McAllen, Texas — Mission is steadily carving out a formidable footprint in industrial manufacturing, anchoring a string of high-impact economic development projects headlined by a landmark $50 million metals recycling and manufacturing plant.
Speaking to members of the South Texas Manufacturers Association (STMA) at the group's monthly meeting at the DoubleTree by Hilton in McAllen, Mission Economic Development Corporation CEO Teclo Garcia outlined how the municipality is strategically "stacking" tier-one manufacturing investments to diversify its regional economic base.
Leading Mission’s industrial surge is Zerluma, an advanced metals recycling and manufacturing company backed by Mexico-based Grupo Century Recycling. The company recently broke ground on a state-of-the-art $50 million facility located at 300 Trinity Street, near South Conway Avenue and the Mission Hike and Bike Trail.
“We had a groundbreaking for Zerluma, which is a metals recycling and manufacturing company,” Garcia told the assembled STMA members. “It used to be called Century Recycling — that’s what they’re called in Mexico, where they have plants in Guadalajara and near Querétaro. They are going to be making aluminum billets here. So while it is a recycling center, it’s crucial to know that they are fundamentally a manufacturing company. That’s what they do.”
PROJECT PROFILE: ZERLUMA MANUFACTURING FACILITY
Garcia noted that he personally toured the parent company’s operations in Mexico prior to finalizing the agreement, describing them as highly sophisticated, top-tier industrial operations.
“I’ve had the opportunity to visit their plants in Mexico — very impressive operations, and we’re super glad to have them here,” Garcia said. “That’s a $50 million project that will be built in two phases in a really highly automated factory, which will employ about 70 people. Maybe 10 years ago, that same operational footprint would have required twice that number of workers, but because of modern machinery, automation, and technology, it’s a leaner, highly specialized workforce.”
The 98,000-square-foot facility will convert recycled aluminum into industrial-grade billets destined for high-precision supply chains in the automotive and aerospace manufacturing sectors. Beyond the 70 direct, permanent high-skilled engineering and technician positions, the construction phase is expected to generate 240 temporary jobs, driving an estimated total economic impact of $128 million across the regional economy.
Garcia revealed that Mission EDC officials are scheduled to meet with Zerluma’s ownership group again in two weeks to further finalize operational timelines and site progression.
While landing new industrial anchors like Zerluma marks a major milestone, Garcia emphasized that supporting existing manufacturers through expansion initiatives remains a cornerstone of Mission’s retention and growth strategy.
Among those expansions is global toolmaker Stanley Black & Decker, which has finalized plans for a major equipment and product-line expansion at its long-standing facility in the Mission Expressway Business Park.
“In Mission, we worked with Black & Decker for about a year on their expansion,” Garcia said, acknowledging Mission EDC Business Development Director Stephanie Mandiola, who was in attendance. “They did not have the need to build on to their physical building because they have plenty of room inside their facility. But it’s going to be about a $6 million expansion that introduces a brand-new line of manufacturing for them, adding 88 high-quality jobs.”
Garcia also pointed to a recently announced $4 million expansion at Bettcher Manufacturing, another key player in the city’s industrial cluster, as well as an upcoming project with a third local manufacturer.
“We’re working with another manufacturer right now that’s already in Mission,” Garcia hinted. “They are preparing to announce a $6 million expansion to their product line. I can’t reveal the company name just yet, but they are established here, and we will be making a joint announcement in a few weeks.”
Addressing the broader economic landscape, Garcia reflected on Mission's historical identity and how the strategic focus on manufacturing represents a deliberate evolution for the city and the wider Rio Grande Valley.
“The overall takeaway for us is that Mission, in its history, really has not been a major site for heavy manufacturers — and that’s fine," Garcia said. "You look across the Valley; historically, we haven’t been viewed strictly as a manufacturing region. But we are starting to stack those manufacturers as we go — whether it’s Brownsville, McAllen, or Mission. Adding a few manufacturers here and there — 88 jobs at one, 40 at another, 75 at another — starts to add up significantly.”
Garcia underscored why economic development corporations prioritize industrial manufacturing over other commercial sectors.
“As y’all know, manufacturing jobs are what EDCs really chase to bring to their communities. Those are the tier-one jobs that produce real paychecks that get spent directly back into your community. That’s brand-new money coming in, not just recirculated local money,” Garcia explained. “There’s nothing wrong with retail development — retail broadens the tax base quite a bit — but retail doesn’t provide the high-skill manufacturing jobs that these companies deliver. They broaden the tax base while providing sustainable jobs with specialized skill sets that must be learned and trained.”
Beyond manufacturing, Garcia teased several imminent non-manufacturing development announcements that will further diversify Mission’s tax base and employment ecosystem.
According to Garcia, the Mission EDC expects to announce a major $30 million retail project within the next week. Additionally, a financial back-shop services company has officially signed a lease in Mission. Once formally announced, the financial services facility is projected to create up to 300 jobs paying wage rates between $18.00 and $22.00 per hour.
Closing his presentation, Garcia emphasized that economic development in South Texas can no longer be viewed through a siloed, municipality-by-municipality lens.
“When we talk about job creation, we know that while these projects are physically located in Mission, we operate inside a regional economy,” Garcia noted. “Less than half the jobs created in Mission will ultimately be filled by Mission residents alone — and the same is true for McAllen, Brownsville, or anywhere else. We have employees living in Mission who work at SpaceX in Cameron County almost every day. This is much bigger than just one city; this is about the entire region.”
Garcia added that Mission EDC works collaboratively with regional infrastructure partners, including the Port of Harlingen, on joint trade and industrial initiatives.
“We truly believe in that regional mission,” Garcia concluded. “That regional approach is the only way South Texas moves forward.”
