Japanese IT firm adds 350 jobs in Tennessee
A Japanese information technology company plans to build a $9.9 million innovation and digital delivery center in Nashville that will create 350 jobs focused on healthcare and manufacturing technology.
NTT DATA said the new center it will build in downtown Nashville’s Capitol View will provide U.S.-based service delivery to local, national and international clients and serve as a cross-industry and technology showcase.
Based in Tokyo, Japan, NTT Data is one of the world’s largest IT and business service providers. Ranked 62nd in the Fortune Global 500, NTT DATA Corporation employs 130,000 people worldwide and delivers services in more than 50 countries.
NTT DATA Services is a U.S.-based division with headquarters in Plano, Texas that employs more than 50,000 workers. Dan Albright, senior vice president of consulting for NTT DATA, said the company is focused on developing the next generation of consulting and technology talent to meet its clients’ needs and help them address critical business problems.
“We are delighted to partner with the state of Tennessee and the city of Nashville to bring the best talent to our clients and contribute to the economic success of the state and region,” he said.
Bob Rolfe, the commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, said “Nashville continues to be recognized as one of the top cities in the country for recruiting new talent,” and direct foreign investment. Davidson County is already home to U.S. headquarters for the Japanese-based Nissan and the Bridgestone tire company.
Mars company unveils $200 million expansion
Royal Canin, a Mars Petcare brand, will spend $200 million to expand its Lebanon, Tennessee, facility to grow its production of cat and dog food product lines.
The company will add more than 90 jobs and over 108,000 square feet of new working space with five highly automated production lines that will double the factory’s capacity, according to the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development.
Founded in 1968 and purchased by Mars Inc. in 2001, Royal Canin is a global leader in pet science, health and nutrition, the state agency said.
“We are grateful to Royal Canin for choosing to expand its Lebanon operations and create over 90 new jobs. Royal Canin is a valued community partner, and I look forward to seeing the company grow and succeed in Tennessee in the years to come.” said Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee in a statement.
Retail sales fall 3% in February
Americans spent less last month, partly due to bad weather in parts of the country that kept shoppers away from stores.
Retail sales fell a seasonally adjusted 3% in February from the month before, the U.S. Commerce Department said Tuesday. The drop comes after retail sales soared in January as people spent the $600 stimulus checks sent at the end of last year. In fact, the Commerce Department revised its January number up to 7.6% from its previously reported increase of 5.3%.
Economists expect retail sales to rise again in March as many Americans get $1,400 direct payments, part of a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package that was signed into law last week.
Industrial production down 2.2% last month
Industrial output fell sharply in February as severe winter storms battered much of the country, disrupting a wide range of manufacturing activities from autos to chemical plants.
The expectation is that the drop will be temporary although there are concerns about growing global supply chain problems. The Federal Reserve reported Tuesday that industrial production fell 2.2% in February, reflecting a big decline in output at factories and oil and gas refineries.
U.S. Senate confirms Guzman as SBA head
The Senate on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved President Joe Biden’s pick to oversee the Small Business Administration, an agency that has seen its portfolio expand in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
The vote to confirm Isabel Guzman was 81-17. She is the 18th member of Biden’s Cabinet to win Senate confirmation.
Guzman is a former Obama administration SBA official who currently heads California’s Office of the Small Business Advocate. In that role, she oversaw efforts to help that state’s small businesses survive the pandemic.