How To Evaluate Manufacturing Workforce In Texas Before You Relocate

Manufacturers evaluating Texas often begin with the same question: where is the biggest labor market? It is a reasonable place to start, but it is not the question that usually leads to the best location decision.

For a manufacturing operation, workforce quality is rarely about raw population alone. It is about fit. Can you recruit the production roles you need? Can you find maintenance and technical talent? Is there a training pipeline that can support growth six months from now, not just opening day? And can the local community help you move from hiring plan to operational reality?

That is why the better question is not simply, “Where in Texas are the most workers?” It is, “Which Texas labor market gives our operation the strongest mix of manufacturing talent, training capacity, commuting reach, and execution support?”

 

Start by measuring manufacturing fit, not just population size

A large regional population can look attractive on paper. But manufacturers need to go deeper than headcount when they are considering a move.

When comparing labor markets in Texas, start with workforce composition. Look at how much of the workforce is already tied to goods-producing industries. Look at the strength of production occupations, construction trades, transportation roles, and adjacent industrial skills. Those categories often tell you more about hiring potential than a simple population total.

Kilgore’s workforce data is a good example of the kind of evidence site selectors should look for. Kilgore has a 12-county labor draw of 325,000 workers, including 30,000 employed in manufacturing.  Twenty-three percent of the labor force is employed in goods-producing sectors, above state and national averages, and Kilgore data shows above-average location quotients for production occupations, construction occupations, and the manufacturing industry.

That matters because a manufacturing project does not just need “workers.” It needs a labor market with relevant operating experience.

 

Evaluate the real labor draw, not just the city limits

A common site-selection mistake is judging workforce by city population alone. Manufacturers do not hire only within municipal boundaries. They hire across a practical commuting geography.

That makes labor draw far more useful than city size. A market with strong regional pull can outperform a larger place that looks better on paper but is harder to recruit across efficiently.

For example, Kilgore's 1-hour labor draw comprising 12 counties offers more than enough skilled workers to meet the hiring goals of most manufactfturers -- and there is less competition for the talent. The share of workers commuting into the Kilgore from more than 50 miles away has increased over the past decade, with manufacturing among the sectors showing the largest gain in workers. So trends continue to back Kilgore's manufacturing hub status.

For manufacturers comparing Texas locations, perhaps the right question to ask is: how many people can we realistically recruit from, not just how many people live in the immediate city?

 

Look for a training pipeline, not just today’s labor pool

Current workforce depth matters. But long-term manufacturing success also depends on whether a market can keep producing the next wave of talent.

That means evaluating training partners, technical programs, and nearby institutions that can support machining, welding, instrumentation, automation, engineering, maintenance, robotics, and industrial management. For many manufacturers, the difference between a workable market and a strong market is not the current labor pool alone. It is the strength of the local talent pipeline.

Kilgore has a compelling story on that front. Twelve regional training institutions are located within a 1-hour drive. Programs at Kilgore College, Texas State Technical College, LeTourneau University, and The University of Texas at Tyler include advanced manufacturing, instrumentation, welding, automation, precision machining, engineering, CAD, robotics, and industrial management. Additionally, Kilgore HIgh School's Career & Technical Education Program is recognized for its strength, regularly winning awards at the state level.

This regional network of higher education and technical training supports both immediate hiring and long-term growth. 

That is the kind of workforce ecosystem manufacturers should want to see when building a Texas shortlist.

 

Ask whether the community can help you hire and ramp faster

Workforce is not only a labor-market issue. It is also an execution issue.

A company can choose a promising location and still lose time if hiring support, coordination, or project responsiveness is weak. That is why manufacturers should consider how a community supports the site selection process from early evaluation through startup. The local economic development team is part of the workforce equation. A market that can connect employers to training partners, support early recruiting, and solve problems quickly can reduce ramp-up risk in a meaningful way.

At KEDC, support is part of our value proposition. Our organization works directly with companies on site selection, permitting, workforce partnerships, and incentives, helping projects move from site search to startup with greater speed and certainty. 

A community's workforce culture can make a huge difference. Camil USA experienced that first hand when they located to Kilgore's Synergy Park. "While hiring for Camfil, candidates told us they wanted to learn multiple roles across several departments. This versatility has been a huge asset, giving us one of the best work forces I’ve seen in my career of overseeing 40 plus manufacturing sites," said Camfil's VIce President of Human Resources, Shelly Liziness.

For manufacturers, that kind of support can matter almost as much as the labor statistics themselves.

 

Compare Texas markets based on operating fit

Not every manufacturer needs the same workforce profile.

A highly automated facility may prioritize technicians, controls specialists, and maintenance talent. A metals operation may care more about welders, machinists, and industrial trades. A distribution-linked manufacturer may place more weight on transportation and material-moving roles. The right workforce market is the one that best matches your operating model.

That is why Texas location strategy works best when it moves from broad state interest to regional fit. Instead of asking which part of Texas is biggest, ask which part of Texas is best aligned to your hiring plan, your operating tempo, and your long-term growth strategy. For companies evaluating manufacturing in Kilgore, workforce should be considered alongside infrastructure, site readiness, and long-term operating fit.

 

Why East Texas deserves a closer look

When manufacturers apply that lens, East Texas becomes a serious contender.

Kilgore combines the broader Texas value proposition with a workforce profile that is especially relevant to industrial operations. Kilgore's labor market has manufacturing depth, goods-producing concentration, regional commuting reach, and a training network built around technical and industrial skills. That workforce landscape is paired with reliable infrastructure and shovel-ready sites, full utility service, broadband fiber, and 125kV electric service already in place at Synergy Park, a Class A, campus-style business park. This gives manufacturers a stronger foundation for both hiring and execution.

That combination matters because workforce decisions are rarely made in isolation. Companies choose places where labor, utilities, speed, and support work together.

 

The right Texas workforce question

If your company is comparing locations in Texas, do not stop at population rankings or broad state-level reputation.

Ask where your operators, maintenance technicians, supervisors, and production workers will come from. Ask how large the actual labor draw is. Ask whether the local training system can support hiring over time. Ask whether the community understands manufacturing and can help you move quickly.

For companies asking those questions, Kilgore deserves a closer look with a 1-hour labor draw of more than 325,000 workers, 71,000 workers in goods-producing NAICS codes, and access to 12 regional training institutions with strong advanced manufacturing and engineering programs. That is the kind of workforce foundation manufacturers should investigate when narrowing a Texas shortlist.

Ready to compare manufacturing workforce options in Texas? Connect with KEDC to review labor draw, training alignment, and site-selection readiness for your operation.