Waller County plans for Japanese compressor plant

By George Slaughter, News Editor
Posted 12/30/21

Waller County planning for Japanese compressor manufacturing plant

By George SlaughterNews Editor

Waller County Economic Development Partnership officials are working with a Japanese company to …

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Waller County plans for Japanese compressor plant

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Waller County Economic Development Partnership officials are working with a Japanese company to open a manufacturing plant in Waller County.

Vince Yokom, Waller County Economic Development Partnership executive director, told Waller County commissioners that the economic incentives between local officials and Mayekawa, a Japanese-owned compressor manufacturing company, were still being finalized.

While Yokom said he could announce that the company would have a presence in Waller County, there was no immediate word on where such a plant would be located, or how many jobs it would bring to the area.

Yokom said Mayekawa is respected in its industry.

“What we like about this company is that it operates in multiple industries—oil and gas, medical, and food,” Yokom said.

According to its website, Mayekawa began in 1924 in Tokyo, focusing on ice manufacturing and cold storage. By 1934, the company started production of industrial vertical low speed reciprocating compressors. The website said the company’s compressors, sold under the MYCOM brand name, are used in various industries today.

In 1967, the company established its U.S. subsidiary, Mayekawa USA, in Los Angeles. The company has a Houston office that focuses on the oil and gas and chemical industries.

Yokom said landing Mayekawa is part of the partnership’s foreign direct investment program. Three other companies have come to Waller County through the program. They are MAN Energy Solutions, a German engine and turbine manufacturer; Grundfos, a Danish water pump manufacturer; and Burckhardt, a Swiss compressor manufacturer.

Yokom said the partnership has been in talks with Tex-Tube, a Mexican steel manufacturing company, about the company’s establishing a presence in the county.

The partnership has also been active in the creation of the G-Tech Innovation Center in Brookshire. According to the center’s website, G-Tech offers options for offices, equipped workshops and training and conference rooms. G-Tech established a similar center in 2014 in Katy.

Yokom’s presentation came as the partnership celebrates its 20th anniversary in February.

The economic development efforts have increased tax revenue for Waller County. Yokom said in 2015, the county received about $1.9 million in tax revenues. By 2021, that figure increased to $5.5 million—a 186% increase.

Taxable value from economic development projects in the county have gone up. Yokom said in 2015, taxable value was $273 million. In 2021, that value had increased to approximately $839 million—a 207% increase.

Yokum said another measure of the growing corporate interest in Waller County comes from the number of RFIs—requests for information—that the partnership receives.

In past years, Yokom said, the partnership had 32 RFIs to process, at most. But this year, he said, the partnership has processed 69 RFIs. Yokom said it takes staff an average of 2-3 days to process a typical RFI request. He said the partnership has increased staff to meet the growing demand for information.

Yokom said the partnership won economic development awards in 2013, 2015, and 2018.

“Winning one was a big deal, but three is exceptional,” Yokom said.

Waller County, economic development