Chinese Firm Expands Into Southern Indiana
Bartholomew County REMC assists Chinese-American partnership
A cold call sometimes leads to a hot prospect, especially when the groundwork has been laid to smooth the path.
That’s exactly what happened in Columbus, Indiana with Techtop LHP, a subsidiary of Techtop Industries Inc. which is majority-owned by Shanghai Top Motor Co., a leading automotive company--manufacturer of electric motors, pumps and generators in China.
New Automotive Company Manufacturing Facility
at the Woodside Northwest Industrial Park
Techtop LHP is building a $7.3 million logistics and manufacturing facility in Columbus that will employ 62 workers when it’s fully operational in 2012. The company is located in the Woodside Northwest Industrial Park, a 150-acre parcel of Indiana real estate, which opened officially in the spring of 2008. Bartholomew County REMC supplies electrical power to the park and was instrumental in its development.
“It’s a brand new industrial park. Techtop is the second business to go in,” said Marty Lasure, manager of public relations and member services for the REMC. Automotive industry supplier Sunright America has a $10 million manufacturing facility at the park.
Powering Woodside Northwest Industrial Park
Bartholomew County REMC installed nearly a mile of new feeder lines to power the industrial park. One main substation and two backup substations offer secure power redundancy and the REMC has discussed additional capacity with Hoosier Energy and is prepared to add an additional substation as the park grows.
The Whitecreek substation has radio-controlled switches and the substations are on a loop transmission circuit, a set-up the REMC calls the “Cadillac” combination, the best available.
A Cold Call Changes Everything
Work on the park began early in 2007. A few months later, with the park in development, Corey Carr, executive director of the Bartholomew County Economic Development Corp., made a cold call to the automotive company--Shanghai Top Motor Co.--at a trade show in Hanover, Germany.
There were some language challenges, Carr admits, so back in Columbus, he called on one of his board members, Ryan Hou, the CEO of LHP Inc., who speaks Chinese. That connection led to a partnership between LHP and Techtop Industries and the creation of the new company, Techtop LHP.
A Success Driven by Collaboration
Meanwhile, the Woodside Northwest Industrial Park was taking shape, thanks to the cooperative effort of local elected officials, the Bartholomew County EDC and the REMC. Additionally, Woodside Northwest boasts multiple available developed sites from 8 acres to 24 acres.
“We have a great relationship. The REMC is an active participant as we work to attract new business. They’re part of the attraction effort,” said Carr.
For Hou also, it was good collaboration and a team effort that made the Techtop project a success.
“To do business you need a friendly community and leadership in the EDC,” he said.