Chennai: Chief Minister M K Stalin’s official visit to the US for luring industries and businesses to Tamil Nadu gained additional momentum on Wednesday with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Trilliant Networks for an investment of Rs 2000 crore and having productive talks with global footwear major, Nike, and a leading health insurance company, Optum. ‘Exciting developments in Chicago! Secured a Rs 2000 crore MoU with Trlliant to establish a manufacturing unit as well as their Development and Global Support Centre in Tamil Nadu. Thanks to Trilliant for this valuable partnership!, Stalin said in his X page on Thursday. On his meeting with top honchos of Nike and Optum, he said: ‘Had productive talks with Nike on expanding its footwear production and the potential for a product creation/design centre in Chennai. Also engaged with Optum, which already employs 5,000 people in Tamil Nadu and plans to build a talent pipeline for the healthcare sector. Requested them to consider expanding their operations in Trichy and Madurai.’ Since the State government is focused on ensuring widespread and sustainable growth across the state, the Chief Minister has been keen on bringing investments to various districts with a view to improving the infrastructure and creating job opportunities for youth and women near their homes. The present visit to the US to attract more investments has been undertaken in the context of Tamil Nadu emerging as a highly conducive state for starting businesses in India due to its skilled young workforce, women’s education and development, achievements in higher education, and quality infrastructure. An understanding agreement was signed in the presence of Stalin by Mike Mortimer, chief commercial officer of Trilliant, a leading international company having its headquarters in Cary, North Carolina, to establish a Development & Global Support Centre and a production facility in Tamil Nadu. The company provides solutions for Advanced Metering Infrastructure, Smart Grid, Smart Cities, Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), energy efficiency, reliability and integration of renewable energy resources. At the meeting with Venkatesh Alagirisamy, Chief Supply Chain Officer of Nike, and senior officials like Kristen Hanson and George Casimiro, Stalin discussed possibilities for expanding non-leather footwear production in Tamil Nadu, creating an environmental setup for apparel production, establishing a production and design centre in Chennai, and collaborating with ‘Naan Mudhalvan’ skill development initiative. Nike, headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon, is a Fortune 500 company that produces footwear and apparel for a wide range of sports and has established distribution and sales centres in Tamil Nadu and produces 60 million pairs of footwear annually through its major contract manufacturers, Fengtay and Bouchen, employing approximately 28,000 people. The Chief Minister met Roger Conner, Chief Executive Officer of Optum Insight, and John Meade, Senior Vice President of UnitedHealth Group to discuss the current operations and collaboration to build a skilled workforce suited for Tamil Nadu’s growing healthcare sector. Optum is a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group, a leading health insurance company, that operates three business segments: Optum Rx, Optum Health, and Optum Insight, providing services in data and analytics, pharmacy care services, population health, and healthcare delivery. After these successful meetings, Stalin remarked in his X page message: Momentum is strong!
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