Shanghai, China – Foxconn Technology Group (Foxconn) and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) have partnered to support the participation of ten innovative Wisconsin companies in the first China International Import Expo (CIIE), a major global business development initiative taking place from November 5 to 10 in Shanghai. The partnership is in line with Foxconn’s commitment to the state of Wisconsin and the WEDC’s commitment to supporting the growth of Wisconsin businesses.
The Wisconsin firms will be featured as part of Foxconn Innovation Pavilion under its “Smart Future” theme. Their specialties include water technology, advanced machinery, healthcare, and smart city applications. The 5,300-square-foot exhibition area will host these Wisconsin companies and those operating within Foxconn’s international brand portfolio.
“The China International Import Expo is a unique opportunity to showcase the vast strengths of Wisconsin companies to a targeted broader audience including central, provincial and local government procurement officials. As Foxconn contributes to the transformation of Wisconsin into an international tech hub, we are eager to deepen awareness of Wisconsin innovation around the world,” said Louis Woo, Special Assistant to Foxconn CEO Terry Gou. “We are glad to partner with WEDC as we work to help transform Wisconsin into a global high-tech hub through our presence throughout the state.”
Foxconn is driving business opportunities for Wisconsin companies internationally and for global companies to invest in Wisconsin as it develops the supply chain that will support its Wisconn Valley Science and Technology Park project.
The Foxconn Innovation Pavilion will promote many of the state’s key industries. One section will be dedicated to its four freshwater technology companies, which are well-positioned to contribute to China’s recent “Sponge Cities” initiative to improve the quality of urban water for millions around the country. The plan aims to utilize “blue” and “green” space in the urban environment for storm water management and control. Wisconsin’s efforts on this initiative are being led by WEDC and The Water Council, a Milwaukee-based organization that supports the global water industry.
Mark R. Hogan, Secretary and CEO of WEDC said: “With 150,000 expected attendees from more than 100 countries, the China International Import Expo will offer these Wisconsin businesses the potential to enter into new markets and develop new partnerships. We thank Foxconn for providing our Wisconsin companies with the opportunity to showcase the innovation taking place in our state and to demonstrate how the products made right here in Wisconsin could have a positive impact on the lives of the citizens of China.”
Eric Love, Chairman of STAR Water, one of the Wisconsin exhibitors, said: “The People’s Republic of China is already one of the largest markets in the world. Policy settings such as ‘Beautiful China’ and the Sponge Cities Program will further expand this market while improving the environment of China. Our company wishes to support China’s commitment to sustainability through the localization and supply of technology that can assist these fantastic environmental initiatives.”
The companies attending CIIE and exhibiting at the Foxconn Innovation Pavilion are: BioGill, BiologiQ, Black Rock Custom Stone Cutting, Dynex Hydraulics, Hong Seng, Inc., Inpro Corporation, Roving Blue Inc., SDMC America Technology, STAR Water LLC and Velicon. Representatives of WEDC, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection and The Water Council also will be in attendance.
“Velicon is definitely planning to expand our sales in the Chinese market and we believe participation in the China Import Expo will provide us with exposure not only to the current markets and applications that we are catering to, but also to discrete equipment and component markets that are currently not known to us,” said Alex Edirisinghe, Program Manager at Velicon. “We are very thankful to Foxconn and WEDC for this opportunity.”
The ten Wisconsin companies attending CIIE as exhibitors at the Foxconn Innovation Pavilion are:
About Foxconn Technology Group
Established in 1974, Foxconn Technology Group (“Foxconn”) is the global leader in manufacturing services for the computer, communication, and consumer electronics (3C) industry. A multinational company headquartered in Taiwan, Foxconn offers many of the leading U.S. and international companies in electronics a one-stop integrated manufacturing solution. Foxconn generated total annual revenue of $158 billion in 2017 and was ranked No. 24 on the 2018 Fortune magazine Global 500. The company has facilities in Asia, Europe, and the Americas.
Foxconn is leveraging the potential of cloud computing, mobile devices, the Internet of Things, Big Data, artificial intelligence, networks, and robotics and automation, in its transformation as a leading high-tech enterprise and industrial Internet company. The company has research centers and testing laboratories internationally and has received more than 83,500 patents worldwide. In addition to maximizing value creation for customers, Foxconn is also dedicated to enhancing the concept of environmental sustainability in the manufacturing process and serving as a best-practices model for global enterprises.
About the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation
The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) leads economic development efforts for the state by advancing and maximizing opportunities in Wisconsin for businesses, communities and people to thrive in a globally competitive environment. Working with more than 600 regional and local partners, WEDC develops and delivers solutions representative of a highly responsive and coordinated economic development network. Visit wedc.org or follow WEDC on Twitter @WEDCNews to learn more.