U.S. States Ramp Up Efforts to Attract Turkish Investors
The outreach unfolded during the 2026 SelectUSA Roadshow, a federal initiative to boost foreign direct investment. Events in Istanbul, Kocaeli and Ankara connected Turkish firms with delegations from multiple US states.
Nathan Lord, president of Shale Crescent USA, said the group is targeting industrial investors for the shale gas basin spanning Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia by underscoring the region’s energy advantage.
Speaking to media, Lord noted energy is one of the largest cost drivers for heavy industry and emphasized the basin’s reliable, affordable power for sectors including rubber, glass, automotive, steel and petrochemicals.
“If Ohio, West Virginia and Pennsylvania were a country, they would be the world’s third-largest natural gas producer after the rest of the US and Russia,” he said. “The cheapest natural gas and electricity in the US are found in the Shale Crescent USA region. This provides unmatched profitability and supply security for energy-intensive manufacturing.”
Lord added that continuous supply and favorable market conditions give the region a competitive edge. He recalled a conversation with a multinational executive: “I’ve built facilities all over the world and always had to choose between being close to energy or close to customers. This is the first place where I don’t have to make that choice -- both are here.”
“Following our meetings in Türkiye, we believe dozens of Turkish companies will invest in our region,” he said.
‘Europeans talk, but Turks do’
Greg Kozera, marketing director of Shale Crescent USA, said shale gas discoveries in Ohio, West Virginia and Pennsylvania have sharply boosted the region’s appeal to foreign investors.
He credited abundant, low-cost energy for reviving manufacturing, particularly steel and petrochemicals, and praised Türkiye’s rapid infrastructure development.
“During my time in Türkiye, I learned how quickly infrastructure investments are completed here. We can’t do that in the US,” he said.
“My advice to Turkish companies is this: If you are a high-energy user, find the energy first. The closer you are to the energy source, the higher your long-term profitability,” he added.
Comparing business climates, Kozera said his visits revealed stark contrasts. “Europeans talk, but Turks do,” he said. “Investors in Türkiye are not blocked by the government -- they are encouraged. I saw new industrial zones rising along the Istanbul-Ankara corridor. In Europe, facilities are closing.”
“I don’t know what’s happening politically, but what I see is this: Good things are happening here, Europe is struggling, and this is a major opportunity for Türkiye to assume a real leadership role in Europe,” he said.
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