Walmart Exec: Indiana ‘Doing Something Right’
By Alex Brown | Inside INdiana Business
A Walmart executive says Indiana is seeing the benefit of a competitive business climate in the retail and manufacturing sectors. Vice President of U.S. Manufacturing Cindy Marsiglio points to the commitment by Dorel Juvenile USA to move production of one million child car seats to its facility in Columbus, creating 60 jobs in the process, as evidence of the state's success.
Dorel announced the move last week and officials celebrated the announcement Tuesday at the Columbus facility. The move is part of Walmart's 10-year commitment to buy an additional $250 billion in American-made products. Marsiglio tells Inside INdiana Business the state is "certainly doing something right."
"I think that states like Indiana, being highly business competitive for both retail as well as manufacturing, is starting to reap rewards," said Marsiglio. "And I think that when we get into a factory where we see a great supplier partner taking risks, creating jobs right here in Indiana, we just couldn't be more thrilled to come in, see them in person and thank them for their partnership."
Marsiglio says Indiana has a good track record in Indiana with a number of stores and distribution centers. The company is also constructing its first milk processing plant in Fort Wayne. The 250,000 square-foot facility is expected to create more than 200 jobs.
Dorel is moving the production of the child car seats to Columbus from a Chinese competitor. The company cites data from Boston Consulting Group that says Walmart's commitment to buying American-made products is estimated to create one million new U.S. jobs.
