US state representatives are inviting Turkish investors to their regions by highlighting low-cost and uninterrupted energy advantages, aiming to expand cooperation across sectors including energy, chemicals, metals, electronics, aviation and industrial manufacturing.
The 2026 SelectUSA Roadshow, a US federal government initiative aimed at promoting foreign direct investment and economic development, brought together Turkish investors and US state representatives during events held in Istanbul, Kocaeli and Ankara.
Nathan Lord, president of Shale Crescent USA, told Anadolu that the organization is working to attract industrial investment to the shale gas basin spanning Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia by emphasizing the region’s low-cost energy advantage.
Lord said energy is among the largest cost components for heavy industry, adding that the region offers reliable and affordable power for sectors such as 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," Lord 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."
He noted that continuous energy supply and favorable market conditions offer significant advantages for international investors.
"An executive from a multinational company investing here once told me: ‘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,'" Lord said.
"Following our meetings in Türkiye, we believe dozens of Turkish companies will invest in our region."
- "Europeans talk, but Turks do"
Greg Kozera, marketing director of Shale Crescent USA, said the discovery of shale gas in Ohio, West Virginia and Pennsylvania has significantly increased the region’s attractiveness for investment.
He said abundant and low-cost energy has driven a revival in manufacturing, particularly in steel and petrochemicals.
Highlighting the importance of infrastructure, Kozera praised Türkiye’s ability to rapidly deliver large-scale projects.
"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."
Kozera, who recently visited both Türkiye and Europe as part of the SelectUSA Roadshow, compared business environments across regions.
"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."
By Gulsen Cagatay
Anadolu Ageny
energy@aa.com.tr
