Business awarded $650,000 from Texas Enterprise Fund
Curt W. Olson
COlson@TexasBudgetSource.com
A Houston-based company with a presence in two other states and four countries will construct a new facility in Baytown, Texas and employ 130 people.
The new project developed for Flexsteel Pipeline Technologies Inc. this year and gained $650,000 in financial assistance from Gov. Rick Perry’s Texas Enterprise Fund. The manufacturing facility will be an investment of $94.8 million.
BJ Simon, associate executive director Baytown-West Chambers County
Economic Development Foundation, said the firm had been seeking a site for a couple of years before company leaders settled on the Ameriport Industrial Park.
Simon said the details for this company that manufactures spooled, mobile, and environmentally friendly pipeline surfaced in the winter or early spring.
“We at Flexsteel Pipeline Technologies are excited about expanding our manufacturing facilities into the great state of Texas,” CEO Jeff Shorter said in a news release.
“The economic development grants from the Texas Enterprise Fund were instrumental in our selection of Baytown as the destination for our new 280,000 square foot facility. The Ameriport Industrial Park location is ideal for Flexsteel Pipeline Technologies, as it is located near Interstate-10 and the Port of Houston, and has on site rail service and other amenities. We are confident that Baytown’s history of hard-working people will help us greatly expand our capacity and responsibly deliver the next generation of steel line pipe. The grand opening of this facility in 2012 will support the growing demand for our products.”
Simon said he expect Flexsteel to open in the first half of 2012.
“The state’s participation in this project was vital to bringing Flexsteel Pipeline Technologies to Chambers County rather than going to Louisiana,” Chambers County Judge Jimmy Sylvia said. “The Baytown/West Chambers County Economic Development Foundation and the Governor’s Division of Economic Development and Tourism formed a very effective partnership to bring investment and jobs to our region.”
With its headquarters in Houston, Flexsteel Pipeline Technologies Inc. also has facilities in the Fort Worth area, Panama City, Fla., Cranberry Township, Pa. and four foreign countries.
“Texas continues to attract employers looking for low taxes, a reasonable and predictable regulatory climate, fair legal system and skilled workforce,” Gov. Perry said in a news release. “This TEF investment in Flexsteel Pipeline Technologies will bring more than one hundred jobs and millions in capital investment to the Baytown area.”
“Thanks to the help of the Texas Enterprise Fund, Flexsteel Pipeline Technologies will locate their manufacturing facilities in the Baytown Area,” said State Rep. Wayne Smith, R-Baytown. “The capital investment and job creation using cutting edge technology of combining high density polyethylene and steel to create a superior flexible conduit will further the economic growth of our community.”
Texas Budget Source is a non-profit journalism project of the Austin-based Texas Public Policy Foundation, with funding from the Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity. Like Texas Budget Source on Facebook or follow TXBudgetSource on Twitter. Curt Olson’s Twitter name is olson_curt. His phone number is 512-472-2700.
