The Fort Worth EDP joined an international trade mission to the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Germany in April, led by Texas First Lady Cecilia Abbott, Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson, and Adriana Cruz, Executive Director of the Governor’s Texas Economic Development and Tourism Office. The mission included meetings with global companies and government leaders to strengthen relationships that support Fort Worth’s long-term economic growth and competitiveness.
By Jessica Heer, Executive Vice President | May 6, 2026
Our Approach to International Business Recruitment
At its core, the Fort Worth Economic Development Partnership’s recruitment strategy starts at home. The Fort Worth EDP is focused first and foremost on attracting domestic businesses to our community, working to bring companies from across the United States to one of the fastest-growing cities in the country. That foundation is what gives us credibility and momentum when we step onto the global stage.
When it comes to international recruitment, we do not go it alone. By partnering with the Texas Economic Development Corporation (TxEDC), we gain access to networks, relationships, and opportunities that would otherwise be out of reach for a single community organization. TxEDC opens doors at the highest levels of government and industry, and the Fort Worth EDP is at the table, making the case for why Fort Worth is the right place for global companies to put down roots in North Texas.
Our international focus is deliberate and sector-driven. We concentrate on industries where Fort Worth holds a genuine competitive advantage, including advanced manufacturing, aerospace and defense, logistics and supply chain, and financial technology. By targeting sectors aligned with our workforce strengths, infrastructure assets, and cost environment, we ensure that every company we recruit has the foundation it needs to thrive here for the long term.
A Recap of the 2026 International Trade Mission
In April, the Fort Worth EDP joined an international trade mission led by Texas First Lady Cecilia Abbott, joined by Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson and Adriana Cruz, Executive Director of the Governor’s Texas Economic Development & Tourism Office. The delegation traveled to the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Germany, with each stop designed to engage high-priority markets and deepen Texas’s international economic relationships.
London, United Kingdom
The UK is one of Texas’s most consequential trading partners, with $17.6 billion in total trade in 2025 and more than 18,000 jobs created in Texas through UK investment over the past decade. During the trip, Texas formally opened the State of Texas United Kingdom Office, a permanent economic development presence designed to connect British companies with investment opportunities across the state. It is a signal that Texas is not waiting for global companies to find us. We are going to them, and the Fort Worth EDP intends to be part of conversations that follow.
The Netherlands
The full delegation toured the Port of Rotterdam before traveling to Veldhoven to tour ASML’s Global Headquarters, the world’s leading supplier of advanced lithography systems used to produce the most sophisticated computer chips, and visit NXP Semiconductors, a global leader in semiconductor design and manufacturing located in Eindhoven. Both companies represent the kind of advanced technology investment Texas and Fort Worth are actively pursuing.
The day concluded with a reception at the U.S. Ambassador’s Residence with Dutch companies and site selection consultants, underscoring why the Netherlands ranks as Texas’s fourth-largest total trade partner with $35.2 billion in trade in 2025.
Berlin, Germany
In Berlin, the delegation met with Germany’s Ministry of Energy and Economy before gathering for the Texas-Germany Partnership discussion at the Adlon Kempinski Berlin Hotel. Texas First Lady Cecilia Abbott, Secretary of State Jane Nelson, and Texas Economic Development and Tourism Office Executive Director Adriana Cruz each delivered remarks on the future of this transatlantic partnership. A networking reception and U.S. Commercial Services Country Briefing rounded out the trip.
Germany is Texas’s ninth-largest total trade partner, with $19.3 billion in trade in 2025 and $13.2 billion in German FDI creating more than 14,000 Texas jobs over the past decade. Fort Worth has seen that investment firsthand with the opening of Siemens $190 million manufacturing hub in 2025 that created 800 jobs, as well as the expansion from MTU, which specializes in aircraft engine maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO), who is investing $120 million at Perot Field and adding 1,200 jobs to the Fort Worth economy. And in early 2026, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services USA announced plans to grow its workforce at its Fort Worth headquarters. Together, these companies are a testament to the deep and growing ties between German industry and Fort Worth.
Why This Matters for Fort Worth Economic Development
International business recruitment is not a parallel track to our domestic work, but rather it is an extension of it. Every relationship built on a trade mission is a potential future investment, facility, or job in Fort Worth. When global companies evaluate North Texas, they are looking for a community that shows up, competes hard, and follows through. That is exactly what the Fort Worth EDP does.
The opening of the Texas UK Office and the depth of engagement in the Netherlands and Germany signal that Texas is playing an increasingly sophisticated international game. Fort Worth benefits directly when we are part of that effort. Our participation ensures that when global companies ask where in Texas to invest, Fort Worth is part of the conversation.
The relationships cultivated on this mission will continue to be nurtured through follow-up engagement, site visits, and ongoing collaboration with TxEDC and state and federal partners. The world is watching, and the Fort Worth EDP is ready to answer.
+++
The Fort Worth EDP works directly with companies, site selection consultants, and corporate real estate professionals who are interested in moving or expanding to Fort Worth, Tarrant County, and the surrounding areas. If you’d like to learn more about Fort Worth, please schedule a meeting with us or check out our Why Fort Worth page.