East Texas celebrates Manufacturing Month

LONGVIEW, Texas ( KETK ) – East Texas is showing its appreciation of a major state industry, and local companies are kicking off Manufacturing Month.

Manufacturing companies across Texas employed around 897,000 employees in 2021.

“That’s growing rapidly as much as we can as quickly as we can,” said Kevin Pobuda, assistant plant manager. “A lot of opportunity in front of us, we just had a hiring event last weekend.”

To celebrate Manufacturing Month this October, the Longview Economic Development Corporation started a series of company tours showcasing each industry’s growth in the city. The tour’s started with Aaon Incorporated an HVAC manufacturer.

“We went from the start of it, from the basis from all the way to the manufacturing, of the end to producing and shipping out,” said Quannah Ludlow, plant manager for Aaon.

The tours were an opportunity to go over the company’s advancement in the industry, and the importance of innovation.

“I feel like it was a success,” Ludlow said. “Everyone gets to see our expansion and you know we heard a lot of where we were and like how did you do this and how your expanding and hoe the future is bright for this company and everyone’s seeing it.”

East Texas companies like Aaon proudly brandish the “made in Texas” label across America and the world.

“The expansion the growth everything’s that’s taking place right now it’s a great team to be a part of,” said Pobuda.

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