Mission lands one of its largest private investments with $50M aluminum manufacturing plant

Mission has officially broken ground on a $50 million aluminum recycling and advanced manufacturing facility that city leaders say will strengthen the city’s industrial base while positioning the Rio Grande Valley to capitalize on growing demand for sustainable manufacturing.

The project, developed by Mexico-based ZERLUMA, will bring a nearly 100,000-square-foot aluminum recycling plant to Mission’s Expressway Business Park. The highly automated facility is expected to create about 70 permanent jobs initially, with room to expand as production grows.  

“We’ve been working on it for about a year, maybe just a little bit more,” Mission Economic Development Corporation CEO Teclo Garcia said in an interview with the Rio Grande Valley Business Journal. “The big news is that we’ve solidified and confirmed that this $50 million aluminum recycling plant will be located here in Mission.”

Garcia said Tuesday’s groundbreaking officially marks the start of construction on what he described as a regional project that extends beyond Mission’s city limits.

The facility will be built at 300 Trinity St. and will include surrounding industrial yard space for materials handling and future expansion.  

The investment is among the largest private industrial projects in Mission’s history and continues the city’s recent push to attract advanced manufacturing operations, Garcia said. 

The project follows other recent industrial announcements, including expansions by Stanley Black & Decker and Bettcher Manufacturing.  

Recycling aluminum for North American manufacturers

Rather than producing aluminum from raw ore, ZERLUMA will recycle scrap aluminum into new aluminum billets used by manufacturers throughout North America and beyond.

Garcia said the company’s existing operation outside Guadalajara takes discarded aluminum, melts it, removes impurities and produces large aluminum cylinders that are shipped to customers in industries ranging from automotive manufacturing to appliance production.

“They’re taking discarded aluminum, melting it down, cleaning it and creating new aluminum,” Garcia said. “Aluminum is a metal that never loses its properties. You can continue recycling it over and over.”

He said the growing demand for recycled materials has become a competitive advantage as manufacturers seek more sustainable supply chains.

“A lot of companies like using recycled material instead of buying new,” Garcia said. “They’re in business to make money, obviously, but they’re also providing a really good service.”

Tariffs and logistics played a role

Garcia said locating production in Mission also helps the company navigate ongoing trade uncertainty between the United States and Mexico.

Instead of shipping scrap aluminum into Mexico for processing and then transporting finished products back across the border, the Mission facility will allow ZERLUMA to process U.S.-sourced material domestically before shipping directly to American customers.

“They can avoid the back and forth of material over the border,” Garcia said. “If they were in Mexico, they’d have to cross the border twice.”

Garcia noted aluminum remains part of ongoing trade discussions between the United States and Mexico, but said manufacturers cannot afford to wait for long-term policy certainty.

“The private sector can’t wait on that,” he said. “They’re moving forward with this plant.”

Workforce partnerships already underway

While the facility will rely heavily on automation, Garcia said the company expects to hire engineers, technicians, and other skilled manufacturing workers from across the Valley.

Mission EDC has already connected ZERLUMA with South Texas College, the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, and Workforce Solutions to begin developing workforce training programs.

“The institutions of higher learning need to hear from the employer,” Garcia said. “UTRGV and South Texas College don’t have all the answers. They need to know what skills the company will need so they can prepare that workforce.”

Company officials have said operations will initially begin with one production shift before eventually expanding to around-the-clock production as demand increases.  

Despite the project’s scale, Garcia said Mission has not approved any economic incentives for the company.

“As of right now, we have not provided them any incentives,” he said. “We don’t have any agreements between us and the company.”

He said the city has committed to helping connect the manufacturer with workforce partners and could potentially assist with future infrastructure improvements if needed.

More than 500 jobs in total economic impact

A University of Texas Rio Grande Valley economic impact analysis estimates the project will create 275 temporary construction jobs and generate more than $41 million in economic output during construction.

Once operational, the facility is projected to support 243 total jobs across direct, indirect and induced employment, produce nearly $87 million in annual economic output, and generate about $16 million in annual labor income.  

Combined, the construction and operational phases are expected to support 518 jobs, generate approximately $128.4 million in economic activity, and contribute nearly $4.8 million in state and local tax revenue.  

Part of a broader regional manufacturing surge

Garcia said the investment reflects broader industrial momentum across South Texas, pointing to major announcements in Brownsville, McAllen and throughout the region.

“I think it’s bigger than just Mission,” Garcia said. “It’s a regional thing.”

He also cited the future commercialization of the Anzalduas International Bridge as another factor expected to strengthen Mission’s position for manufacturing and logistics investment.

“We have the right workforce in place to do these jobs,” Garcia said. “This will be a regional impact project.”

Garcia teased that Mission is preparing additional economic development announcements in the coming months, including another industrial project, a major retail development, and a professional services company that together are expected to create hundreds of additional jobs.