Don Smith—St. Clair Economic Development Council Director, Patrick Murphy—Birmingham Business Alliance and St. Clair County Commission Chairman Stan Batemon check the fine print at the German expo.

Three area representatives traveled to Germany earlier this month to shore up international business.

Over the past ten years many overseas businesses have started production in St. Clair County.

The delegates from St. Clair and Birmingham spent several days visiting the home offices of WKW Erbsloh and Eissmann Automotive. The trip was meant to thank the companies for investing in the area while pledging continued support of international industry.

Don Smith, Executive Director of the St. Clair Economic Development Council said, “The St. Clair EDC is fortunate to have the opportunity to visit so many potential VW prospects all at one location. This trip also allows us to visit two of existing companies; Eissmann Group Automotive and WKW Erbsloh Automotive. These companies combined have invested tens of millions of dollars in our community as well as employed hundreds of our citizens. It is a wonderful opportunity to show our gratitude and appreciation to them as we are recruiting new companies.”

County Commission Chairman Stan Batemon said he was grateful for the opportunity to visit St. Clair County industries WKW Erbsloh and Eissmann Automotive at their home office locations in Germany. “To thank them for trusting and investing millions of dollars and creating hundreds of jobs for St. Clair County citizens has been a great opportunity for our economic development efforts. To interact with many potential Volkswagen suppliers that may also invest in St. Clair County is a valuable tool as we work together to continue to keep our county strong for the future.”

Patrick Murphy with the Birmingham Business Alliance said the group held productive and positive meetings with more than two-dozen potential prospects and existing companies. “We are confident in our ability to support existing industries in their efforts to secure relationships with Volkswagen in addition to attracting new suppliers to our region,” Murphy said