Mexican Steel Company Expanding Operations in Texas

Texas Governor Rick Perry announced that three Mexican companies, Grupo Villacero, Cemex, and Proeza, will expand their operations in Texas with $29 million in new capital investment and 95 new jobs. Perry met with CEOs of the three companies during his recent trade mission to Mexico.

Grupo Villacero, a steel products conglomerate, will expand an existing recycling and shredding company in El Paso and an existing scrap processing facility in Houston.

Expansion of Border Steel, El Paso, Tex., will have an initial capital investment of $4.5 million and generate 45 new jobs by the end of next year. Houston’s Tex Tube is expected to have a capital investment of $1 million with the creation of 10 new jobs also by the last quarter of 2005

Grupo Villacero currently employs more than 650 workers in Texas, with more than $70 million in total assets at its Texas-based companies.

Cemex, the largest cement producer in North America, will invest $19.5 million to expand and improve its existing operations in Texas at facilities in Harlingen and the Houston area. Cemex currently operates 14 facilities statewide and had assets of more than $345 million in its Texas operations last year. In addition to other improvements, Cemex expects to spend $700,000 for maintenance and improvement to the Harlingen terminal and $2.9 million for expansion of their Katy terminal.

Cemex produces, distributes and markets cement, and ready-mix concrete to customers in more than 30 countries.