Houston is seeing growth in jobs in the manufacturing sector after several years in decline. The growth is four times the national average.
What’s happening to spur the 4.6 percent in annual job growth?
German companies find Houston meets their needs
Houston developers are breaking ground on production facilities, warehouses and distribution centers for German companies.
Many of the manufacturers expanding to Houston don’t have the name recognition of bigger German brands like BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Instead, they represent the largest share of companies in the middle of the market for developers like Kingham Dalton Wilson (KDW).
More than 150 German companies, primarily in the energy and construction industries do business in Houston and employ more than 45,000 people.
Reasons for the expansion from Germany
German companies cite many reasons for choosing the Houston area to conduct business.
The Houston area is near a major port, is equal in distance from the East and West coasts of the United States and is close to Mexico. The time difference between Germany and Houston is workable for conference calls. Manufacturing sites in Houston are also in close proximity to customers throughout the Americas and land is plentiful.
One company that builds drilling rigs for concrete foundations, Bauer-Pileco, says that being near their customers in Mexico and Brazil allows for better response when drills break on construction sites.
According to experts, the growth in this sector is set to continue.
Should you be involved in commercial development and need advice related to real estate transactions, business and tax law or complex business transactions, you may wish to consult with an attorney who focuses in these areas.