By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
Residents of the region are invited to attend a manufacturing expo set for Tuesday and Wednesday focusing on manufacturing companies operating in the sister border cities.
The Del Rio-Acuña Manufacturing & Industrial Expo begins with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10:45 a.m. Tuesday in the Red Oak Ballroom at the Del Rio Civic Center, 1915 Veterans Blvd.
The expo itself begins at 11 a.m. and ends at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 14, and begins at 9 a.m. and ends at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, May 15.
Del Rio Economic Development Director Jorge Ramon spoke about the expo to members of the city’s economic development corporation (EDC) board of directors during their meeting Thursday.
“We had the idea for this expo over a year-and-a-half ago, and it’s finally going to happen. We’re very excited about it. There will be over 25 participants, with manufacturers, schools, industrial developers, representatives of the Ports-To-Plains Alliance, Customs and Border Protection,” Ramon told the group.
“We also got a call today from a professor at Texas Tech, who plans to bring a group of about 30 students all the way from Texas Tech to look at the expo. They’re actually teaching manufacturing, logistics and trade at the university, so we’re very happy about that,” Ramon added.
He noted the cities of Eagle Pass and Uvalde will be represented and the local public school district will be busing in students from eighth through twelfth grade, and members of the district’s CTE program are also expected to attend.
“We’re expecting, hopefully, a good crowd,” Ramon said.
Among the cross-border manufacturers to be represented are San Antonio Shoes, ParkOhio, Julio’s, Gentherm, Caterpillar, Jon Hart, Bendix, Howmet Aerospace, Magna, Canacintra, Amadac, Shipzo, Owens & Minor, Halyard, SteelMation, Inc., Piston Interiors, Lena’s Tack Room and Amistad Premier Industrial Developers.
The expo will “bring together industry professionals to discuss trends, discover new manufacturing technologies and network,” Ramon said.
Mayor Al Arreola told EDC board members during Thursday’s meeting he believes the expo will be an eye-opening educational experience, even for local residents.
“I’ve lived here all my life, and we all talk about the maquiladoras (twin plants) in Ciudad Acuña, but the citizens of Del Rio really don’t know what’s being manufactured there and how important these items are to our industry and economy in the United States. I know people tend to think the maquiladoras only hire people in Mexico, but there are close to 1,500 of our Del Rio people who work for them as well,” Arreola said.
The event is free and open to the public.
The writer can be reached at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com .
