Region's Expanding Manufacturing, Industrial and Retail Operations Create Hundreds of Jobs

EDINBURG, Texas, July 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Business is booming in Rio South Texas. New manufacturing plants are being built, existing industrial operations are expanding and new retail is coming online. This new activity will create more than 1,500 new jobs in one of the fastest growing and most affordable regions in the country.

New Manufacturing Operations

Santana Textiles of Ceara, Brazil, one of the world's largest denim manufacturers, will build a $180 million, 300,000 SF plant in Edinburg. The company will create 800 new jobs.

South Korea-based CS Wind Corporation broke ground on a $60 million plant in Matamoros, Mexico to manufacture metal towers and generator components for the wind turbine industry. Initially 400 jobs will be created and increase to 700 jobs over three years

Tyco Flow Control broke ground on its $5 million dollar facility expansion that will add 33,000 square feet to its existing 80,000 SF Harlingen facility. This expansion will add 65 new jobs to the current workforce of 120 people.

New Biotech Company

Biotech start-up, Photon8, recently relocated from New Jersey to Brownsville to develop economically viable ways for turning algae into clean biofuel. Photon8 moved to Rio South Texas because of the region's abundance of sunshine and affordable land.

New High-End Retail

A new 30,000 SF Mercedes-Benz dealership is being built in San Juan. Annual sales of $15 million are projected, and the dealership will create 20 new jobs.

Bass Pro Shops has announced a 150,000 square foot destination retail store in Harlingen.

"Rio South Texas continues to attract global attention," says Edinburg City Manager, Ramiro Garza. "The region has the geographic and economic assets that offer companies in all industry sectors the types of competitive advantages they can't find anywhere else in the world."

Rio South Texas encompasses the southernmost tip of Texas and the Northeastern part of Mexico. The region is currently the largest U.S./Mexico border region in America, the third largest market in Texas, and the 23rd largest market in the U.S. The Rio South Texas Economic Council was formed in 2008 to attract private sector investment, economic diversification and business expansions to the region.

SOURCE Rio South Texas Economic Council