Made In America: Obama to lead delegation to Germany for industrial trade show

Editor’s note: Each Sunday, Talk Business & Politics provides “Made In America,” a round-up of state and global manufacturing news.

OBAMA TO LEAD U.S. DELEGATION TO GERMANY INDUSTRIAL TRADE SHOW: President Obama will lead the largest-ever U.S. delegation of government, economic development and business officials to the Hannover Messe trade show, the largest such event for industrial technology. The event will take place April 25-29 in Hannover, Germany. U.S. Department of Commerce officials said the U.S. manufacturing industry has strong bonds to Germany as vital partners in many geopolitical priorities. The 2016 Hannover Messe will be a milestone in the two country’s transatlantic trade relations and highlight the administration’s commitment to strengthening the U.S.-Germany economic partnership, it said. The Department of Commerce will also host the U.S. Investment Pavilion, a centerpiece of the fair and host to state and local economic development organization exhibitors.

JANUARY CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS RISE 2%: The value of new construction starts in January grew 2% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $607.9 billion, according to Dodge Data & Analytics. The gain for total construction relative to December reflected moderate growth for housing. At the same time, nonresidential building retreated slightly in January, as increases for commercial building and manufacturing plant construction were offset by diminished activity for institutional building.

The nonbuilding construction sector also retreated slightly in January, as modest improvement for public works was offset by a downturn for the electric utilities/gas plant category. On an unadjusted basis, total construction starts in January were reported at $40.6 billion, down 14% from the same month a year ago which featured the start of two massive liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal projects in Texas. If these two LNG terminal projects are excluded, total construction starts in January would be up 1% from last year’s corresponding amount.

U.S. AND CUBA SIGN ARRANGEMENT RESTORING SCHEDULED AIR SERVICE: U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and Cuban Minister of Transportation Adel Yzquierdo Rodriguez, along with U.S. and Cuban government officials and transportation executives, signed an arrangement last week that provides for the re-establishment of scheduled air service between the United States and Cuba. Immediately following the signing, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) invited U.S. air carriers to apply for an allocation of the new opportunities to provide scheduled passenger and cargo flights.

The travel deal represents a major step forward in President Obama’s policy of engagement and normalizing relations with Cuba initiated in 2014. The new arrangement provides each country with the opportunity to operate up to 20 daily roundtrip flights between the United States and Havana. The arrangement also provides each country with the opportunity to operate up to 10 daily roundtrip flights between the United States and each of Cuba’s nine other international airports, providing U.S. carriers with the opportunity to operate up to a total of 110 daily roundtrip flights between countries. DOT’s order states that applications are due March 2, 2016.