Asian connection — NIPSCO officials visit Japan,Taiwan hoping to lure economic investment

Aug. 18, 2005 

By Lisa Shidler
Post-Tribune staff writer

Two NIPSCO officials, back from a trip to Asia as part of a state delegation, believe the group forged business relationships there that could result in more investment in Northwest Indiana.

Mark Maassel, president of Northern Indiana Public Service Co., and Don Babcock, director of economic development for the utility, were among a group of about 80 representatives from Indiana who accompanied Gov. Mitch Daniels on an economic development trip to Japan and Taiwan.

This was the first trip to Asia taken by a state delegation in eight years, and officials hoped to recruit more business here.

Even though the group did not come back with an announcement of a new economic development project, NIPSCO officials believe the trip was important because it helped build relationships between Indiana officials and Asian leaders.

The delegation left Indianapolis on July 30 and returned on Aug. 7. Members met with government leaders in Taiwan and Japan. The group also met with potential investors including Toyota and Mitsubishi, and with some of the 200 Japanese companies that already have locations in Indiana.

Babcock and Maassel were the only two representatives from Northwest Indiana.

“We thought it was a very worthwhile and important trip to make,’’ Maassel said. “So often you make these as an investment. We’ll grow the relationships and ultimately entice these firms to spend more dollars here and ultimately put up plants.”

Maassel said it’s important to foster relationships as part of the Japanese culture. In fact, the Japanese business leaders quizzed them about the culture in Indiana to glean more facts about what it would be like to do business here.

“The Japanese are driven by longer-term goals and relationships,’’ Maassel said. “They really want to get to know and understand you. They really take their time in making decisions. One of the keys in working with Japanese individuals is making sure you’re there working with them to explain the value of your region.”

Indiana Secretary of Commerce Pat Miller also believes the trip was helpful and anticipates future announcements.

“They’d ask us things such as, 'Do you lock car doors and houses?’ Miller said. “We were able to tell the people that there are places where they should lock their car doors and lock their home doors, but there are other places where the crime rate is very low.”

The Japanese officials also quizzed the delegation about the schools and business climate in Indiana.

“I think Indiana certainly looks very favorable to them because of our cost of living, and because of our citizens who are known to be friendly and outgoing and down to earth,’’ Miller said.

Contact Lisa Shidler at 648-3076 or lshidler@post-trib.com