Community Profile

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Community Profile data is collected throughout the year by Kilgore Economic Development staff. The information is used to provide a complete economic, demographic, and cultural overview of the Kilgore area for new and expanding primary employers.

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Demographics
Demographics charts detailing the following in the Kilgore labor market:
  1. Median Age
  2. Population
  3. Total Households
  4. Total Housing Units

 

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Major Employers

 

Company Name Category Employment
Halliburton Services Oilfield Services 705
Kilgore Independent School District Primary & Secondary Public Education 600
General Dynamics SATCOM Technologies       Satellite Communication Equipment 550
Kilgore College Higher Education Institute 320
Region VII Education Service Center Regional Public Education Service Provider 290
Martin Midstream Partners, LP Mkt. & Transporting of Petroleum/Chemicals 241
Exterran                   Compression Services         197
Closure Systems International, Inc. Plastic Closures 227
Caterpillar Mining Equipment 184
Pak-Sher Company Plastic Bags 160
Orgill, Inc. Warehouse Distribution 185
City of Kilgore Municipal Government 160
BJ Services Oilfield Services 155
Skeeter Products, Inc. Recreational 151
Weatherford International Oil & Gas Services 112
Triumph Group, Inc. Machined Aircraft Parts, Misc. Trans. Equip. 117
Baker Petrolite Specialty Polymers 105
Allied Waste Services Solid Waste Management 92
Cudd Pressure Control Oilfield Services 225
Frank's Casing Crew & Rental Tools, Inc. Oilfield Services 83
Ana-Lab Corp. Analytical Services 68
IESI, TX Corp. District Headquarters, Waste Collection, Transportation and Disposal 63
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Economic Incentives

KEDC utilizes a number of economic incentives.  Funds for direct economic incentives are collected from a dedicated sales tax. The KEDC board of directors oversees the use of these funds and will work with primary employers who are choosing to locate or expand in Kilgore, Texas. 

Direct incentives are based on project investment, number of jobs and payroll.  Any proposal for incentives from KEDC is contingent upon the company qualifying for assistance under KEDC’s guidelines for credit worthiness. It is understood that the company must provide KEDC and its credit advisers all the necessary information to make this determination.

Please click below to apply for direct incentives.
Application for Incentives
(PDF file) 
 

KEDC provides access to and assists with the following:

  1. Taxation incentives
  2. Financing incentives
  3. Job training incentives
  4. Energy incentives
  5. Access to all incentives available through the State of Texas
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Taxation

With no corporate income tax and no individual income tax, Texas has one of the lowest tax burdens in the country, ranking as a Top 10 Best State in the Tax Foundation's 2012 State Business Tax Index.  

The state’s tax structure includes a Franchise Tax, Property Tax and Sales and Use Tax.  You may click on the following link for an Overview of the Texas Tax System. . .

Franchise Tax
In 2008, Texas replaced its franchise tax with a margins tax in order to establish a broader, fairer tax assessed at a lower rate. The goal of the reformed tax was to provide a level playing field for all businesses, to have a broad base that includes all business entities that receive liability protection from the state, to be competitive with other states to maintain Texas' reputation for having one of the best business climates in America, and to reflect the realities of a rapidly evolving economy. The reformed margins tax lowered the primary franchise tax rate from 4.5 percent to a tax of 1 percent on gross receipts less compensation or cost of goods sold. (Retailers and wholesalers have a rate of 0.5 percent.) Sole proprietorships and general partnerships are exempt, as are businesses with revenue under $1,000,000. Businesses whose total tax liability is $1,000 or less are also exempt.
Under the reformed tax, businesses are rewarded for making good business choices. Every time a business puts a Texan to work, pays for health insurance or invests in a pension plan, their tax liability decreases. The tax also penalizes bad business practices, such as hiring illegal immigrants.
These fair changes to the business tax code continue to stimulate our state's economy and encourage the entrepreneurial spirit that sets Texas apart.
Franchise tax exemptions, and franchise tax deductions are available for renewable energy equipment and systems. Renewable energy encompasses solar, wind, ethanol, and biodiesel energy. A franchise tax exemption is available to manufacturers, sellers, or installers of solar energy devices. The state also permits a corporate deduction from the state's franchise tax for renewable energy sources. Business owners may deduct the cost of the system from the company's taxable capital or deduct 10 percent from the company's income. Wind energy can qualify under the term "solar energy" for the exemption and deduction.
Property Tax
Texas has no property tax at the state level. Local governments and special taxing districts levy taxes on real and tangible personal property. All property is appraised at full market value and is assessed on 100% of appraised value. The total tax rate is the sum of all taxing units including cities, counties, schools and special districts. 
Texas property tax code permits a 100 percent exemption on the appraised value of solar, wind or biomass energy devices installed or constructed for the production and use of energy on-site. See Texas property tax Form 50-123, "Exemption Application for Solar or Wind-Powered Energy Devices" to claim this exemption.
Local governments have the option to exempt goods in transit, or "freeport goods," from ad valorem taxation. Freeport goods are inventories acquired or brought into the state by businesses and held for no more than 175 days before being shipped out of the state.
Kilgore offers a triple Freeport tax exemption from the city of Kilgore, Kilgore College and Kilgore Independent School District, which amounts to 87% of the total taxation. 
Local governments can offer to businesses an abatement of local ad valorem taxes on real and personal property for up to ten years. 

Kilgore offers two abatement schedules depending on jobs/payroll created and amount invested.

Sales and Use Tax
The state levies a sales and use tax of 6.25 percent on sales of tangible personal property and certain services. Additionally, cities, counties, and transit authorities may add to the rate for a combined state and local rate of 8.25 percent, which is the case in Kilgore.
The Texas Enterprise Zone Program is an economic development tool for local communities to partner with the State of Texas to promote job creation and significant private investment that will assist economically distressed areas of the state. Approved projects are eligible to apply for state sales and use tax refunds on qualified expenditures. The level and amount of refund is related to the capital investment and jobs created at the qualified business site.
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Training

The Skills Development Fund is Texas' premier job training program providing training dollars for Texas businesses and workers.  Administered by the Texas Workforce Commission, success is achieved through collaboration among businesses, public Community and Technical Colleges, Local Workforce Development Boards and economic development partners.

The Kilgore community receives services through Kilgore College, Texas State Technical College (TSTC) and East Texas Workforce Board. Kilgore College and TSTC tailor training curriculum to match the needs of each specific company in addition to standard certificate programs/courses. The college will work with companies to prepare the application for state training funds.

The state-funded Skills Development Fund job-training program is available to new or to expanding existing industry through local community or technical colleges. The SDF program assists businesses and trade unions by financing the design and implementation of customized job training projects. It successfully merges business needs and local customized training opportunities to increase the skills level and wages of the Texas workforce. Pre-employment testing and screening are also available.

The average cost for an SDF trainee is approximately $1,500 with a standard length 12 month contract, although the actual cost can be higher or lower.  If the cost per trainee for a proposed project is higher than the average, an application may strengthen its proposal by including justification for higher cost.

SSB

Through the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) Skills for Small Business program, up to $2 million from the Skills Development Fund is dedicated to the backbone of Texas's business community - our more than 433,000 small employers. Small businesses now can apply to TWC for training offered by their local community or technical college, or the Texas Engineering Extension Service (TEEX). TWC processes the applications and works with the college to fund the specific courses selected by businesses for their employees.

About the Program
The program emphasizes training newly hired employees - those who have been hired by the business up to three months prior to the date that TWC receives an application.
It funds tuition and fees up to $1,450 per newly hired employee and up to $725 per incumbent employee. An individual employee can participate once per 12-month period. Funding for training is for full-time employees.
All training must be provided by a public community or technical college, or the Texas Engineering Extension Service (TEEX). Training must be selected from active course catalogs/schedules - credit, continuing education, on-line or other available unpublished courses.
It may also emphasize training in occupations targeted by Local Workforce Development Boards.
Employers must pay the prevailing wages in the local labor market for the trainees funded under the grant.
 
How to Apply
Identify new or incumbent employees to be trained, and each employee's job/occupation title and corresponding Standard Occupational Classification Code.
  1. Identify employee's wages. Wages must meet prevailing wage for the area where the business is located.
  2. Identify the 2-year Public Community or Technical College nearest the business' location.
  3. Select training course(s) from the regular credit, continuing education and/or on-line course catalogs (PDF).
  4. Determine the business' targeted occupation. Skills for Small Business emphasizes training in occupations targeted by the local workforce board. To identify your local workforce board, please visit the state map showing all local workforce boards. Once you know your workforce board, review the board's list of targeted occupations.
  5. Complete and submit application directly to TWC. E-mail application to SkillsForSmallBusiness@twc.state.tx.us or fax to (512) 463-7187.
For assistance, contact TWC Workforce Business Services staff at (877) 463-1777 or e-mail Skills@twc.state.tx.us. 

For more information on the fund, click HERE.

 

 

 

 

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Transportation

Kilgore is located within a transportation nucleus 120 miles east of Dallas and 60 miles west of Shreveport. Nestled in the piney woods of East Texas, the community is located just two miles from Interstate 20, linking Kilgore to a major transportation artery where trucks can drive coast to coast without ever seeing a traffic light. US HWY 259 and 59 south to Houston and north to I-30, along with State HWYs 42, 31, and 135, offer other interstate quality roads for easy transportation to additional markets.

The East Texas Regional Airport is within a five minute drive on HWY 349 and holds the distinction of being the first civilian airport in the State and the Southwest to have a 10,000-foot runway. American Eagle offers regular regional jet service to DFW International. Main rail lines are less than a mile from the park, and a spur into the park is planned.
 
The Port of Shreveport-Bossier is just 69 miles east of Kilgore on the Red River Waterway.  The Port has immediate access to barge, motor freight, and air transport providing a robust network of distribution.  For example, United Parcel Service (UPS) estimates that next-day motor freight service from Shreveport-Bossier is capable of reaching almost 30 million people in some of America's strongest consumer markets - making it a UPS top five market for next-day distribution.
 
Also included are transportation mileage charts and maps as well as a list of motor freight carriers:

 

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Utility & Services

 The City of Kilgore supplies and distributes water and sewer services. Options are available for natural gas service,  and the regulated electric rates in the Kilgore region are some of the lowest in the nation.  Please click the "utilities and services" heading or scroll down for a list of providers and rates. 

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