Memstar USA Becomes Latest Company to Enter Conroe Park North
August 2, 2017
Memstar USA recently announced that it selected Conroe for the company’s first United States plant. Memstar USA, part of Beijing, China-based Citic Environmental, will construct a 40,500 square foot manufacturing facility on 10 acres inside Conroe Park North.
The plant will produce reverse osmosis membranes for water filtration and desalination. The products made in Conroe will be shipped around the world to countries in need of purified water, such as China and India.
Memstar USA expects to initially employ 35 people with a $3 million payroll. Long-term goals for the company are to employ 80 people with a payroll close to $5 million. The projected capital investment of the project is nearly $31 million.
When deciding where to build their first U.S. facility, Memstar USA focused on Texas due to the state’s advanced infrastructure. The Houston region, in particular, was desirable because of the Port Houston. With many products being shipped overseas, a thriving port was advantageous for the company.
Once Memstar USA locked in on the Houston region, the Conroe Economic Development Council (CEDC) made their pitch to the company. The CEDC was able to offer a location within Foreign Trade Zone #265 and a competitive tax abatement program, helping Memstar USA maximize its investment, and select Conroe over another local municipality. These economic incentives, in addition to the thriving Conroe economy and available land, were ample reason for Memstar USA to choose Conroe for their first U.S. plant investment.
Foreign investment has been an emphasis for the CEDC in recent years. Memstar USA becomes the latest company with international roots to build inside Conroe Park North. Galdisa USA, a subsidiary of Galdisa Mexico, and ICOTEX, a joint-venture between German-owned Jungheinrich and Mitsubishi Caterpillar Forklift America, recently constructed new facilities in the park.
The Conroe EDC also recently participated in the SelectUSA Investment Summit, the highest-profile event dedicated to promoting foreign direct investment (FDI) in the United States.