VIJAYAWADA: CEOs and top functionaries of various global companies have appreciated the industrial-friendly atmosphere in Andhra Pradesh ahead of the International Diplomatic Alliance Meet in New Delhi on Tuesday.
The diplomatic alliance is meeting to prepare for the Global Investors Summit on March 3rd and March 4th in Visakhapatnam.
KIA Motors (Korea) MD & CEO Tae Jin Park praised AP government for taking the crucial step in setting up the automotive belt and supporting it with resources for setting up operations in Andhra Pradesh. He specifically pointed to help that KIA received in setting up its world-class car facility in Penukonda. Tae Jin explained that ease of connectivity with major ports like Krishnapatnam and Chennai has enabled them to sell their cars not just across India but in 95 countries of the world.
Toray Industries (Japan) MD & CEO Yamaguchi said, "We have been receiving huge support from AP since April 2019. We invested ₹1,000 crore in AP and started two business units. But then Covid happened. Yet, with support from AP government, we started production quickly in June 2020. Our business plan is to more than double our present investment by 2030."
Cadbury India (USA) president Deepak Dharmarajan Iyer pointed out: "AP has been very proactive and supportive from the time we started our business units in Sri City. We have invested more than ₹2,500 crore, creating more than 6,000 direct and several thousand indirect jobs in transportation and distribution. 50 percent of our machinery operators are women recruited from small villages across Andhra Pradesh and skilled by us. They are successfully running the most advanced factory in the Asia Pacific. Apart from manufacturing, we have helped 3,000–4,000 farmers grow coco."
Apache and Hilltop Group (Taiwan) director Sergio Lee said, "We came to AP in 2006 to manufacture shoes for 100 percent export. Our company would not have succeeded without AP's support. We signed our agreement with then CM and current Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s father. We are now working together with AP on our Apache India 2 project. Latest green technology will be used to set up the facility. We are looking forward to contributing to economic development of Andhra Pradesh.”
Saint-Gobain Industries India (France) CMD Phani Kumar said, "We have invested over 12,000 crore over two decades in India. Over the last few years, we have been investing in AP, from the times of Covid. Extraordinary support from authorities is why our AP unit is the most prosperous. AP is good with an abundance of talent and extraordinary administration.”
Everton Tea India (Italy) Roshan Gunawardhana said, "Though AP is not a tea producing state, we have put our faith in AP, which has been justified over and over. Ease of doing business is one factor in AP. 99 percent of our staff are local."
