BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Mike Willis, executive director of South Texas Manufacturers Association, has announced that Regal Rexnord will be closing its manufacturing base in McAllen.
Around 80 full-time jobs will be lost, along with 20 to 30 odd temporary positions.
Willis said the company, which manufacturers bearings at its plant on Military Highway in McAllen, will move operations to Apodaca, near Monterrey, where it has a much bigger plant.
“Regal Rexnord have advised the state and the community that they will be closing their facility, tentatively around the end of October,” Willis said. “I don't know all the particulars and specifics, but it's not uncommon after a corporate merger for companies to look around for ways to save money and justify the cost to the merger.”
Willis made his remarks at the September meeting of STMA, which was held in Rancho Viejo. He said that as McAllen Economic Development Corporation could not make the meeting, he would share the news about Regal.
Willis said the company in McAllen was known as Regal Bearings until its merger with Rexnord. He said he and economic development specialist Janie Cavazos helped recruit the company to McAllen in 2016 when the main plant was moved from Indianapolis to Apodaca.
“They are going to have 80 permanent employees that will hit the job market and another 20 or 30 staffing company employees. For other manufacturers that is great news because there are more people to hire.”
Willis said Workforce Solutions will help the employees of Regal to help find new work. “They may even plan some job fairs inside the Rexnord facility to help people find jobs.”
