The city of Round Rock is working to secure incentive deals with two employers that could bring at least 75 new full-time jobs to the city.
On Nov. 14, Round Rock City Council is scheduled to consider establishing two separate economic development deals with D.M.A Enterprises Inc. and Insys Therapeutics Inc. that would respectively entail relocating and expanding the businesses' operations within the city.
D.M.A Enterprises is a California-based manufacturing company that produces the ThermaSol product line of steam shower systems. The company is planning to purchase 27 acres of property located just north of the city's police station on Mays Street and develop it into an industrial park, which would include a manufacturing facility for its ThermaSol products. The company is planning a relocation of its headquarters from California to Round Rock, according to Ben White, vice president of economic development for the Round Rock Chamber of Commerce/Economic Development Partnership.
"Projects like ThermaSol help diversify the economy, add to our manufacturing base and help create new jobs," White said. "It is always great to land another California company to the Round Rock region."
As part of the agreement, D.M.A. will invest at least $3.5 million in the construction of its new facility, as well as in the purchase and installation of equipment. The company has also agreed to hire 45 new full-time employees and have the facility built within 18 months of receiving plat approval from the city. For its part of the deal, the city of Round Rock will provide D.M.A. with a one-time $400,000 cash incentive payment.
The second company, Insys Therapeutics—a commercial-grade pharmaceutical manufacturer—is planning to expand its current operations in Round Rock. In addition to its 11 present employees, Insys plans to add 30 new full-time employees during the next four years, as well as relocate to an unoccupied 52,845-square-foot office/manufacturing facility at 2700 Oakmont Drive. The company has also promised to pay its employees an average annual salary of $50,000 and to invest at least $10.5 million in equipment and facility improvements.
"Insys is part of the target sector of bioscience and health care, which is a targeted industrial cluster for Round Rock," White said.
In exchange for the company's investment into expanding in Round Rock, the city has agreed to provide five years of property tax abatements beginning in 2015, a one-time cash payment of $150,000 and up to $50,000 for job-creation incentives.
White said Insys is expected to begin transferring its equipment to its new facility in December, with the move likely to be completed by August 2014.
"The No. 1 goal of economic development is to retain and expand your local companies," he said. "The expansion of Insys helps achieve that goal."