McAllen

In the fiscal year ending Sept. 31, the McAllen/Reynosa (Mexico) area attracted 36 new companies -- most to Reynosa, Mexico. But the proximity of the maquilas is also spurring development on the Texas side of the border, with new businesses moving in to provide equipment and services to the booming maquila sector.

McAllen this year received official approval for a 695-acre expansion of its 80-acre foreign trade zone to spur more industrial growth. Already, Galvotec Alloys is expanding its 8,000-square- foot operation in the McAllen Foreign Trade Zone to 20,000 square feet to accommodate the expansion of the company's zinc anode product line.

Meanwhile, McAllen's new South Texas Community College recently opened a Center for Applied and Advanced Technologies in Southwest Industrial Park to provide advanced manufacturing training programs. The McAllen Economic Development Corp. is also working with Hunt Oil/Woodbine Development on plans to develop a new Class A industrial park for McAllen.

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