Knoxville delegation to Germany considers follow-up trip

According to the Knoxville News, the portion of Governor Phil Bredesen's delegation to Germany that went to represent the Knoxville and Oak Ridge area is considering a return trip.  The report quotes Kim Denton, president of the Oak Ridge Economic Partnership, saying there also has been discussion of a possible follow-up trip to solidify relationships made during the trip. "I think the follow-up is really important," she said. "I think continuing to develop those relationships is really important, and if a follow-up trip is necessary, then I think we'll explore that as well."

Denton is reported to have said that in addition to developing relationships, a goal was to create an awareness of how close the Knoxville-Oak Ridge area is to the Volkswagen facility. The group distributed cards that showed a map of East Tennessee and had a Top 10 list of reasons why the Knoxville-Oak Ridge location is perfect for Volkswagen suppliers, including the fact that the plant will be just over 100 kilometers away and that "The Tennessee Valley Authority offers affordable electricity and exceptional reliability."
The group also distributed flash drives with data about sites and buildings in the region that are suitable for automotive suppliers.