< Previous88 TE X A S E C ONOMI C D E V E L OP ME NT G U I D E by SAVANNAH KING UPPER EAST: AT THE CORNER OF THE SOUTHEAST R E G I O N P R O F I L E S — U P P E R E A S T T E X A S Tyler State Park photos Courtesy of Travel Texas/Jaime Hudson TE X A S E C ONOMI C D E V E L OP ME NT G U I D E 89 Upper East Texas offers a business friendly and affordable location for businesses. This 16,000 square mile region stretches along the Arkansas and Louisiana Border to the western boundary of Cedar Creek Reservoir. The Upper East region of Texas is home to three MSAs: Longview, Texarkana and Tyler. In 2019, the region’s population was estimated to be about 1.2 million, or approximately 4% of the state’s total population. • Longview: Distribution centers have found a key location in Longview. Earlier this year, Gap Inc. announced plans to build a new $140 million Customer Experience Center in the city to support rising demand in online shopping and increased digital growth. • Texarkana: Located on the border of Texas and Arkansas, this city offers businesses the best of both worlds. Manufacturing, defense, health care and logistics all benefit from the city’s logistic advantages. • Tyler: Located midway between Dallas and Shreveport, Louisiana, Tyler is a regional hub for logistics and health care. In 2020, the University of Texas System announced it would build a new University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler. The school is the first of its kind in Northeast Texas and will serve as a key pipeline for the region and state’s health care workforce. This region is a powerhouse in mining and oil and gas extraction. The region’s forestry and wood product industries and distribution sectors are also strong. In Tyler, three hospitals round out the region’s diverse industry base. Over a quarter of the city’s workforce is employed in health care. The Upper East region’s workforce is skilled and well-educated. Since 2010, the region’s high school graduation rate has outperformed the state’s rate. After high school students have a number of higher education institutions to choose from in the region including Texas A&M University — Texarkana, Texas College, The University of Texas at Tyler, and others. The region’s 9 community and technical colleges enroll approximately 37,000 students annually. SECTOR PROJECTS MACHINERY, EQUIP. & CONST. 2 FOOD & BEVERAGE 1 TRANSPORT & LOGISTICS 1 BUSINESS & FINANCIAL SERVICES 1 CHEMICALS & PLASTICS 1 CONSUMER PRODUCTS 1 ENERGY 1 SECTOR PROJECTS BUSINESS & FINANCIAL SERVICES 2 METALS 1 MACHINERY, EQUIP. & CONST. 1 SECTOR PROJECTS AEROSPACE 1 METALS 1 AUTOMOTIVE 1 2020 LONGVIEW’S TOP PROJECT SECTORS 2020 TYLER’S TOP PROJECT SECTORS 2020 TEXARK ANA’S TOP PROJECT SECTORS Source: Conway Data90 TE X A S E C ONOMI C D E V E L OP ME NT G U I D E by RON STARNER POWERED UP IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS RE G I ON P R OF I L E — S O U TH E A S T Beaumont-Port Arthur Photo: Getty ImagesTE X A S E C ONOMI C D E V E L OP ME NT G U I D E 91 A key player in the global energy industry, Southeast Texas is home to the world’s largest oil refineries. Several of the biggest names in the global commerce call the region home including Exxon, Motiva Enterprises and Valero. The area has also become a key location for sophisticated medical instruments, precision industrial equipment, wood pellet manufacturing and advanced manufacturing. Beaumont is also a hub for the region’s health care and is a central referral point for patients in Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana. According to the Southeast Texas Economic Development Foundation, multiple industries in the region are expanding — representing $54 billion in current projects and long-term investments. The foundation notes Southeast Texas is built for production with a high concentration of engineering firms, fabrication shops, contractors, industrial supply manufacturers and large equipment distributors. According to the Southeast Texas Economic Development Foundation, three major ports, two river authorities and a navigation district provide access to national and international markets by way of barge and deep sea vessels. The Sabine Neches Waterway was recently approved by congress to deepen and widen the channel, opening the local ports to increased travel and tonnage. Beaumont-Port Arthur’s connection to the Port of Houston through several major highways, a regional airport and rail service by multiple Class 1 carriers, provides businesses with easy access to global commerce. Lamar University in Beaumont enrolls 16,000 students annually. The university has established itself as a global leader in engineering — due in part to its close ties with the petroleum and chemical industries. Additionally, Lamar Institute of Technology, Lamar State College Port Arthur, Lamar State Orange and Angelina College serve the region’s workforce and industry needs. SECTOR PROJECTS CONSUMER PRODUCTS 1 FOOD & BEVERAGE 1 METALS 1 CHEMICALS & PLASTICS 1 2020 BEAUMONT-PORT ARTHUR’S TOP PROJECT SECTORS Beaumont - Port Arthur is ranked No. 16 for Cost of Doing Business Source: Forbes Source: Conway Data Beaumont-Port Arthur Photo: Getty ImagesA region once focused predominantly on oil and gas has since grown into a highly sought- after location for global corporations across a wide swath of industries. The 13-county Gulf Coast region encompasses eastern coastal Texas from Huntsville to Galveston. The region’s major economic center is the Houston-The Woodlands- Sugarland MSA and is home to 7 million people. Houston, the nation’s fourth-largest city, is one of the fastest-growing and most diverse in the state. The region supports a well- developed suite of global industries, including energy, life science, manufacturing, logistics and aerospace. According to Greater Houston Partnership, the city is home to 20 Forbes Global 2000 headquarters. Additionally, 44 out of 113 U.S. publicly traded oil and gas companies are in the city. by SAVANNAH KING 92 TE X A S E C ONOMI C D E V E L OP ME NT G U I D E R E G I O N P R O F I L E — G U L F C O A S T FROM HOUSTON TO THE GLOBE Courtesy of Travel Texas94 TE X A S E C ONOMI C D E V E L OP ME NT G U I D E In November, tech giant Hewlett Packard Enterprise announced it would relocate its corporate headquarters from San Jose, California to Houston — adding another Fortune 500 company to its roster. In December, Axiom Space announced it would build the world’s first commercial space station at its new headquarters at the Houston Spaceport. The region offers a diverse and highly skilled labor force of more than 3 million workers — larger than 35 states. One of the fastest- growing regions in the country, Houston is also one of the top cities for attracting millennials and ranks No. 1 in retaining college graduates. The region boasts an educated population, with 32% holding at least a bachelor’s degree. The region is home to more than 20 public and private universities and colleges, including three Tier 1 universities. Houston is also well- connected with four deepwater seaports and two international airports. The city is equidistant from the east and west coasts providing companies with an ideal base to distribute products. The region’s extensive highway system includes Highways 10 and 45 and I-69 — the “NAFTA superhighway” — that will link Canada and Mexico upon completion. SECTOR PROJECTS MACHINERY, EQUIP. & CONST. 48 BUSINESS & FINANCIAL SERVICES 30 ENERGY 25 FOOD & BEVERAGE 23 CHEMICALS & PLASTICS 20 TRANSPORT & LOGISTICS 16 METALS 14 LIFE SCIENCES 14 CONSUMER PRODUCTS 9 IT & COMM. 8 2020 HOUSTON, THE WOODLANDS, & SUGAR LAND’S TOP PROJECT SECTORS Houston ranked No. 4 among U.S. metro Areas in Fortune 500 headquarters. Port of Houston is the No. 1 Port in U.S. (Ranks fi rst in total tonnage) Source: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Navigation and Civil Works Decision Support Center Source: Conway Data Courtesy of Travel Texas96 TE X A S E C ONOMI C D E V E L OP ME NT G U I D E Central Texas’ Biocorridor Brings Innovations to Global Markets by SAVANNAH KING BIO CENTRAL RE G I ON P R OF I L E — C E NTR A L TE X A S Texas A&M University in College Station Photo: Getty ImagesTE X A S E C ONOMI C D E V E L OP ME NT G U I D E 97 Central Texas’ unique combination of higher education, logistical ease and innovation create a breeding ground for life-saving biomedical advancement. Central Texas covers a region of 20 counties spanning about 17,400 square miles in the heart of the Lone Star State. The cities of College Station-Bryan, Killeen-Temple and Waco are the major economic and population centers in the region. This region is located at the center of the Texas Triangle, which is formed by Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth and San Antonio, giving businesses easy access to markets across the state. By 2050, more than 35 million people are expected to live inside the Texas Triangle region (including Austin.) Home to approximately 1.2 million people in 2019, the region has a young, skilled population. According to the Texas Comptroller’s Office, in 2019 three of the region’s counties had a median age significantly below the state median age of 34.2 years in 2018. These three counties Bell (30.4 years), Brazos (25.5 years) and Coryell (31 years), combined with McLennan (33 years) — make up a majority of the region’s population, with Brazos County boasting one of the “youngest” populations in the state. According to SmartAsset, College Station is the No.1 city in the nation for career opportunities in the COVID-19 Recession. Killeen-Temple also made the list at No. 22. According to the Brazos Valley Economic Development Corporation the region is an international leader in the fields of engineering, agriculture and biomedical innovations. The region’s “Biocorridor” is home to several companies like vaccine manufacturers iBio and Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies, which recently completed its facility expansion in College Station. Matica Biotechnoclogy Inc. announced in December it would expand its College Station production facility for product development and manufacturing. With more than 80,000 students in the region, higher education institutions include Baylor University, Texas A&M University and the Texas A&M Health Science Center in Bryan, as well as several community and technical colleges. SECTOR PROJECTS MACHINERY, EQUIP. & CONST. 3 TRANSPORT & LOGISTICS 2 IT & COMM. 2 LIFE SCIENCES 2 BUSINESS & FINANCIAL SERVICES 2 ELECTRONICS 1 2020 COLLEGE STATION, BRYAN’S TOP PROJECT SECTORS College Station is the No.1 city in the nation for career opportunities in the COVID-19 Recession. Source: SmartAsset Source: Conway Data Albritton Bell Tower Photo: Getty ImagesNext >