Reyna: It’s time the RioPlex region mapped out its manufacturing industry cluster

MCALLEN, Texas – It’s time the Rio Grande Valley and northern Tamaulipas digitally mapped out its manufacturing industry footprint, says Prosperity Task Force Coordinator Mario Reyna. 

Developing such a cluster would help the RioPlex region attract more manufacturers and suppliers, Reyna said, in a podcast with the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service. 

“Here in the Rio Grande Valley, we have SpaceX, and that is a major asset. They do their own manufacturing there, so it makes sense that we should do a manufacturing cluster,” Reyna said. “And Ron Garza from UTRGV is looking into this. So, we’re going to have more discussions.”

Ron Garza is associate vice president for workforce and economic development at UT-Rio Grande Valley.

“Not only is it important that we do this, also it’s also important to tell the world that we have a cluster that can support whatever manufacturing activities they bring into the region,” Reyna continued. “So, that is something very important that’s happening right now.”

Reyna played a key role in bringing representatives of the San Antonio-based Texas-Mexico Automotive Supercluster (TMASC) initiative to the Valley this past May. This group aims to foster economic growth and diversification in the Texas-Mexico border region by leveraging the automotive industry. Their cluster started in Dallas and went all the way south to San Luis Potosí. But it did not factor in all the automotive industry-related companies in the Valley, Reynosa or Matamoros. 

Reyna said if the Valley and northern Tamaulipas created its own cluster it would not have to rely on the San Antonio map.

“What happened is that I went to visit them last December because I wanted them to come and visit us. But when I looked at their reports, I said, why is our star not illuminated? They had Laredo very highly illuminated,” Reyna said.

“There was not a particularly good response, but it’s really up to us here in the region to become more engaging with the clusters. You can have all kinds of clusters right now. We’re thinking about manufacturing, but this is obviously an area that’s also concentrated on logistics. So, we should probably think of those things also.”

Reyna said site selectors that visit the region would learn a lot if a cluster was developed for the manufacturing sector. 

“When you can show someone that people are interested in the topic – and we should be very interested in this particular subject… they (San Antonio) have an automotive cluster, which is fine. But I think the idea here is that we make it a little bit broader to include all the other activities that go on, especially with SpaceX,” Reyna said.

“So those conversations are going to continue. Something will be formed that we can officially inform the world about; that we have our own people interested in manufacturing clusters. Then RioPlex can go out and promote this kind of activity.”

Asked if Garza, the associate vice president at UTRGV, has accepted an offer to develop a manufacturing industry cluster document, Reyna said: 

“He and I have talked, and he wants to take on the challenge. But we’re all going to help. It is no secret UTRGV is a very, very influential organization in our community. So, it probably makes sense that Ron does this, because he’s involved with economic development. And so, this is going to be another tool for economic development. I thank Ron Garza and UTRGV for being such a great support in everything that we do.”

Editor’s Note: Mario Reyna made his remarks in a podcast with the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service that aired before the Council for South Texas Economic Progress held a forum to discuss an automotive industry cluster for the Rio South Texas region.

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