AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott today celebrated the strength of Texas’ booming manufacturing sector and highlighted the state’s notable investments to this critical industry to further cement “Made in Texas” as a powerful global brand.
“Through innovation, dependability, and our world-class workforce, our manufacturing industry ensures ‘Made in Texas’ remains a powerful global brand,” said Governor Abbott. “Texas is home to a booming manufacturing sector, thanks to increased investments in our career and technical skills training programs and the men and women of this vital industry working to forge a stronger Texas. Working together, our manufacturing industry will continue to grow and help support Texas communities, creating good-paying jobs for hardworking Texans in every corner of the state.”
In March, Governor Abbott announced the inaugural members of the Texas Semiconductor Innovation Consortium Executive Committee (TSIC EC). The committee governs the work of the Consortium and works with industry stakeholders to ensure Texas’ place as a national leader in advanced semiconductor research, design, and manufacturing.
“Texas is the birthplace of the integrated circuit, and we now lead the nation as the No. 1 state for semiconductor manufacturing,” said Governor Abbott. “In the last legislative session, I signed the Texas CHIPS Act into law to help further cement Texas’ position as a national leader in the semiconductor industry. With these new appointments to the Texas Semiconductor Innovation Consortium Executive Committee, we will leverage the expertise of industry leaders and our world-class higher education institutions to ensure we not only remain the best state in America for semiconductors but we become a global leader for semiconductor innovation.”
Last year, Governor Abbott signed theTexas CHIPS Act into law to leverage Texas’ investments in the semiconductor industry, encourage semiconductor-related companies to expand in the state, further develop expertise and capacity at Texas higher education institutions, and maintain the state’s position as the nation’s leader in semiconductor manufacturing.
In April, Governor Abbott celebrated the groundbreaking of Texas A&M University’s South Texas Workforce Development Project advanced manufacturing training facility. During the ceremony near the Port of Brownsville, the Governor lauded the state’s efforts to bring high-quality training programs to hardworking Texans.
“This new state-of-the-art facility here at the Port of Brownsville will train Texans to lead the workforce of tomorrow,” said Governor Abbott. “Students here will be prepared for in-demand jobs and receive hands-on instruction on real-world projects that are often encountered by workers on the job. They will get the experience and training they need to excel in cutting-edge manufacturing jobs here in the Rio Grande Valley and throughout Texas. Texas is the economic engine of America, where workers know that they live in a state where they can gain the skills necessary to help build the future.”
Organized by the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service, the center will provide training to Texans in the Rio Grande Valley for in-demand jobs, while stimulating advancements in manufacturing through research initiatives.
In August, Governor Abbott celebrated the new Texas A&M Coastal Bend Occupational Advanced Skills Training (COAST) program that will support the state’s efforts to bring high-quality training programs to hardworking Texans at the Port of Corpus Christi.
“Texas is growing rapidly, businesses are moving or expanding here, and the Coastal Bend is in the early stage of explosive growth,” said Governor Abbott. “Businesses here need highly-skilled employees—and they are willing to pay for it. With the help of Texas A&M, our state is dramatically increasing jobs and skills training programs across the state. The program announced today by Texas A&M will provide the experience and training for skills like cyber security, robotics, and pneumatics and develop skills like communication, collaboration, and leadership.”
Led by the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX), the COAST program builds off the success of TEEX’s Rio Grande Valley Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Hub in Brownsville. This program provides valuable training to Texans in the Coastal Bend region for high-demand jobs in critical sectors, including chemical and petroleum manufacturing, fabrication, maritime shipping, and research.
In October for Manufacturing Day, Governor Abbott toured Texas State Technical College (TSTC) in Waco with manufacturing students and touted Texas’ robust job training programs that provides opportunities for Texans to go into high-demand, good-paying jobs. The Governor also highlighted the impact of investing in career and technical training programs on the state’s manufacturing industry during a press conference following the tour.
“‘Made in Texas’ has never been a bigger brand,” said Governor Abbott. “Thanks to our strong manufacturing sector and partnerships with Texas State Technical College, Texas continues to offer career and technical skills training so graduates can go into high-demand, good-paying jobs. Today is part of a broader strategy to build a better prepared workforce and a better paid workforce. We want more Texans to have the opportunities to get career and technical skills training that can lead to a better job and a bigger paycheck.”
At the end of October, Governor Abbott celebrated the grand opening of the new Corrigan OSB, LLC (“Oriented Strand Board”) facility and lauded Texas’ robust manufacturing industry at a ceremony in Corrigan.
“We are proud that Texas is home to a booming manufacturing sector,” said Governor Abbott. “Corrigan OSB’s expanded manufacturing facility will be the largest OSB facility in all of North America. It will provide needed, high-quality building materials to Texas’ growing economy. Thanks to our strong manufacturing sector, ‘Made in Texas’ has never been a bigger brand.”
Earlier this month, Governor Abbott announced the first project to be qualified under the new Texas Jobs, Energy, Technology, and Innovation (JETI) program in Bell Textron, Inc. (“Bell”), a subsidiary of Textron, Inc. (“Textron”) at Bell’s Manufacturing Technology Center in Fort Worth. The Governor launched the new competitive economic incentive tool in February.
“With more than 400 new jobs and a $429 million investment, Bell is making a Texas-sized investment in the future of Fort Worth and in the future of our great state,” said Governor Abbott. “This new advanced manufacturing facility is the first project under Texas’ new JETI program. This program is part of our broader strategy to build a better-prepared and a better-paid workforce by encouraging companies like Bell to expand manufacturing in Texas. There is no better place to build the future of America than in the great state of Texas.”
Bell will add an additional aircraft manufacturing center in Fort Worth to support the U.S. Army’s Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) program, which will bring revolutionary capabilities to the U.S. and its allies. The project will create over 400 new jobs and more than $429 million in capital investment. A Texas Enterprise Fund (TEF) grant of $2,671,500 has been extended to Bell.
