LUBBOCK ANNOUNCES NEW PLASTICS MANUFACTURER

October 28, 2018

By Matt Dotray / A-J Media

The Lubbock Economic Development Alliance hosted a news conference Wednesday to say WL Plastics Corporation is opening a branch in Lubbock, and a new coding course will be offered at South Plains College.

WL Plastics is projected to create 40 new manufacturing jobs in the area, and the company’s capital investment in the area will exceed $17 million. CEO Mark Wason was on-hand Wednesday, and he said they’re anxious to open.

According to LEDA, the company, which has its corporate office in Fort Worth, produces pipe for the oil, gas and water markets. Lubbock will be the manufacturing company’s ninth location in the United States, where it will manufacture pipes in a projected 50,000 square-feet facility at Lubbock’s Rail Port located along Interstate 27.

Wason assured people that these will be 40 good paying jobs, filled mostly by already-local residents. He said the facility will be built in such a way as to be ready for expansion, and he also said they like to think they’re good corporate citizens.

“Lubbock is a great fit for our company to better serve our customers with a skilled workforce, as well as good transportation and distribution logistics,” Wason said. “Lubbock is an excellent location for our employees.”

John Osborne, CEO and president of the Lubbock Economic Development Alliance, stressed the value of having good manufacturing jobs in the community - a sentiment Mayor Dan Pope echoed.

“Manufacturing jobs are really important because you sell those products to other places,” Osborne said. “That means someone is paying money back into your own economy. It’s a primary way of bringing dollars back into your community that then help grow the wealth of your community.”

LEDA’s incentives to WL Plastics Corporation for opening a branch in Lubbock is that WL Plastics will receive 20 acres of land and grants totaling $275,000 to aid the cost of training and recruiting. LEDA also says WL Plastics will have the ability to use up to 50 rail cars a month for $1 a year.

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