Wisconsin Department of Commerce: ReGENco LLC/Toshiba International Corporation Partnership for Growth -

Senior management for ReGenCo, LLC and Toshiba welcomed officials from the U.S. Department of Commerce, the state Department of Commerce and the City of West Allis to jointly celebrate Invest in America Week at the ReGenCo, LLC facility in West Allis, Milwaukee County. Pictured from left to right: Hiroshi Kasagi - Sr. VP & General Manager Toshiba International Corporation, John Bobrowich - President & CEO ReGENco, Mayor Dan Devine - City of West Allis, Jack L. Fischer, AIA - Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Commerce, Tim Sheehy - President, Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, Dr. Ira Kasoff, U.S. Department of Commerce Deputy Assistant Secretary for Asia

Attracting additional direct investment is a key component of Governor Jim Doyle's Grow Wisconsin plan. Wisconsin offers executive expertise, a highly-skilled workforce and a superb quality of life, making it an ideal investment location. Foreign direct investment was over $200 billion in 2007 in the United States. Partnerships between Wisconsin firms and their overseas counterparts can yield outstanding benefits.

It was an inspiration to witness one such partnership firsthand when I represented Gov. Doyle at ribbon cutting May 6 celebrating Invest in America week and the latest stage of the partnership between ReGENco LLC of West Allis and Toshiba International Corporation (TIC) in Wisconsin. Also joining us were Dr. Ira Kasoff, Deputy Undersecretary at the U.S. Department of Commerce; Tim Sheehy, president of the Milwaukee Metropolitan Area Chamber of Commerce; and West Allis Mayor Dan Devine. We cut the ribbon for a new Toshiba International facility in West Allis.

Invest in America Week (May 5-9) highlights the US Government's efforts to increase foreign direct investment in our nation. Invest in America, a program of the International Trade Administration.
ReGENco is one of the largest and most innovative turbine and generator maintenance and repair organizations in North America. The company's 160,000-sq.-ft. repair facility in West Allis is notable for its capabilities, vertical integration and unique high speed balance bunker Toshiba International is one of the world's largest providers of steam turbines and generators, with over 1800 units, with a capacity of some 150 gigawatts, installed in over 40 countries worldwide. The Company has been the US Market Share leader for the last five consecutive years.

Hiroshi Kasagi, General Manager of Toshiba International, thanked the Wisconsin Department of Commerce, Governor Doyle, and West Allis for their commitment and investments in making their business venture successful.

"The State of Wisconsin is recognized nationally as a state committed to advanced manufacturing practices," Kasagi said "The state's government officials, and Governor Doyle, have a national reputation supporting leading-edge manufacturing innovation. Wisconsin's industrial infrastructure, along with its outstanding education system, supports manufacturing businesses and growth.

Dr. Ira Kasoff noted that foreign investment contributes to the well-being of Wisconsin and all of the country's economy. "There are myriad benefits brought to the United States by foreign investment from around the world, in terms of high-end job creation and economic growth," he said. "Partnerships like ReGENco/Toshiba create higher paying wages and benefits through foreign investment collaboration."

John Bobrowich, president and CEO of ReGENco LLC complimented the Governor, Commerce Department, the Mayor of West Allis, and the Milwaukee Chamber as making a difference in helping to create this new company. Commerce provided a $750,000 loan to ReGENco LLC in 1999 to assist the company with start-up costs.

"Ours has been a perfect partnership between state government, local partners, and Toshiba," Bobrowich said. "The partnership with Toshiba International has helped increase ReGENco's sales by over 25 percent and allowed for an increase in pipeline orders of over 50 percent in 2008."

Both ReGENco LLC and Toshiba have demonstrated the passion and commitment to build and grow a partnership that benefits not only West Allis but all of Wisconsin. They deserve our respect and admiration.