Carrera: Rio South Texas region offers remarkable trade advantages

PHARR, Texas – Rick Carrera, economic development director for the Council for South Texas Economic Progress, recently gave an in-depth presentation about the Rio South Texas region to four visiting national site selectors.

The event, held at the Forum by Regency in Pharr, was co-hosted by COSTEP and Pharr Economic Development Corporation.

In his remarks, Carrera said the Rio South Texas region, which includes the Rio Grande Valley, Laredo, and northern Tamaulipas, has “remarkable” trade advantages. He said the binational region of the U.S.-Mexico border offers manufacturers the best of two worlds. Firms have the opportunity to work within two trade zones, thereby offering tangible returns on investment.

Carrera said the region also offers “unmatched” transportation and logistics infrastructure. 

“Rio South Texas is at the heart of North America’s supply chain. You have access to the region’s 18 bridges, North American Class 1 rail network, deep-water seaports, interstate highways, regional airports, and a top air cargo international airport, providing seamless connectivity.”

Carrera said the region offerers immediate access to major trade routes on the east and west coasts of the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

Carrera told the site selectors that the Rio South Texas region has a large and growing population with an extremely young workforce.

“With a growing population of four million people and an average age of 29, employers empower their businesses with a diverse and dynamic workforce, now and in the future.”

A brochure prepared for the site selectors said Rio South Texas offers:

• A strategic geographic location between to counters that leverages worker e talent and trade agreements
• A growing, young labor force
• Developed land and seaports
• One of the largest, trainable workforces
• U.S.’s lowest cost of living
• Synergistic manufacturing closer/process between the U.S. and Mexico
• Available land and wide open spaces for development
• Business-friendly environments
• No winter season, 365 fly days

Here is an audio recording of Rick Carrera’s presentation to the site selectors:

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