Pantex celebrates growth as Texas Panhandle's now largest employer

In an event held Tuesday at the Amarillo Chamber of Commerce, Pantex announced that it is now the top employer in the Texas Panhandle, overtaking the Amarillo Independent School District.

According to officials, at the height of its staffing in World War II in 1943, the Pantex Ordnance plant employed 5,254 full-time employees. When the war ended, Pantex closed its doors; in 1951, the federal government reclaimed the site, creating the cornerstone of the nuclear weapons complex. Since 1975, the plant has been the primary source for assembly, disassembly, and modification of nuclear weapons, and there were about 3,100 employees consistently until about a decade ago. As mission objectives have increased, hundreds of new employees have been added over the last few years.

Mayor Cole Stanley spoke at the Chamber of Commerce about the number of people Pantex employs in the area, which is currently at 4,626.

“I think it's beneficial for the community to have such a long-standing, dependable industry here that is continuing to grow due to the defense of our nation,” he said. “Pantex will continue that prosperity and growth for the area in the long run.”

Stanley also applauded the additional skilled jobs that Pantex brings to the city and the Texas Panhandle.

“This organization employs our veteran community and high-quality individuals, which adds to a skilled population, and we want those types of people here in our city who are a great benefit to the community,” he added.

Colby Yeary, the Pantex site manager, spoke about how the increased workload and planned staffing needs have made them the top hiring business in the area.

“Our workload has increased, and with that increase, the need to bring hundreds of new Pantexans to meet production demands, it became obvious that our workforce would have to grow to match the more than 70% increase in our workload,” he said. “As we continue to move forward, we continue to grow in numbers and scope within the community. Later this year, we are going to house 300 employees in the city of Amarillo to accommodate expansion and teleworking. We will continue with our modernization programs, including an increased workload and workforce.”

Yeary said that becoming the largest employer in the region is a significant milestone.

“We view it as a responsibility to ensure that we are taking care of the needs that the nation has that the Pantex site fulfills, from an overall mission capability perspective, as well as the responsibility that we have to be good citizens and stewards in the Amarillo area,” he said.

Commenting on the ability to find skilled and capable workers to fill out its staffing in the area, Yeary said that the city and local partners such as Amarillo and Canyon school districts provide the skillsets that are needed at the plant.

According to Yeary, there will be more expansions and modernization to its facility that will bring even more jobs to the area as Pantex continues to have its mission grow.

“We do expect to hire a considerable number of additional people as we grow and get to a state where we can fulfill our future mission,” he added.

In a news release, Jason Armstrong, the Pantex Field Manager, stated that the company's economic impact on the local community cannot be overstated and is something to be proud of.

“We rely on Pantexans daily to deliver the nuclear deterrent to our military by combining their unique talents and abilities, often driven by their deep sense of patriotism and dedication,” he said. “What also cannot be overstated is the importance of Pantex. In light of today’s real-world geopolitical conditions, our responsibility to deliver on our mission to enable global security is absolutely vital. It is the growing number of Pantexans who make that happen.”

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Pantex celebrates growth as Texas Panhandle's now largest employer