TX: Union Pacific Railroad Selects TexAmericas Center in Texarkana as New Focus Site

TexAmericas Center (TAC), which owns and operates the 3rd ranked industrial park and is one of the largest mixed-use industrial parks in the United States, announced that it was selected as a new Union Pacific Focus Site, a strategic designation aimed at increasing customers’ speed to market in the Texarkana region.

This prestigious recognition underscores the pivotal role of TexAmericas Center in driving economic growth and industrial development. Union Pacific offers more than 30 focus sites across its network. They are designed to streamline operations, enhance efficiency, and improve service quality for particular regions or commodities. Focus sites serve as hubs where Union Pacific can concentrate resources, manage logistics more effectively, and provide targeted services to meet specific customers’ needs.

The designation as a Union Pacific Focus Site will bring significant advantages to businesses operating within TexAmericas Center and the broader Texarkana area. With its location, state-of-the-art facilities, and commitment to excellence, TexAmericas Center is well-positioned to serve as a central hub for rail-dependent manufacturing businesses, freight handling and logistics services.

"The Union Pacific Focus Site network decreases uncertainty when connecting to rail and increases your speed to occupancy so that the company can focus on speed-to-market and speed-to-profit. This designation comes with key benefits including rail design approved by Union Pacific, a large-scale development area, accessible industrial scale utilities, truck routes to the site, robust local development support, and a single point-of-contact that is also the authority having jurisdiction and the controlling land owner,” said Eric Voyles, Chief Economic Development Officer and Vice President at TexAmericas Center.

TexAmericas Center's new status as a Union Pacific Focus Site is expected to enhance logistics capabilities, reduce transit times, and improve overall service reliability.

“Union Pacific is excited about our partnership with TexAmericas Center and the opportunity to serve one of the largest rural industrial centers in the nation,” said Kenny Rocker, Executive Vice President – Marketing and Sales for Union Pacific. “This facility is good for our customers and the greater Texarkana region, providing us opportunities to grow together.”

Over the past several years, TexAmericas Center has been deliberate about enhancing its rail capabilities for the region. In 2021, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration awarded $864,550 grant to TexAmericas Center to refurbish and construct new rail facilities in the industrial park. In the same year, TAC Rail became the organization’s rail arm after it acquired Lone Star Rail Car Storage Company. Earlier this year, TexAmericas Center received a portion of a $15.4 million grant from the State of Texas. The $1.5 million award will be used to upgrade the locomotives used at TexAmericas Center, improving safety and efficiency for its rail operations.