|
Pritzker and members of a delegation have been meeting with
government, business and education leaders. During a virtual
press conference Wednesday from London, Pritzker talked about
the intent to pursue a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with
the UK to advance trade and economic development goals.
“It really covers a big, broad swath of industries,” Pritzker
said. “We have over 850 UK companies that are already doing
business in Illinois with 90,000 Illinoisans who are employed by
UK-owned companies.”
During one meeting, the governor, House Speaker Chris Welch, and
Minister of State at the Department for Business and Trade Nigel
Huddleston began laying the groundwork for the establishment of
a bilateral United Kingdom and Illinois MoU that would advance
manufacturing in energy, technology and life science sectors in
both trade and investment.
Pritzker said Illinois is in competition with other states and
is in the final stages of some opportunities, but would not
provide any more information on the subject.
In the last year alone, Boeing, Tyson Foods, Caterpillar, and
several other companies announced they were leaving Illinois for
various reasons. Just this month, freight rail car company TTX
announced it is moving its headquarters from Chicago to North
Carolina.
The state also has been unable to land an EV battery
manufacturing plant.
State Rep. Joe Sosnowski, R-Rockford, said his district saw
automaker Stellantis shutter its plant in Belvidere then
announce a $155 million investment in Indiana. The move cost
over 1,300 workers their jobs.
“These policies that this administration and the majority party
in Illinois continue to push are hurting job creators and
hurting families in Illinois,” Sosnowski said in May.
Pritzker hosted a “Clean Energy & Clean Technology” roundtable
with Illinois and UK-based energy companies. The parties signed
an MoU intending to strengthen collaboration to create what the
governor’s office called “a net-zero energy future.”
The delegation returns to Illinois on Thursday.
|
|
