HARLINGEN, Texas - Harlingen Economic Development Corporation says companies in the city may be eligible to take advantage of a new initiative designed to support operational excellence for small to medium-sized manufacturers.
The A.I.M. Harlingen, or “Advance in Manufacturing,” program is a joint effort between the Harlingen Economic Development Corporation (HEDC) and the Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center (TMAC) at UT-Rio Grande Valley.
The A.I.M. Harlingen, or “Advance in Manufacturing,” program is a comprehensive and partially funded assistance program designed to help small and medium sized manufacturing companies become more efficient and maximize the use of their existing resources to cope with current regional economic and operational challenges.
Orlando Campos, CEO of Harlingen EDC, said that through the partnership, HEDC and TMAC will provide a comprehensive and partially funded excellence assistance program that will respond to the need for these companies to become more efficient and maximize the use of their existing resources to cope with current regional economic and operational challenges.
“The A.I.M. Harlingen program reflects our continued commitment to strengthening Harlingen’s manufacturing base, supporting job retention and expansion, and fostering a resilient local economy,” Campos said. “We look forward to the long-term impact of this work.”
Campos said each project will include up to 24 hours of tailored technical support at a shared cost between HEDC, the manufacturer, and TMAC. He said HEDC will provide up to $4,200 in matching grants, which is about 50% of the total cost.
David Ortiz is director of the Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center at UT-Rio Grande Valley. He said local manufacturers often lack access to affordable, high-quality consulting and technical assistance. He said the A.I.M. Harlingen grant is designed to address this gap.
“By lowering the cost barrier to high-quality technical assistance, we are enabling manufacturers to streamline operations, enhance competitiveness, and prepare for future growth,” Ortiz said.
Ortiz said TMAC’s experienced providers will work directly with company leadership and staff to identify opportunities for improvement and guide them through the implementation process in the areas of Strategic Planning, Manufacturing Operations, Quality, Distribution, and Supply Chain.
The RGG Business Journal secured an exclusive interview with Campos about A.I.M. Harlingen.
“Every few months or so, we host a quarterly roundtable with our local manufacturers. Basically, we want to hear from them on any issues or any concerns that they may have, so that we can try to focus on eliminating any barriers that they might be encountering,” Campos said.
“Today, however, we wanted to bring our local manufacturers together to become familiar with a new grant program that was approved by our board of directors as well as the Harlingen City Commission. It is known as the A.I.M. Harlingen Grant Program. We have partnered up with the Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center so that they can provide consulting services to local businesses, and we can help pay up to half of the amount of what TMAC normally charges. And so this hopefully will make it a little bit more advantageous for local manufacturers to take advantage of the services and programs that TMAC has available that will benefit local manufacturers. “
Asked how the partnership with TMAC began, Campos said:
“First we connected one company with TMAC. We learned a little bit more about the services that they have available. We heard back from a company on how successful that program was, and so we began discussions on with TMAC on providing their programs on a much broader level, to local manufacturers here in Harlingen.”
Asked why the program is necessary, Campos said:
“Well, this program is part of our business, retention and expansion efforts. We know that business, many businesses, are struggling. They're always looking to become more innovative. They're always looking at ways to streamline their business, and sometimes there is a barrier. They need the assistance of consultants that can come in provide a fresh perspective on what they're doing right, what they're doing wrong. By enhancing their operations, it could lead to potential growth with their business. With that growth, not only comes additional production, but also potentially new jobs here within the community. It basically makes our manufacturing companies healthier, makes them stronger as well.”
Campos explained the role TMAC will play.
“Basically, the funding will be provided by TMAC to help provide consulting services to our local manufacturers. So TMAC will work with companies by looking at their books, looking at their manufacturing process, and the way the company has set up their production lines. Basically they will give a whole evaluation on what they're doing right, what they're doing wrong. At the end, they will provide recommendations on things they have a shortfall in that will help enhance their production.”
Asked which companies HEDC would be targeting, Campos said:
“This program is targeting manufacturing companies here, so anyone that works in a manufacturing operation or runs a manufacturing operation, we encourage them to reach out to us or to TMAC so we can learn a little bit more about what they do. And then TMAC can provide a proposal to them, which will include information on the matching grant program that we have available.”
Campos said TMAC has an excellent reputation.
“TMAC is an organization that has been around for decades. I've been involved in economic development now for close to 30 years, and when I started my economic development career in Brownsville, I was familiar with the services that they had. Obviously, they're quite busy working with local companies that sometimes they don't do enough marketing to create more awareness. Here at the Harlingen Economic Development Corporation, we are more than happy to tell businesses about TMAC and how this program works.”
Campos continued: “We encourage companies to move because we see value in what TMAC does and how they've been able to work with other local businesses prior to this program, and how the businesses that are taking advantage of the services that TMAC offers have become stronger manufacturing companies here in the area.
Asked how the A.I.M. Harlingen program will benefit the city as a whole, Campos said:
“Manufacturing is a very important sector here in our local economy. I think that the residual effects from this program and the potential implementations of TMAC will lead to companies being much more sustainable well into the future. It will lead to companies that have the potential to grow and add more job opportunities for our residents.
Asked whether he would recommend other cities in the Rio Grande Valley operate a similar program, Campos said:
“Absolutely. I think that for us, we recognize the importance of our existing businesses. Over 80% of new jobs that are created in any community come from existing businesses. So if an EDC is able to provide this type of support to local businesses, I think that it only makes their local economies even stronger.”
Editor’s Note: Manufacturing companies interested in learning more about the A.I.M. Harlingen program are encouraged to contact HEDC at 956-216-5081 or jlozano@harlingenedc.com.
About Harlingen Economic Development Corporation
The Harlingen Economic Development Corporation (EDC) partners with businesses, investors, and local stakeholders to strengthen the economic vitality of Harlingen, Texas. Guided by a mission to enhance the quality of life for all residents, the Harlingen EDC delivers strategic, outcome-driven initiatives designed to attract and retain businesses, expand employment opportunities, and cultivate a vibrant, forward-thinking business climate. These collective efforts position Harlingen as a dynamic place to live, work, and do business.
About Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center at UTRGV
TMAC at UTRGV is an affiliate of the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program. Visit TMAC’s web page at www.tmac.org to learn more about TMAC South Texas.
