As more Japanese companies relocate to Texas, several of the state’s officials have stepped up efforts to publicize the benefits of setting up manufacturing operations within their cities. Located 80 kilometers from downtown Houston, Hempstead has targeted Japan-based companies looking for a base that can easily service the North American and Mexican markets.
Aside from having abundant shovel-ready sites for greenfield development, the city sits at the heart of some of the country’s leading academic institutions, including Prairie View A&M University, Texas A&M University and the University of Texas at Austin.
“We’re seeing an acceleration of research and development across all universities and as this continues, Hempstead and our sister towns of Waller and Prairie View will become places where the technology and innovations created will be commercialized through local startups and the Houston industrial complex. We can anticipate that technology and innovations will spread across the space, medical and energy complexes, all of which have a significant presence in this region of Texas,” said Kenneth Pilcher, director of economic development for Hempstead.
As the COVID-19 pandemic impacted global supply chains, Hempstead is well-positioned to accommodate investors from Japan and the rest of the world.
“As Japanese companies look to reposition themselves because of the supply chain issues that emerged during the pandemic, they may want to be in places where they can bring inventory and raw materials into the country. Hempstead’s proximity to major highways, rail and port connectivity benefits manufacturers, while the academic organizations surrounding the town can provide workforce talent,” Pilcher added.
Home to companies and organizations like SpaceX, Blue Origin and NASA, Texas is in the center of a new wave of space exploration. Situated just outside the Houston metroplex, Hempstead is an ideal location for companies and entrepreneurs developing and building new technologies needed for satellites or sensor networks used in space.
