Gov. Mike Beebe (center) with Jean-Philippe Blanpain (left), executive vice president of manufacturing, L’Oreal Worldwide, and Loic Armand, senior vice president of external ffairs, L’Oreal Worldwide. (Photo courtesy of Governor's Office)

Gov. Beebe (left) and Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola in the lobby of Dassault Falcon headquarters near Paris. (Photo courtesy Governor's Office)

By Lewis Delavan
Stephens Media

LITTLE ROCK — Good economic opportunities still exist for Arkansas through European companies, Gov. Mike Beebe told Arkansas reporters today in a telephone call from his European trade mission.

Speaking from Paris, Beebe said he met Monday in the United Kingdom with officials of a “world player in alternative fuels.” He said he could not reveal the company’s name because negotiations are preliminary, but that the firm’s interest in Arkansas is biomass.

“We’re competing with many locations, but there may be enough to go around for everybody,” the governor said.

He said he also met with the chief executive officer of Unilever, which produces Skippy peanut butter in Little Rock, and numerous other brands, including Dove and Lux.

Unilever is “very committed” to Arkansas, Beebe said, adding that opportunities exist for luring other plants.

In Paris, Beebe met with officials of L’Oréal, which operates a Maybelline plant east of Little Rock.

Beebe said L’Oréal, which makes “high end, medium and really-high end” cosmetics, is deeply interested in environmental sustainability. Loriel is proud that it will soon have the world’s first carbon-neutral plant in Belgium, he said.

Its Little Rock plant is the company’s largest by size, and is third or fourth in productivity, he said.

Beebe said Arkansas and L’Oréal will work together pursuing the company’s goal of alternative electrical generation, alternative fuels, operating efficiency and in grooming up the Maybelline building.

The governor said he also met with officials of Zodiac Aerospace, which operates an Amfuel plant in Magnolia. He said Zodiac is pleased with Magnolia’s work force but has great difficulty recruiting engineers and high-level managers.

“There are huge opportunities for expansion in Magnolia if Zodiac’s managerial and engineering needs can be met,” Beebe said.

The problem is geography, one that companies face around the world. Many young college graduates would rather locate in or near a metropolitan area, Beebe said.

The governor said to solve the problem, Southern Arkansas University will develop engineering courses to meet the need. Internships will help students learn the opportunities that exist in Magnolia, he said.

Beebe also met with officials of Dassault, which operates a Falcon jet plant at
Little Rock. He acknowledged the market for private jets is suffering worldwide, but said despite recently announced layoffs, Dassault is committed to retaining as much of its highly skilled work force in Arkansas as possible.

Economic conditions could force further cuts, but Dassault will try to avoid those through furloughs, shorter work weeks or other means, Beebe said.

The governor is scheduled to return to Arkansas on Friday.