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Mission, Texas is home to some of the greatest American manufacturing success stories of the last decade.

Our ideal location along the Texas/Mexico border has allowed many major manufacturers to thrive in an environment that is friendly to business growth.

There are many reasons why so many companies are choosing to expand or relocate to Mission, Texas. Once people come to Mission for the first time, they want to stay. They immediately realize the potential of this area and the exciting economic expansion that’s taking place. It’s more than a beautiful place to live… it’s the perfect place to do business.

See why world-class companies such as T-Mobile USA, and Hi-Tech Plastics, Inc. all took a chance on Mission.

Hi-Tech Plastics

Mission is the ideal location for Mexico-based manufacturers looking for the labor force, resources and utilities, transportation infrastructure, state-of-the-art industrial parks and positive business climate, all on the Texas-Mexico border.

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In January of 2003 Hi-Tech Plastics, Inc., headquartered in Cambridge, Maryland, began operations in Mission. Hi-Tech Plastics, Inc., or HTP Rio Grande L.P., manufacturers large plastic injection molded products. By December of 2003 Hi-Tech Plastics, Inc. had thirty employees. Within five years that number is expected to grow to more than one hundred.

Hi-Tech Plastics, Inc. had three main reasons for locating in Mission. The first reason was the location. Hi-Tech moved to support Black & Decker operations in Reynosa, Mexico and to provide plastic products to other prospective customers in the Rio Grande Valley. After locating to Mission, Hi-Tech Plastics, Inc. was able to supply current customers with products promptly and cost-effectively. Hi-Tech Plastics, Inc. brings a large tonnage presence to the valley.

The second reason was the Mission Economic Development Authority was able to locate a 60,000 square foot facility in the Mission Expressway Business Park that was available to lease immediately. Although the building had a previous tenant Hi-Tech Plastics, Inc. President, Douglas D. Bennett commented “It’s almost as if it were designed for us.” In addition to the available building, Hi-Tech Plastics, Inc. was impressed with the aesthetics. Bennett in reference to the Mission Expressway Business Park said, “That industrial park is a very attractive one and that’s the way we want our businesses to look – nice, well-maintained and landscaped.” The Mission Expressway Business Park also provides easy access to Mexican industrial centers. Currently there are two international crossings in close proximity to the park. The Hidalgo Bridge is less than 15 minutes away and the Pharr-Reynosa Bridge is less than 30 minutes away. Once the Anzalduas Bridge is complete it will be located just three miles away from the park and serve as an even bigger lure to Mexico based manufacturers.

The third reason was the Economic Development team in Mission. Bennett said, “It was not that we didn’t enjoy working with other communities, but Mission has a pretty aggressive economic development function in the city with professional people I enjoyed working with.” In addition to the vacant facility, MEDA was also able to negotiate an exceptional incentive package for Hi-Tech Plastics, Inc.

Hi-Tech Plastics, Inc. has been valuable to the city of Mission by providing the community with high-quality jobs. In-turn Mission has been valuable to Hi-Tech Plastics, Inc. by providing them the resources they needed to succeed. What a mutually beneficial partnership for all.

T-Mobile USA

“A healthy employment base, strong local support, and outstanding level of participation from the local community college” were just a few of the reasons that prompted T-Mobile USA to open up its customer call center in Mission.

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In the spring of 2003 the city of Mission received some excellent news. T-Mobile USA Inc., had just announced plans to open a 600-employee customer call center. T-Mobile USA, which is home-based in Bellevue Washington, is one of the nation’s fastest growing providers of wireless voice, data and messaging services. In early May, T-Mobile USA began its operation out of a 75,000 square foot facility located at 3711 San Gabriel Road. The customer call center is one of 11 in the United States and receives only incoming calls. When one of T-Mobile’s customers has a non-bill related question it is routed through one of those centers.

On November 19, 2003 T-Mobile debuted its state of the art call center and employees. It was immediately apparent that happy employees were important to the company. Beyond the free workout facility, cyber café, television lounge and on-site deli, T-Mobile provides six weeks of paid training, a starting wage of between $8.60 and $10.20, and good opportunities for job advancement. In addition the company has done its best to create a fun and relaxing environment for its employees.

But why was Mission the suitable location for this facility? Bob Fletcher, T-Mobile vice president of customer care for the eastern region, said it had to do with the “healthy employment base, strong local support, and outstanding level of participation from the local community college.” The location of Mission offered many benefits to T-Mobile as well, including a bilingual workforce and the proximity to international markets. As Pat Townsend, the President/CEO of the MEDA said, “If their goal is to grow into an emerging Latin American marketplace, what better place to be located than on the Texas-Mexico border.”

The benefits to Mission have been substantial too. Townsend was happy with the economical benefits. “The payroll we ultimately expected out of this facility when they grow to capacity is over 12 million dollars” he said. “Recently, there has been no company in Mission like this from a payroll standpoint.” With the additional employees, an increase in development in the Sharyland area is expected. It could pave the way for retail, restaurant and service operations development.

The cities of McAllen and Mission, the Economic Development Councils for the city of McAllen and Mission and the Mission EDA all played a part in offering a tenant tax abatement and funding for job creation and completion. Mission will work hard to earn your business. Call the MEDA to see what incentives your business would qualify for.

Frito Lay Inc.

Frito-Lay, Inc. has been described as an inverse maquiladora – a company exporting its products back to the company’s country of origin. All its products are manufactured in Mission being afterwards distributed all around the world.

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Frito-Lay, Inc. is quite a different type of success. Pat Townsend, Jr., president and CEO of the Mission Economic Development Authority has described Frito-Lay, Inc. as the inverse of a maquiladora. All its products are manufactured in Mission and then distributed all round the world to places as far apart as China and Australia or as near as Reynosa in Mexico.

An affiliate company of PepsiCo based in Plano, Texas, it is credited with having put Mission on the map. When a national corporation chooses Mission as its place of business and begins to grow there, it is difficult for other companies not to notice.

Frito-Lay, Inc. has been in the Mission Business Park for almost a decade. In 2001, its facilities began operating there in a new 55,000 square foot expansion. It is expected that this expansion will generate approximately an extra $22 million in turnover, 40 new jobs and an additional payroll of $1 million. This area will house two pasta pellet production lines for five new lines of 3D maize/corn and potato chips.

In 2004, Frito-Lay will open its third expansion. After finishing its third expansion, it will begin working on a new secret product. This expansion is a project whose value stands at $5 million and which will increase the facility by some 40,000 square feet. In addition to this, the company will invest a further $22 million in equipment. It is hoped that this expansion will product between 35 to 55 new jobs.

At the start, it was the work done by the city which convinced Frito-Lay to relocate in Mission. After months of negotiating city and county tax cuts, Russell Burton, Frito-Lay’s Economic Development Manager, said that it was great to see the culmination of all their efforts.

“What I see in Mission is leadership”, he stated. “Knowing what you want to do and what needs to be done in order to get where you need to be. Frito-Lay, Inc. would not be here without that leadership.

Vanity Fair Intimates

Vanity Fair Intimates – location, excellent infrastructure with available, capable manpower – these are the factors which influenced the success in Mission of the Vanity Fair Intimates distribution company.

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VF Corp. – a leader in lingerie, women’s jeans and children’s clothing – has had huge success since it opened its facilities in Mission. These facilities distribute lingerie, mainly for Vassarette and Bestform, which can be found in Walmart, Kmart, Target and various shops in the area.

When VF Intimates decided to open its facilities in Mission, it decided to buy double the 142,000 square feet which it needed. “We see incredible potential in this area and we are now taking proactive steps to be prepared for the potential growth,” said Danny Fralick, Distribution Manager. This was excellent foresight on his part. Just four years later, Vanity Fair added some 126,000 square feet to its facilities.

“It is the same process which we are undergoing at the moment – we are expanding,” said Stuart Rich, Vice President for Distribution and Transportation with Vanity Fair Intimates. “We are bringing in the finished goods from all corners of the world – the Caribbean, Mexico and the Far East – and we are distributing them to our retailers in the United States. We receive orders in from our retailers and we process the goods right here in our Distribution Center.”

The expansion of VF Intimates valued at $5 millions is estimated to generate $300,000 extra annually in property taxes and add $3 million to the payroll. In addition, it is expected that the number of employees will rise to 335 in 2005.

Personnel working for the Mission distributor have been described as “the best staff to be found in the company”. Fralick also commented that “Mission-McAllen has excellent infrastructure and the area is one of the few remaining in the country with attractive salaries.”