Private Sector in Brownsville, Texas, Joins Forces to Attract Manufacturing Companies

A meeting of business leaders was held in Brownsville, Texas, with representatives from organizations such as COSTEP and GBIC. The event also featured the participation of Xavier Hurtado, a consultant specializing in attracting foreign capital, to collaboratively develop strategies that will leverage the relocation boom and drive greater manufacturing investment into the region.

Guillermo Federico Lash De La Fuente, President of Lash Manufacturing, emphasized that this initiative involves entrepreneurs committed to fostering industrial development by pooling efforts and promoting the region’s competitive advantages as the ideal location for companies seeking to establish new operations.

"This is not a business chamber; we are a group of entrepreneurs striving to develop and grow our companies. Our goal with this meeting is to provide Xavier with the tools he needs when engaging with businesses seeking relocation so that he knows the strengths of this region," Lash stated.

For his part, Xavier Hurtado pointed out that there is a significant opportunity for relocating industries currently based in the northern United States. Many of these businesses are owned, managed, and operated by individuals approaching retirement age, without a younger generation prepared to take over. As a result, these companies will need to relocate to areas with a younger workforce and lower operational costs.

"This is a crucial opportunity that didn’t exist in previous years due to the wave of retirements among many suppliers. Many of these companies are sole-source providers based in the northern U.S., and they will either have to sell their operations or form partnerships in regions where they can establish themselves," he explained.

To fully seize this growing opportunity, companies must have the operational, financial, administrative, and logistical capacity to ensure potential clients that their products will be delivered on time. Consequently, these business meetings will continue with the goal of developing an action plan that optimizes resources and enhances the region’s promotional efforts in attracting investments.

Representing COSTEP, Economic Development Director Rick Carrera outlined the competitive advantages of the Rio Grande Valley, providing Hurtado with a clearer perspective when advising companies considering relocation. Additionally, Eleazar Rodríguez from the Greater Brownsville Incentive Corporation detailed the incentives available to businesses that choose to establish operations in the region.