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Brownsville, Texas is at the epicenter of one of the most
dynamic and exciting regions in North America. Situated near
where the Rio Grande and Gulf of Mexico meet, the city is
uniquely positioned as a hub for international trade in the
NAFTA marketplace. Together with its sister city of
Matamoros, Mexico, Brownsville has emerged as a top
destination for retailers, manufacturers and logistics firms
looking for a thriving new location to do business.
NAFTA trade has transformed the entire border area into a
hot spot for international trade and manufacturing. No area
has benefited more than the Rio Grande Valley. With over one
million residents and its decades-long expertise in
U.S.-Mexico trade, the region has attracted many of the
world's largest manufacturing firms and top-quality
retailers interested in tapping a new market.
The Rio Grande Valley's largest and most historic city,
Brownsville has led the way in welcoming new industry to the
region. The Brownsville Economic Development Council was
created in 1992 to serve as a starting point for companies
interested in discovering local business opportunities.
BEDC's single focus is to make it easy for you to do
business here.
Trade Activity
Trade activity in the Brownsville area picked up in 2005 as
the maquiladora industry’s comeback entered its second year.
Payrolls at Matamoros’ 121 plants grew 2.4% for the year,
averaging 54,695 jobs. The 2005 gain follows a smaller
increase of 0.3% in 2004. The gains mark a turnaround for an
industry that experienced a 13,000-job loss from 2000 to
2003 due to increased competition from Asia.
Trade activity at Brownsville’s international continued its
second consecutive year of growth. For the year, southbound
truck crossings totaled 205,198, a gain of 1.8% from the
previous 12 months.
The Port of Brownsville saw a return to better days as
tonnage rose 19.6% to 4.5 million metric tons, the highest
total since 2002. Of the cargo shipped through the port, 47%
was represented by iron and steel products, while 23% was
gasoline and other fuels.
Airport traffic at the Brownsville International Airport was
also sharply higher in 2005. Total passengers departing and
arriving at the airport jumped 14.1% to 152,542.
For more information about trade and manufacturing visit the
Brownsville Economic Development at
www.bedc.com.
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