MUNICH, Germany – Following the best year for manufacturing job growth in Missouri since 1995, Gov. Jay Nixon today announced that Missouri’s bipartisan delegation to Europe has held a number of productive meetings with global manufacturers that have or may be considering investments in Missouri. Missouri added 9,900 manufacturing jobs in 2014, the largest annual increase in that sector since 1995.

“Missouri manufacturing is staging a major comeback, and this week’s trade mission is a great opportunity to build on this success by attracting even more jobs and investments to the Show-Me State,” said Gov. Nixon. “Creating jobs in today’s fiercely competitive global economy requires a proactive, forward-looking approach – and that is exactly what this trade mission is all about. We’re making sure businesses worldwide understand that with a highly skilled workforce, business-friendly climate, and a perfect AAA credit rating, Missouri is an ideal location to make long-term investments and create high-paying jobs.”

In Milan, Italy on Monday, the Governor received a briefing from Ambassador Philip Reeker, the U.S. Consul General in Milan, and met with the leadership of Gruppo Fontana, a leading manufacturer of industrial fasteners that supplies a number of automakers including General Motors. The delegation also met with the leadership of Buzzi Unicem, a global cement producer with two facilities in Missouri, and Bomi Italia, a biomedical logistics company. Gov. Nixon also addressed Italian business leaders and investors at a reception hosted by the U.S. Commercial Service in Milan.

On Tuesday, Gov. Nixon and members of the delegation arrived in Frankfurt, Germany and met with leaders from global chemical manufacturer BASF, whose Hannibal facility the Governor visited last week. Gov. Nixon also met with the CEO of Schütz, a German-based packaging company that is investing $20 million and creating 50 jobs to open a facility in St. Joseph, Mo.

Earlier today in Munich, the Governor met with senior executives at BMW and visited the headquarters of Siemens, Europe’s largest engineering company that has a number of facilities in Missouri. Ambassador William Moeller II, the U.S. Consul General in Munich, hosted a reception in honor of the Governor and the Missouri delegation.

Tomorrow, the Governor is scheduled to meet with Franz Joseph Pschierer, the Secretary of State of the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs and Media, Energy & Technology. The delegation will then travel to Madrid, Spain for meetings with government officials and business leaders. On Friday, Gov. Nixon and Director of Economic Development Mike Downing will present at a roundtable for investors at the Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade.

In addition to recruiting new and expanded investments to the state, another goal of the trade mission is to increase Missouri exports. Last month, the Governor announced that Missouri export sales reached $14.1 billion in 2014, the second highest year on record after 2012. Exports of Missouri products were up 9 percent over the previous year.

Missouri exports to Germany, Italy and Spain totaled more than $577 million in 2014. Germany was the state’s seventh-largest trading partner last year, purchasing $402 million in Missouri goods. Italy purchased $131 million in Missouri goods, ranking 17th; and Spain purchased more than $44.6 million, ranking 32nd.

Joining Gov. Nixon on the delegation are First Lady Georganne Nixon; Mike Downing, Director of the Missouri Department of Economic Development; Richard Fordyce, Director of the Missouri Department of Agriculture; Senate President Pro Tem Tom Dempsey; House Speaker John Diehl; State Sen. Jill Schupp; and State Rep. John Rizzo.

“In order to grow and create jobs, businesses across the state need strong demand from global markets,” said Senate President Pro Tem Dempsey (R-St. Charles County). “That’s why I’m very proud to represent the people of St. Charles County on this trade mission and help market Missouri to the world.”

The Missouri delegation also includes representatives of several businesses and organizations, including Blakemore Ag-Plastics, Intek Corp., Shiloh Innovations, Healthy Harvest Products, Missouri Corn Growers, Masterclock, and Enginuity Worldwide.

The Governor, First Lady and other members of the delegation will return to the United States on Saturday, March 28. Travel costs for Governor and Mrs. Nixon are being covered by the Hawthorn Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting economic growth in Missouri. State taxpayer funds will not be used.

“These European countries are important markets for Missouri products, and they’re also major sources of foreign investment into our state,” said House Speaker John Diehl (R-St. Louis). “I’m confident that the contacts we’ve made this week will yield dividends for Missouri’s economy for many years to come.”

“In Kansas City and across the state, we’re making huge gains in manufacturing but there’s always more work to do,” Minority Whip John Rizzo (D-Kansas City). “In the global economy, standing still means falling behind and that’s why proactive efforts like this week’s trade mission are so important.”

“When it comes to creating jobs and recruiting new businesses, there’s just no substitute for the kind of direct, in-person relationships we’re building this week,” said Sen. Jill Schupp (D-St. Louis County). “I could not be more proud to be helping to present a united, bipartisan front on behalf of the people of St. Louis County and all Missouri citizens.”

Gov. Nixon has made creating opportunities for Missouri businesses to sell their products around the globe and promoting Missouri as an ideal location for investment by foreign companies a top economic development priority for his administration. The Governor has led successful trade missions to China (October 2011); Brazil (April 2012); the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the Republic of Korea (March 2013); western Europe (June 2014); and eastern Canada (March 2014). Those trade missions resulted in agreements calling for consumers in other countries to purchase more than $9.7 billion in Missouri goods over the next few years.

In addition, earlier this month a Missouri delegation led by the First Lady traveled to Cuba on a historic trade mission to further the sale of Missouri agricultural products. The Missouri team was the first U.S. state trade delegation to visit Cuba since the announcement by President Obama in December that the U.S. was working to normalize diplomatic relations with Cuba