Diverse Manufacturing Sector Picks Up Steam
Published Apr 24, 2008
William F. Mims, CEO of American Mast Climbers, employs about 35 in his Hill County manufacturing facility that produces scaffolding for high-rise buildings.
When William F. Mims founded his scaffolding company, Texas Mast Climbers, he wanted to conquer Texas. “We thought it would be a big step,” says Mims, who opened for business in 1996. “But it didn’t take long.”
Today, the company ships electronic scaffolding – used to climb up and down high-rise buildings – across the United States.
The national focus resulted in a new name, American Mast Climbers. But the name is not the only change. Mims has since moved the company from its birthplace in Fort Worth to Hill County – closer to his country ranch. The location has other advantages, too.
Hill County is within easy driving distance of Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio. “You add that up and you’ve got millions of people,” he says.
American Mast Climbers employs about 35 people.
Construction Fasteners
Many other companies have found that the Heart of Texas region is ideal for manufacturing. In the Waco area alone, manufacturing employment exceeds 16,000, up from 13,500 in 2004.
“Manufacturing within the central Texas region is very strong,” says Kenneth L. Simons, executive director of the Heart of Texas Council of Governments. “It offers a lot of diversity.”
Indeed, manufacturing here covers a broad spectrum that includes fabricated metal products, transportation equipment, machinery, appliances and construction materials.
Alcoa Fastening Systems, which employs more than 500 people in McLennan County, produces in excess of 200,000 pounds of Huck brand construction fasteners each day at its 400,000-square-foot Waco plant.
Aggregate Rocks
Pittsburgh-based Alcoa is one of many major manufacturers with a presence in the region. Another is Vulcan Materials Co., headquartered in Birmingham, Ala. In 1997, it purchased a company in aptly named Limestone County to produce aggregates.
“You’ll find our product in paving, concrete and road base,” says Sam Beene, manager of the plant near Groesbeck.
About 44 percent of the aggregates are used to build and maintain highways, bridges, roads, airports, railroads, and water and sewer systems, Beene says.
Architectural Molding
Clifton Moulding Corp. in Bosque County helps with the finishing touches in construction. The company makes architectural molding for the retail building-supply and home-improvement industry.
Company President Don Knustrom says he appreciates the area’s proximity to the Port of Houston, where the company receives a steady supply of lumber.
Like American Mast Climbers’ Mims, Knustrom enjoys quick access to multiple customers within easy driving distance.
“We ship all over the United States,” Knustrom says, and to Canada, too.
Truck Campers and Shells
Family-run operations also are represented in the region’s manufacturing sector. Consider P&S Camper Manufacturing Inc. in Falls County, owned by David Pomykal and his sister, Mary Hubik.
The company, which has been in the family since 1970, makes truck campers and camper shells. Products include flat shells, which fit snugly atop a truck bed for storage, and campers that sit atop the bed and can exceed the cab’s height.
“We custom-build the wood frame and aluminum cover,” Pomykal says. Customers detail their specifications and desires, and P&S makes them a reality. The company averages about 1,800 custom campers a year.
Corporate Goodwill
Area manufacturers do more than help fuel the economy. They also promote values. Named to Fortune magazine’s list of America’s Most Admired Companies seven times, Vulcan was in the top 10 among the Fortune 1000 for social responsibility and long-term investments and in the top 20 for financial soundness and use of corporate assets.
In April 2007, the Heart of Texas Workforce Development Board recognized Alcoa Fastening Systems for its business practices and community services standards.
Manufacturers in the Heart of Texas also are helping to preserve the manufacturing heart of American business. “It’s an American-made product,” Mims says of his scaffolding. “I’m still one of the guys that believes in America.
Story by Pam George
Photo by Wes Aldridge
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