Statistics released from Mexico indicate that maquiladora employment in Reynosa has recently increased. President/CEO of the McAllen Economic Development Corporation Keith Patridge attributes the increase to companies shifting production to places where they have lower costs and a capable workforce.
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A recent article in The Monitor features Valley Superior Powder Coating, the leader in providing this type of service for companies in the Rio Grande Valley. General Manager Thomas Violett discusses how he provides this service to all manufacturers and companies in the Rio Grande Valley and Mexico and how it can help reduce emissions.
This company, with the help of the McAllen Economic Development Corporation, located in the McAllen MSA and has plans to expand.
Read the full story here.
In the Friday, July 30 edition of The Monitor, Business Reporter Ana Ley wrote an article about Rewards4Referrals, the newest program recently launched by the McAllen Economic Development Corporation.
Keith Patridge, President/CEO of the McAllen EDC said, “Years ago, there were four or five media sources where we could go advertise for companies who want to relocate here. Now, with the Internet, there are so many sources out there to choose from. Where do you put your money?”
To read the full story in The Monitor, click here
Johnson Controls, which “create(s) quality products, services and solutions to
optimize energy and operational efficiencies of buildings; lead-acid automotive batteries and
advanced batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles; and interior systems for automobiles,” is seeking a project manager in the McAllen,TX/Reynosa, MX region.
See the full job post here
To learn more about Johnson Controls, click here
To help promote healthy living and environmental protection, Farley’s & Sathers Candy Company (known as Dulces Famosos) in Reynosa sponsored a week-long health fair for all employees and their immediate families. In the parking lot outside the plant, which is located in Villa Florida Industrial Park, hospitals, health officials, schools and pharmacies set up tents providing free services and information. Dulces Famosos employs about 1,000 people and produces candy canes and other sweet candy for distribution in the United States.
“We’re very proud of our company and our employees,” said Randy Main, general managers of Dulces Famosos, to a group of employees and their children. “We have to do special things for our people and this fair is an example of this. Not only is it an example, but it’s a promise, an obligation and our social responsibility.”
Main said that employees would have time to receive private screenings and he was working with everyone’s schedule to ensure employees that had a pre-existing condition would have access to a specialist available at the plant. Keith Patridge, President/CEO of the McAllen Economic Development Corporation; Ralph Garcia, Vice President for Mexico Business Recruitment; and Victoria Hirschberg, Marketing Director for the McAllen Economic Development Corporation, participating in the inaugural activities at the Reynosa plant.
“The health fair exemplifies some of the great things that are still happening in Reynosa,” Patridge said. “Main, just like our other plant managers in McAllen and Reynosa, take care of their employees.”
“Number one (is that) we believe a healthy employee is a productive employee,” Main said. “And for that reason we are focusing this fair on health and number two, our employees have the right to leave each day in the same condition as when they arrived for their shift.”
The team at the McAllen Economic Development Corporation is happy to announce several new corporate citizens in our bi-national community. These new companies in McAllen and Reynosa speak to the strength and resiliency of our area in a time of economic downturn. In addition to these new companies, McAllen EDC currently is working with 28 projects on the U.S. side and about 10 in Mexico. We remain focused on highlighting our strategic location, cost competitiveness and available skilled labor force. Be sure to check www.mcallenedc.org for current updates and news from our organization. If there is anything you’d like to learn or if you know of a company interested in our area, pass our information along. We want to grow and sustain our local businesses.
As for our new businesses, McAllen EDC is happy to announce that Union Plastic & Metal Recycling has located its new operation in the McAllen Foreign Trade Zone. This company, with headquarters in Hong Kong and a 30-acre recycling site in China, selected McAllen as its first North American location. Yan Ho, regional manager, said they were looking to open in an already established hub of manufacturers to ensure steady business. When studying the North American market, the company selected McAllen to capitalize on the more than 200 companies in McAllen and Reynosa. Union Plastic & Recycling can collect and recycle industrial materials from computers, steel, paper and metal parts. The company plans to hire several people for its operations and hopes to expand its services and operations in McAllen/Reynosa.
“It’s been quite an adventure,” Ho said, adding that he is relieved to start operations in the new 28,000-square foot facility.
In Reynosa, TopLine Cosmetics recently announced a new 26,000-square ft facility in the Parque Industrial Reynosa. The company designs, manufactures and produces packaging for cosmetics and beauty products (ie: the L’Oreal Infaillible Lipstick tube/ Lip Gloss duo). According to premiumbeautynews.com, Topline has more than 2,000 employees and currently operates five factories in China. The Reynosa facility ―the company’s first in North America― will begin production in upcoming weeks and plans to hire about 30 people.
Topline President Charles Chang commented to premiumbeautynews.com about the new location, saying: “Not only does the new North American site increase our global presence, but it will significantly benefit our customers by reducing their working capital costs and supply chain lead time. The new plant thus adds value to our services by enhancing customer productivity and inventory management operations.”
And on another exciting note, construction on the new Textape facility on Military Highway in South McAllen is almost complete. The company, which processes and distributes pressure sensitive tape, C-TPAT seals and electrical tapes, will move into its new almost 17,000-square feet facility by the end of summer 2010. Their current facility is about 8,000-square feet, said Doug Scott with Textape. This new, larger facility will increase the production capabilities in McAllen and there are plans to hire several new people when the new plant becomes operational.
And the article starts:
“They say everything in Texas is big, and that sure goes for its stature in business.”
A recent study from CNBC ranked Texas the No. 1 state in the United States for business based:
* Cost of Doing Business, Workforce, Quality of Life, Economy, Transportation & Infrastructure,
Technology & Innovation, Education, Business Friendliness, Access to Capital and Cost of Living.
Texas received the highest amount of points ever. This is great news for McAllen. McAllen offers a competitive, low-cost business model that allows companies to have a strategic global location and direct access to the North American and Latin American markets.
View the full report here
Based on the low costs of doing business and business’ ability to compete on the global scale, Mexico ranked No. 1 in overall competitiveness according to a recent report released by KPMG. This organization is a “global network of professionals in the audit, tax and advisory business. The study found that Mexico represents the lowest cost country for companies. The McAllen Economic Development Corporation has a team of industrial specialists focused on recruiting and expanding manufacturing, warehousing, logistics operations in Mexico, specifically Reynosa.
For the U.S., KPMG ranked McAllen as the most competitive city in the United States and Canada, based on low cost of business. There are hundreds of companies on the U.S. side that supply the manufacturing sector in Reynosa, Mexico. Click here to read the full report.
McAllen has grown more than 2,000 jobs since this time last year indicating that the city’s economy remains robust, is still expanding and is reflective of the lowest unemployment rate in the region, according to a Texas Workforce Commission report.
The report, which released the latest job market numbers for cities and counties in Texas from April 2010, shows McAllen’s unemployment rate has dropped three of the first four months this year. McAllen’s 7.7 percent unemployment rate is the lowest this year (from 8.1 in January).
And the city keeps growing jobs. The 59,255 people employed in McAllen in April 2o10 are believed to be the most in city’s history and are 2,018 more than April 2009 – and 805 more than in March of this year. The numbers are consistent with over all state growth as Texas added 32,500 non-agricultural jobs in April.
McAllen’s 7.7 city unemployment rate is lower than all major Rio Grande Valley municipalities and lower than other major cities such as Houston (8.3), Laredo (8.4), Fort Worth (8.5), El Paso (8.6), Dallas (8.7), and Beaumont (9.6).
Hidalgo County, which has the highest unemployment rate among metro areas in Texas at 11.1 percent, also grew jobs and dropped its unemployment rate for the fourth month in a row (12.2 in January). Hidalgo County has about 9,400 more people working than it did in April of 2009.
Texas’ unemployment rate rose slightly in April to 8.3 percent. The national unemployment rate is 9.9 percent.
Topline Cosmetics, a beauty packaging company, has opened operations in Reynosa, MX. The McAllen Economic Development Corporation is happy to announce this new company, that will take 26,000 square-feet.
Topline’s President said this of the first North American operation:
““Not only does the new North American site increase our global presence, but it will significantly benefit our customers by reducing their working capital costs and supply chain lead time,” said Charles Chang, Topline president. “The new plant thus adds value to our services by enhancing customer productivity and inventory management operations.”
Click here to read the full story.