFX).

Man Industries to Locate New Manufacturing Facility/Headquarters in Little Rock,
Invest $100 Million, Create 250 Jobs

On Friday, March 14th, at a 10:00 am news conference, Man Industries, a leading pipe manufacturer based in India, announced plans to locate a new manufacturing plant on a 162-acre site just south of the Little Rock Port. The company will invest approximately $100 million in the facility, which will employ 250 people. The facility will also serve as Man’s headquarters for North and South America.

Man Industries’ Little Rock location will have will have the capability of producing 300,000 tons of HSAW (Helical Submerged Arc Welded) pipes annually. These pipes will be used primarily in the petroleum industry, and a coating facility will also be on site. Production is scheduled to begin by early 2009.

Elizabeth Small (PDC Companies), Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce, hosted the event in the Chamber’s AT&T Auditorium and introduced Ramesh Mansukhani, Chairman of Man Industries (India), Ltd.

"The execution of this first facility is significant for Man, as we strengthen our presence in the U.S. market and take an important step towards investing in this region," said Mansukhani. "Based on the U.S.’s growing demand, Man is very confident about its future growth opportunities in the U.S. Man is committed long-term to strengthening infrastructure in this region so as to serve the fast-growing American market, as well as partnering with the local community to be a good citizen and a good neighbor. It's of utmost importance that a strong manufacturing base, supported by the project’s Operations and Management team, seamlessly intertwines to help Man deliver quality products on time and on budget to all its esteemed customers."

“We thank the leaders of Man Industries for bringing these jobs to Arkansas, and we are honored that they have chosen Little Rock as their headquarters for North and South America,” Governor Mike Beebe said. “Arkansas’s reputation as a destination for foreign companies looking to bring investments and jobs to the United States continues to grow.”

Man Industries currently has two manufacturing facilities in Gujarat and Madya Pradesh, India. The addition of the Little Rock manufacturing facility will allow the company to expand and better serve the U.S. market, according to Mansukhani.

The location of Man Industries marks the fourth major company to locate in or near the Little Rock Port during the past nine months.

"Today's announcement represents another great example of how our regional approach to economic development is working,” said Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola. “Locating Man Industries here was a collective partnership between the City, AEDC, Little Rock Regional Chamber, Little Rock Port Authority, Pulaski County and Metro Little Rock Alliance, among others. Little Rock is rapidly becoming a hub for direct foreign investment, and we couldn't be more pleased. We welcome Chairman Mansukhani and Man Industries to our community and are confident they have made the right choice."

Additional information may be found at www.mangroup.com.

FORTUNE Names Arkansas Children’s Hospital One of “100 Best Companies to Work For”

On January 22nd, FORTUNE announced that Arkansas Children’s Hospital has been ranked 76th on the 11th annual “100 Best Companies to Work For” list. The full list and related stories appear in the February 4 issue of FORTUNE, available on newsstands January 28th and at www.fortune.com on January 22nd.

“Arkansas Children’s Hospital is honored to be ranked among FORTUNE’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” survey,” said ACH President and CEO Jonathan Bates, M.D. “Our employees take much pride in providing care, love and hope to our kids here at ACH. Their survey response, which comprised the largest portion of the survey, is what matters most and they feel that ACH is a very rewarding place to work.”

A driving factor for the list this year is that these companies excel in creating jobs. The 100 companies on the 2008 list added 67,000 employees to their payrolls in the past year and employ a total of nearly 1.6 million employees; up 16% from the number employed by companies comprising last year’s list.

To pick the “100 Best Companies to Work for,” FORTUNE works with Robert Levering and Milton Moskowitz of the Great Place to Work Institute to conduct the most extensive employee survey in corporate America. Of some 1,500 firms that were contacted, 406 companies participated in this year’s survey. Nearly 100,000 employees at those companies responded to a 57-question survey created by the Great Place to Work Institute, a global research and consulting firm with offices in 30 countries. Most of the company’s score (two-thirds) is based on the results of the survey, which is sent to a minimum of 400 randomly selected employees from each company.

The survey asks questions related to their attitudes about the management’s credibility, job satisfaction and camaraderie. The other third of the scoring is based on the company’s responses to the Institute’s Culture Audit, which includes detailed questions about pay and benefit programs and a series of open-ended questions about hiring practices, methods of internal communications, training, recognition programs and diversity efforts, etc. After evaluations are completed, if news about a company comes to light that may significantly damage employees’ faith in management, that company may be excluded from the list.

“The FORTUNE ‘100 Best Companies to Work For’ ranking achieved by Arkansas Children’s Hospital we hope will help us attract more physicians, nurses and other quality staff to our hospital. We believe one of the positives for Arkansas is that this recognition will help other companies recruit outstanding employees to their business and our state,” added Bates.

Any company that is at least seven years old with more the 1,000 U.S. employees is eligible. The deadline for applying for next year’s list is March 31, 2008. For an online nomination form, go to www.greatplacetowork.com.

rkansas Children's Hospital is the only pediatric medical center in Arkansas and one of the largest in the United States serving children from birth to age 21. The campus spans 28 city blocks and houses 292 beds, a staff of approximately 500 physicians, 80 residents in pediatrics and pediatric specialties and more than 4,000 employees. The private, nonprofit health care facility boasts an internationally renowned reputation for medical breakthroughs and intensive treatments, unique surgical procedures and forward-thinking medical research - all dedicated to fulfilling our mission of enhancing, sustaining and restoring children's health and development. For more information, visit www.archildrens.org.

New AT&T Arkansas Service Center to Bring 175 Jobs to Little Rock 

On September 19th in the AT&T Auditorium of the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce, AT&T Inc. announced plans for an Internet subscriber support center that will bring 175 new jobs to Little Rock. Governor Mike Beebe and Mayor Mark Stodola joined local leaders and AT&T Arkansas for the announcement.  

Employees in the new Little Rock center will initially assist AT&T Yahoo! High Speed Internet subscribers who self-install their service. As the center expands, employees will also assist customers with broader questions about the service. The employees will work in AT&T’s Arkansas headquarters building at 1111 West Capitol Avenue. 

"This announcement bucks the outsourcing trend by bringing jobs back to America and to Arkansas,” said Beebe. “I thank AT&T for showing confidence in Arkansans and locating this center in Little Rock.”

"Our city can take great pride in seeing AT&T expanding its operations and growing jobs, especially here in downtown,” said Stodola. “We compete with cities across the globe for these kinds of growth opportunities, and it is always good to see Little Rock come out on top.”  


“Arkansas has a business climate that invites investment, and the Arkansans whom we employ are a great fit for these jobs because they are customer-friendly and understand technology,” said Ed Drilling, president of AT&T Arkansas. “These 175 new jobs literally could have gone anywhere in the country, and it is because of the visionary leadership of Governor Beebe, city leaders, the Chamber of Commerce and the Arkansas General Assembly that we are opening this new Internet subscriber support center.” 

The 175 new jobs will result in $4 million in additional payroll by 2009 and some $3 million in capital investment. AT&T currently employs 2,660 Arkansans with a 2006 payroll of more than $131 million.  

The new jobs are part of an initiative that AT&T announced last September involving the relocation of customer service positions that had previously been outsourced. All of the 175 jobs are Communications Worker of America (CWA)-represented positions. The center will include additional management jobs.  

“The employees in this new center will carry on a proud tradition of serving customers well in Arkansas,” said Diane Wiggs, president of CWA Local 6508. “I’m confident that our new workers will provide for a great customer experience.” 

Denmark’s LM Glasfiber to Build $150 Million Plant in Little Rock, Employ 1,000 in Manufacture of Wind Blades

At 2:00 p.m. on June 30th, at the Governor’s Conference Room, Governor Mike Beebe announced that Denmark-based LM Glasfiber will construct a new manufacturing facility in Little Rock. The site will feature a blade manufacturing plant and a dedicated training facility. The plant is scheduled to begin operations in first quarter 2008 and will employ over 1,000 people within five years.

“We are very pleased to announce our new facility in Little Rock, which will become our largest facility world wide. The Little Rock plant is key to enabling us to serve our growing portfolio of customers in North America”, said LM Glasfiber CEO Roland M. Sundén. “The facility will help secure our customers’ long term blade supply thereby enabling their ambitious growth strategies while also increasing the robustness and visibility of LM Glasfiber’s North American sales.”

LM Glasfiber will invest $150 million in the facility which will be located on a 135 acre site in the Little Rock Port.

“We couldn’t be happier with the location” said Sundén. “Not only is the site ideally located to serve some of the central US demand for wind development, but Arkansas was able to accommodate our aggressive ramp up schedule and we have every confidence they will exceed our stated goals. The site itself offers excellent logistical options, whether by road, rail, air or marine. And when we considered the kind of amenities that are conducive for LM Glasfiber to attract and retain the people and talent we need, Little Rock was the natural choice for us.”

“Renewable energy is a vital resource for the future of Arkansas and the United States,” said Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe. “Locating LM Glasfiber’s North American headquarters in Little Rock not only creates another flagship company with top-quality jobs for Arkansans, it also puts us on the global map as part of the effort to expand renewable-energy industries.”

The Little Rock plant will be LM Glasfiber’s third North American production facility; effectively doubling the capacity of the existing factories in Grand Forks, North Dakota and Gaspé, Quebec. This latest capacity expansion reflects an overall strong market demand coupled with optimism for continued stability in the U.S. market. The U.S. is currently the highest growth market for new wind projects and the second globally in existing wind project installations.

“We welcome LM Glasfiber and are confident they will find a dedicated and talented workforce here that is eager to get started,” said Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola, adding that bringing the company to Arkansas was a cooperative effort among City of Little Rock and Port Authority, Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce, Metro Little Rock Alliance and Arkansas Economic Development Commission.

For the past several weeks, representatives of LM Glasfiber have quietly officed at the Chamber, planning the company’s entry into the region.

LM Glasfiber is the world’s leading manufacturer of blades for wind turbines. The Group has approximately 4,200 employees in eight countries. LM Glasfiber is located in or close to the key geographic markets for wind energy, and the highly specialised R & D organization provides the most comprehensive industry know-how on the development and production of rotor blades. Manufacturing facilities are located in Denmark, Spain, the USA, Canada, India and China. For additional information, see the company’s website: www.lmglasfiber.com.

India’s Welspun to Build $100 Million Manufacturing Facility in Little Rock, Employ 300

On June 30th, Welspun Gujarat Stahl Rohren Ltd. (W.G.S.R.L) announced plans to build a manufacturing facility in Little Rock on a 740-acre site adjacent to the Little Rock Port Authority. Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce Chairman Russ Harrington (Baptist Health) hosted the event before a standing room only audience in the Chamber’s Deltic Timber Atrium.

The $100 million facility, once completed, will be capable of producing 300,000 net tons of tubular steel pipes annually for use in the oil and gas industry. The company will hire about 300 workers and hopes to begin production by spring 2008.

“This is a great day for Arkansas,” said Governor Mike Beebe. “Welspun could have chosen many other locations for their investment, and they chose Arkansas. Our workforce, infrastructure, and the natural benefits of the Arkansas River convinced Welspun to become our partners in progress. We welcome these great manufacturing jobs.” 

W.G.S.R.L. is part of the $1 billion Welspun Group, the fastest growing company in India. Welspun has more than18,000 employees and a presence in over 50 countries.

Mr. B.K. Goenka, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, Welspun said, “We are happy to be here at Little Rock today – which has the advantage of a talented workforce, the right transportation opportunities, and above all, the right geographical location. We look forward to a long and prosperous future as partners in Little Rock.” 

W.G.S.R.L. also has manufacturing facilities in Dahej and Anjar in Gujarat, India.

Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola emphasized that the project is the culmination of efforts among state, local and private organizations. “Little Rock continues to prove that we are a world-class site for companies expanding their business opportunities. I appreciate the power of partnerships that enabled this deal to become a reality, and I welcome Welspun to the city of Little Rock with open arms”. 

With majority of its production exported to the United States, Welspun has a very strong presence in the country and takes pride in supplying pipes for the world’s deepest pipeline for the “Independence Trail’ project in the Gulf of Mexico.

“Since our inception, we have ventured into unexplored territories and have emerged as global leaders,” said Mr. Bajra Mishra, CEO and Executive Director, W.G.S.R.L.  “Today, after setting our foot in Arkansas, we hope to continue to prove our engineering excellence and be a comprehensive provider for state-of-the-art pipes and related niche products for the transportation of oil and gas.”  

Prior to the formal announcement at the Chamber, a private ground-breaking ceremony was held at the Little Rock Port site. 

For additional information contact 
Rajesh Chokhani, General Manager, Welspun, (501) 551-8995, or At AEDC Scott Hardin, (501) 682-7306 or (501) 944-2859

Sage V Foods Announces Plans to Locate in Little Rock Port, Create 200 Jobs 

On September 17th, Sage V Foods announced that it will be relocating its IQF (individually quick frozen) rice plant from Texas to Little Rock. The plant in Texas has been sold out for several years now without room to expand.   

The company will construct a new 100,000 square foot plant in the industrial park within the Port of Little Rock at an estimated cost of $20,000,000. The new plant will more than double the current production capacity and will have ample room for expansion. The Little Rock plant will start with 60 to 100 employees and is expected to grow to about 200 employees within two to three years. 

“Food-processing companies are finding Arkansas to be an ideal place to locate,” said Governor Mike Beebe. “The addition of Sage V Foods will continue to expand this growing sector of our State’s economy. We look forward to the quality jobs the company is bringing to Little Rock.” 

Sage V Foods is a privately owned company that is based out of Los Angeles. The company specializes in manufacturing rice based ingredients for the food industry. The company built a new rice flour mill in Stuttgart in 2005 which has become very successful. The new plant in Little Rock will produce IQF rice for the industrial and restaurant chain markets, and will produce IQF organic rice under Sage’s retail brand “Rice Expressions.” 

Little Rock was selected as the location of the new plant because of incentives offered by local and state agencies, its proximity to the rice growing area, its logistic location in the center of the country on Interstate 40, rail access in the port, and access to waste treatment facilities that can handle cook water.  The company feels that in Little Rock it will be able to find skilled employees and that the city will be an attractive location for existing and new management personnel.  

“We welcome Sage V Foods to Little Rock and know our dedicated workforce will meet the growing needs of their company,” said Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola. “This announcement helps Little Rock build on the momentum we are currently experiencing after our most recent successes. We look forward to watching Sage Foods succeed in Little Rock.” 

The Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce, AEDC, ADFA and the Port of Little Rock worked together in offering bond guarantees and assisting in infrastructure to make the project possible.

The company plans to break ground in October of 2007 and be up and running before December 2008. 

Dassault Falcon Continues Little Rock Expansion with $10 Million Investment, Over 100 New Jobs
On August 14th, Dassault Aircraft Services announced expansion plans for the Little Rock Service Center that will double the service square footage when the project is complete near the end of 2008. Over 100 jobs will be added over the next three years as a result from this expansion with a majority of the jobs being aircraft maintenance technicians and craftsmen. This was Dassault’s second expansion announcement in three months.

On June 12th, Governor Mike Beebe announced that Dassault Falcon will further expand its business jet completion center in Little Rock, already the largest of its kind on the world. The 116,000-square-foot expansion results from growing demand for Dassault Falcon jets worldwide, including the new 7X. Dassault is in the midst of hiring 200 additional Little Rock employees over the next two years to meet the increased production demand. The new jobs will pay an average of $20 an hour.

“Over one year ago, I announced that Dassault is committed to reaching the premier level of customer service in business aviation,” said Charles Edelstenne, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation. “This initiative demonstrates that Dassault is continuing to make investments to achieve that goal.” 

The nearly $10 million project will break ground in the third quarter of 2007 and will be complete in the fourth quarter of 2008. The new hangar will be able to accommodate up to six additional aircraft and will feature new “back shop” capacity. The back shop will handle light refurbishments of aircraft interiors and structures, a task that was previously handled by the Completion Center. The new hangar will be located next to the existing Service Center on the north-central end of the airport. 

“Over the past several years, the historic demand for Falcons has required Dassault to continuously grow and improve our Service Center network,” said John Rosanvallon, President and CEO of Dassault Falcon. “And with the Falcon 7X now in service, we expect increased demand on our factory owned Service Centers which operators have come to rely on their in-depth knowledge of Falcons.” 

According to Pete Christiansen, Dassault Little Rock’s Manager of Environmental Affairs & Airport Liaison, “the Little Rock Regional Chamber, Arkansas Economic Development Commission, and Little Rock Airport Commission were instrumental in the acquisition of properties necessary to the continued expansion of Dassault Falcon. They continue to work with Dassault and other aerospace industries to encourage and provide additional future growth opportunities.” 

The Dassault Falcon service network consists of 28 worldwide maintenance centers including three company owned facilities in Little Rock, Wilmington, Delaware and Le Bourget (Paris), France.