Southeast Indiana Growth: River Ridge, Redwire and Canadian Solar

Southeast Indiana growth is accelerating as River Ridge Commerce Center, Redwire and Ports of Indiana-Jeffersonville drive major investment in logistics, advanced manufacturing, space research and energy. From the Ohio River, the program looks at a region shifting from an economy long defined by traditional manufacturing toward a broader mix of logistics, technology and new investment. Lance Allison, CEO of One Southern Indiana, says Clark, Floyd and Scott counties have attracted $3 billion in capital investment over the past three years, while quality of life projects such as Origin Park are becoming part of the region's competitive strategy. A $25 million federal grant for Ports of Indiana-Jeffersonville will expand cargo operations and increase heavy-lift capacity. At Redwire's new 30,000-square-foot Georgetown facility, researchers work with NASA and pharmaceutical partners on microgravity projects, including higher-quality seed crystals and 3D bioprinted human tissue. Redwire's SpaceMD venture is focused on health, medical and biotech work tied to space research. River Ridge Commerce Center is also central to the region's energy story. CS PowerTech, a Canadian Solar subsidiary, has opened a nearly 1 million-square-foot solar cell facility backed by a $1 billion investment and expected to create 1,200 jobs at full capacity. The plant is using heterojunction technology designed to increase energy production. Also covered: Lilly's planned acquisition of Merida Biosciences, Purdue Fort Wayne's new music industry building, Harry & Izzy's expansion into Arizona, and other statewide business headlines.

Indiana manufacturing is drawing billions in new investment as SK hynix, Rolls-Royce and Caterpillar expand major operations across the state.Gerry Dick examines what the projects could mean for Indiana's advanced manufacturing economy. SK hynix breaks ground on a nearly $4 billion semiconductor facility tied to high-bandwidth memory for artificial intelligence, Rolls-Royce marks more than $1 billion in upgrades to its Indianapolis manufacturing and engine test campus, and Caterpillar considers a nearly $900 million modernization of its Lafayette engine operation. Conexus Indiana CEO Jay Wirts explains why the investments strengthen Indiana's position in advanced industry, talent development and the reshoring of manufacturing.Agriculture is also in focus. Superior Ag opens a new dry fertilizer terminal along the Ohio River in Rockport, while Beck's Hybrids welcomes more than 15,000 farmers to its Atlanta headquarters for Becknology Days. Beck's President Scott Beck discusses research, new soybean opportunities and the company's commitment to staying family owned and rooted in Indiana.The Business of Health report covers Roche Diagnostics' FDA-cleared Elecsys pTau217 blood test, developed with Eli Lilly and Company to help assess Alzheimer's disease. The program also looks at Ahimsa's stainless steel cafeteria trays, a new documentary on college food insecurity and Ben's Ranch Foundation's work-based animal science program.Plus, South Bend studies a possible Amtrak move to Union Station, the South Shore Line lays out a 20-year strategy, Ports of Indiana-Mount Vernon gains a national site designation, and Nate Spangle explains why giving young people a seat at the table matters for Indiana communities.

Indiana flood recovery is entering a long rebuilding phase after historic rain and winds caused deaths, outages and billions of dollars in damage statewide. Gov. Mike Braun discusses power restoration in northwest Indiana, federal disaster assistance, flood insurance gaps and the push to document losses across affected counties. The program also looks at a major sports weekend. IndyCar brings the Freedom 250 Grand Prix to Washington, D.C., for a one-time race tied to the nation's 250th birthday, while LIV Golf closes its season at The Club at Chatham Hills in Westfield. Mayor Scott Willis explains how sports tourism, Grand Park and new downtown projects fit into Westfield's growth strategy. Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard reflects on fostering and adopting two daughters with his wife, Kristin, and the team's Books for Youth Backpack event for foster children. In Fort Wayne, IU Health is recruiting 270 nurses for its $421 million, 140-bed hospital, which is expected to create about 500 jobs and open in May. Also covered: The Mill's Bloomington expansion, the Hambletonian Stakes move to Harrah's Hoosier Park in Anderson, and the economic role of Grissom Air Reserve Base near Peru. The Grissom Air & Space Expo returns after a seven-year absence with the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, military aircraft and family activities.

Terre Haute growth is reshaping the Wabash Valley, with more than $100 million in downtown investment and a new push around health care, technology and sports. From West Central Indiana, Gerry Dick looks at how Terre Haute is trying to build a more diverse economy after decades of manufacturing losses. Mayor Brandon Sakbun discusses the city's higher education assets, housing shortages, infill development and a long-term strategy centered on health care, advanced manufacturing, life sciences and drone technology. The regional snapshot also includes Elanco's more than $130 million Clinton investment and a proposed $65 billion data center campus in Sullivan County. Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology's $100 million Innovation Grove is designed to bring students, entrepreneurs, industry and health care partners closer together. The district includes Rose-Hulman Ventures and a planned outpatient surgery center tied to Union Health and the Indiana Orthopedic Institute, led by Dr. R. Michael Meneghini. In South Bend, Colfax Corner is turning the historic South Bend Tribune building into a research and innovation hub as part of a $750 million project expected to create 400 jobs. The Business of Health focuses on Bosma Enterprises and Meta's effort to put Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses in the hands of blind veterans. Bosma workers are already using the technology to read labels, identify objects and navigate tasks at work and home. The glasses are part of a nationwide donation aimed at more than 130,000 blind veterans. The program also covers a possible Chicago Bears stadium in Hammond, the Fort Wayne International Airport expansion and Terre Haute's sports tourism strategy. The LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course generates about $10 million in annual economic impact and is central to the city's Cross Country Town, USA identity.

Indiana defense manufacturing is drawing national attention as Indianapolis and Fort Wayne rank among the country's hottest markets for aerospace investment. The state's deep manufacturing base is supporting work tied to aircraft propulsion, missile warning, advanced electronics and next-generation weapons. Gerry Dick looks at how Rolls-Royce, L3Harris Technologies and the Crane defense ecosystem are strengthening Indiana's national security footprint. David Dowell, CEO of ACMI Properties, explains plans for a 1,500-acre National Security Industrial Hub and munitions campus in Bloomfield, where Prometheus Energetics is the anchor tenant. The project is expected to catalyze about $600 million in private investment and create thousands of construction and operations jobs. Manufacturing growth also reaches Columbus, where Toyota Material Handling North America has opened a $100 million electric forklift facility and says production can scale dramatically as demand grows. Business of Health reporter Kylie Veleta reports on Eradivir and EV25, an experimental influenza treatment that has reached a second Phase 2 study in Bangladesh. The drug grew out of discoveries from Purdue University scientist Dr. Phil Low and is designed to tag infected cells so the body's immune system can destroy them and clear the virus. Also covered: Colts broadcaster Matt Taylor on the 2026 season, Purdue's hiring of Rice athletic director Tommy McClelland, the Indiana State Fair's economic impact, a campus tour video game, new southwest Indiana manufacturing projects and the rise of matcha across the state. Inside INdiana Business with Gerry Dick covers business and community news from across Indiana.

The Indianapolis Colts kick off another camp in Westfield as the bright lights of the sports world continue to shine on Hamilton County - with no signs of dimming any time soon. The Hamilton County Sports Authority breaks down the increasing economic impact of sports tourism and what’s next. Plus... one on one with Mitch Daniels on Purdue in Indianapolis and a formula for unlocking the state’s brain gain equation. There's new space and new goals for downtown Logansport - a $6 million project for entrepreneurs and community gatherings. We’ll take you inside The Pavilion and The Kitchen. As conversations continue statewide about workforce development - the Evansville Regional Partnership is launching a first of its kind platform to engage high school students.

Indiana solar manufacturing takes a major step forward as CS PowerTech opens a nearly $1 billion Jeffersonville cell factory expected to create 1,200 jobs. Rusty Schmit, president of CS PowerTech, explains how the River Ridge Commerce Center facility will produce advanced HJT photovoltaic cells for panels deployed across the United States. He discusses the decision to change technologies during development, the specialized workforce needed for production, and the company's role in rebuilding a domestic solar supply chain. The program also tracks major investment across Indiana. Indiana Michigan Power proposes a natural gas generating facility at its Rockport site as coal units move toward retirement. A defense industrial campus near Crane expands to more than 1,500 acres, Columbus opens a center for machine and vehicle technology, and Purdue Research Foundation acquires an Indianapolis research building. IBJ Media's Indiana 250 gathering brings together leaders from across the state to assess the economy, regional growth and the outlook for investment. Kylie Veleta reports on Margaret Mary Health's new $125 million hospital in Batesville, one of the state's first fully electric hospitals. Additional health and life sciences stories include Dan Malarek's appointment to lead Roche Diagnostics North America, new ownership and expansion plans at Fort Wayne Metals, and Langham Logistics' pharmaceutical cold storage growth in Plainfield. The broadcast closes with Amplify Hancock's workforce training campus and Polina Osherov's case for treating Indiana's creative industries as an economic sector. Osherov, executive director of Pattern Inc. and founding board chair of the Creative Economy Leadership Alliance, says the group will advocate for policy, investment and infrastructure supporting private-sector creative businesses. Inside Indiana Business is presented by Elevate Ventures, Indiana University, and the Indiana Association of Realtors.

Indiana nuclear energy moves to the center of the state's growth strategy as communities prepare for rising electricity demand and new investment.Guest host Mitch Frazier, president of IBJ Media, examines the Advanced Nuclear Ready Communities program with Jon Ford, executive director of the Indiana Office of Energy Development. Ford explains the three-tier process, why local support must come first, and how data centers, electrification and industrial growth are reshaping the state's power needs.Columbus Mayor Mary K. Ferdon details the Four Pack, also called Finish on Fourth, a downtown redevelopment effort built around city-owned properties and community input. She also discusses the Advanced Machine and Vehicle Innovation Center, or AMVIC, and its focus on clean power, battery storage, workforce technology and employee retraining.The program also reports on Redwire's new Georgetown research and manufacturing facility, where teams can work live with astronauts aboard the International Space Station. Redwire's Indiana operation supports life sciences projects, including 3D bioprinting and pharmaceutical research. Other headlines include the SK hynix semiconductor project in West Lafayette, Copper Works expansion in New Haven, housing market gains, Buc-ee's plans in Greenwood, Wawa's proposed Mooresville location and major port investments.Lesley Weidenbener, editor and assistant publisher of the Indianapolis Business Journal and The Indiana Lawyer, looks toward the second half of 2026. Her preview covers Indiana Secretary of Commerce Chuck Goodrich, the Secretary of State race, data center investment, Eli Lilly's growth and major economic development stories still taking shape.

Northwest Indiana generates more than $47 billion annually, and the region is drawing national attention from the NFL, Big Tech, and AI infrastructure developers alike. IBJ Media President Mitch Frazier joins the show with takeaways from the Innovate Indiana event at Valparaiso University, where nearly 350 business and community leaders gathered to discuss the region's momentum. Hammond Mayor Tom McDermott weighs in on the bipartisan push to land the Chicago Bears and the broader case for Indiana's business climate. The episode also covers the Marion County wheel tax debate, a $100 flat fee on all vehicles that passed the Indianapolis City-County Council 14-10 but faces a potential veto from Mayor Joe Hogsett. The city's annual infrastructure spending deficit ranges from $635 million to $1 billion. Also featured: Evonik's $100 million investment to modernize its Lafayette pharmaceutical ingredients facility, Riverside Manufacturing's new Fort Wayne headquarters, a $21 million mixed-use development in Clarksville, and Bosse Field's $2.1 million turf upgrade in Evansville. Indianapolis startup Fitasy, based in the 16 Tech Innovation District, is making waves with its 3D-printed custom footwear after partnering with USA Diving for its international debut in Bolzano, Italy. Plus, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology's Design Clinic connects students with industry partners on real-world engineering challenges.

Indiana's tourism economy hit nearly $17 billion in visitor spending in 2024, welcoming 83 million visitors across the state. From Holiday World and Splashin' Safari's $22 million Cannonball Water Coaster to Indiana Dunes National Park drawing travelers from Chicago and Detroit, the state is positioning tourism as a core economic development strategy, not just a leisure draw.Amy Howell, interim CEO of the Indiana Destination Development Corporation, discusses the "playcation" trend, competition from neighboring states with larger marketing budgets, and what makes Indiana's offerings distinct, from French Lick to the Pete Dye Golf Trail.Fort Wayne-based Do it Best Group is moving True Value's headquarters from Chicago to its Electric Works campus, creating a unified home for the world's largest home improvement cooperative, serving more than 8,000 retailers in 60 countries. CEO Dan Starr explains why Indiana's business climate drove the decision.Also covered: Patrick Industries and LCI Industries merging in Elkhart, Kimball Electronics acquiring a Netherlands company for $100 million, the Chicago Bears' ongoing site evaluation in Hammond, the WNBA at 30 with league pioneer Val Ackerman and Indiana Fever president Kelly Krauskopf, and how Eli Lilly funded all-terrain trackchairs now available at all 37 Indiana state parks.