800 jobs coming to Edinburg, Perry announces

EDINBURG -- A foreign manufacturing firm will build a new $180 million factory in Edinburg, Gov. Rick Perry announced today at the University of Texas-Pan American.

The foreign company, Santana Textiles of Brazil, will create about 800 jobs in the area, said Ramiro Garza, a spokesman for the Edinburg Economic Development Corp. The average worker at the plant will earn more than $26,000 per year.

The facility will produce denim fabric from cotton.

Set to open in January 2010, the factory will be built on donated land from the EDC at the Edinburg North Industrial Park along U.S. Highway 281. The city will also pay for the utility improvments at the site.

The announcement is part of the Texas Enterprise Fund, a state program to help provide economic incentives to job creating companies. The state has committed $1.6 million to the project from the fund -- the first time the money was used to bring a new company to the Rio Grande Valley.

State Rep. Aaron Peña, D-Edinburg, said he welcomes the Brazilian company to the city.

"It's a great day for Edinburg and South Texas," Peña said in a statement. "Our success today is attributed to good people working together, focused on serving our community.

"This is the first of what we hope will be many investments in South Texas by the Enterprise Fund."

Perry, the governor since 2000 and running for a new term, is giving details on the program at the university's International Trade and Technology building.