WREX.com – Rockford’s News LeaderMorrissey hopeful Italy, China visits will spark job growth here

Morrissey hopeful Italy, China visits will spark job growth here

ROCKFORD (WREX) - Rockford Mayor Larry Morrissey returns from Italy with good news for the local job market.

Morrissey went to Milan, Italy last week to focus on international economic development and how to find more local growth opportunities.

"I got the chance to meet with Rockford area businesses that are actually owned by Italian companies that are looking at expansion and exploring different ways to reinvest in Rockford," said Morrissey.

Visiting those local businesses was just a sidebar to the mayor's trip. He went there with a delegation of state leaders for a trade show. They met with leaders from around the world.

Morrissey plans to say more about his trip at a news conference this morning at 10:00.

In September, Morrissey traveled to China to meet with potential investors in the Rockford region and Chinese government leaders that are encouraging their local companies to invest abroad.

One of the companies he talked with was Wanxiang Group, the parent company of Wanxiang America Corporation that will be developing their photo-voltaic solar panel manufacturing facility at the Chicago-Rockford International Airport. They discussed further expansion and job growth plans for that facility.