E&R Industrial, one of Kilgore's newest employers, provides industrial equipment from janitorial supplies to machinery. Even as a new branch, the company finds itself rapidly growing ahead of others.
“We’ve had a good year,” said Ryan Campise, operations manager for the Texas area of E&R, “and everyone seems to be gearing up for a good year.” There are 4500 potential industrial customers within 100 miles, and Campise says Kilgore's central location in the East Texas manufacturing area helps both customer and workforce recruitment.
“We are very selective about our employees,” he said. “It is critical we make the right choice. In Kilgore, we have the best team.”
Closure Systems International exceeded the job requirements of a two-year contract with Kilgore Economic Development Corporation to earn an incentive check of $87,500. The company retained 192 employees and created more than 25 new jobs.
Pak-Sher, a local manufacturer of food handling plastic products, earned a $17,693 reimbursement check after investing $1.5 million in new equipment at the company's headquarters on Longview St. in Kilgore.
Kilgore Economic Development Vice President Wilbur F. Yates presented the remaining $33,000 balance of an incentive contract to the East Texas Council of Governments. The organization exceeded the requirements of the contract which called for the retention of 50 jobs and the investment of $250,000.
Pak-Sher, a Kilgore-based manufacturer of plastic bags and food handling products, felt threatened by the emergence of plastic bag bans. KEDC wanted to preserve a local employer and taxpayer. A local intermediate school wanted to "Celebrate What's Right" about recycling.
KEDC incentivized recycling machinery for Pak-Sher. Pak-Sher used the incentives to reward the good recycling habits of the intermediate school students. The students provided raw material to recycle. The recycled bags went to local merchants, closing the recycling loop in Kilgore.
Then, KEDC promoted the program to international media. And Plastics News made Pak-Sher the lead story in an issue. That story began a series of events that culminated in conversations with a national retailer to take the program across the country. Pak-Sher has won awards and spoken at environmental conferences.
Closure Systems International accepted an incentive payment September 5, 2012, from Kilgore Economic Development Corp. after investing $4 million in new equipment at the company’s Kilgore, Texas, location.
Southern Plastics, Inc. (Closure Systems International) will expand production at its current facility on Energy Dr. by adding $6,678,000 in personal property and retaining 207 jobs.
The company will be eliminating eight product profiles, placing 16 jobs in jeopardy. The new investment will allow the company to acquire new machinery to add two larger product profiles and retain those jobs.
In exchange for the new investment and job retention, the company can earn up to $265,000 in incentive reimbursements incrementally during the next two years.
The Kilgore business community has welcomed its newest corporate citizen, DRILLTOOLS, LLC, into Synergy Industrial Park. The company combines new and existing technology to manufacture drilling and excavation products primarily for heavy civil construction.
DRILLTOOLS has constructed a 50,000 SF building valued at $1,780,000 on 9.25 acres at 401 Enterprise St. The company also has installed $2,550,000 in machinery and equipment, and intends to acquire $950,000 worth of inventory and hire 40 full-time employees. In return, Kilgore Economic Development Corporation will grant the company incentives worth $337,500 for the construction of capital improvements in Kilgore and for new job creation to offset the cost of the company’s real estate purchase in Synergy Park.
Kilgore Economic Development Corp. received the Texas Economic Development Council’s Economic Excellence award at the council’s spring conference in Rockwall April 19.
