Texas Border Business
The Economic Development Corporation (EDC) of Weslaco announces the opening of the new Kapal Industries warehouse, factory,
The announcement comes on the heels of the recent groundbreaking ceremony of 282,500 square feet of warehouse space for cotton distribution, by Commodities Integrated Logistics, (CIL) Group, placing Weslaco among the top cities for logistics, distribution, and manufacturing.
The Kapal move to Weslaco is a result of the company’s success in becoming one of the top companies in the state to provide high volume, high quality, turn-key cabinets, and countertops. While owners plan to keep operating a portion of the company from their original location in Donna, the 80,000 square foot facility in Weslaco will become
The new Kapal location in Weslaco will house an in-stock inventory of cabinets for approximately 200 apartments, while the manufacturing component is expected to produce between 15 and 20 apartment cabinet units per day.
The Kapal customer base includes some of the fastest growing hotel chains, as well as commercial and residential cabinetry with integrated stone counter tops and shipping product all across North America. The plant is expected to be in full production by the end of this month.
The “Now Hiring” sign outside the building is expected to fill 30 positions ranging from drafters, cabinet assemblers, truck drivers and salesmen, and by the end of the year 2020, the employee count is expected to double to 60 in Weslaco. A condition upon receiving an EDC incentive was to include a part-time paid intern position.
Administrators of the company pride themselves in 100% satisfaction of their customers and trademark superior quality but say that their commitment to their employees is priority one.
According to EDC Executive Director, Marie McDermott, the Kapal move to Weslaco ended a 20 plus year drought of occupants in the 56-year-old building. “Most of the warehousing and manufacturing companies moving to Weslaco were buying or leasing in the Mid Valley Industrial Park,” says McDermott, “but the move to the inner city of Weslaco along Business 83, will breathe life and jobs back into what used to be the produce and manufacturing thoroughfare of the Mid Valley.”
As we researched the history of the building, we found that the Hidalgo County Appraisal District shows that it was built in 1965. That date lines up with perhaps hundreds of women who worked on sewing assembly lines making khaki and blue jean work pants for the Williamson Dickies Manufacturing Company. Longtime resident Marcos Hernandez, remembers his mother Luisa Hernandez, working at the plant from 1966 to 1972.
Perhaps the most impressive feature of the half-century-year-old building is the solid and durable construction, a common reputation of buildings from the 1950s &
Owners of Kapal Industries hope to honor the hard work of past Weslaco residents that sewed or cut fabric for Dickies, by creating a mural of pictures families are willing to share. They are extending an invitation to residents that might still have family pictures of work being performed inside. Pictures can be sent to mailto:customerservice@kapalindustries.com.
For more information on the opening of Kapal Industries in Weslaco, contact the EDC office at 956-969-0838 or by email to mailto:svaldez@weslacoedc.com.
 of Weslaco announces the opening of the new Kapal Industries warehouse, factory, and showroom, at their new location at 508 S. Nevada Ave. in Weslaco.){kind=link}