At a Glance: The “Kilgore Advantage” for Advanced Manufacturing

The Myth: Global-scale production requires the high costs and congestion of a major metro area.
The Reality: Kilgore, Texas, has quietly powered world-class satellite communications manufacturing for over 50 years.
The “Why”: Success here is built on a “Texas-sized” alignment of available land, specialized training partnerships, and deep-rooted community support.

[Listen to the full episode with Alan Pollard of CPI here]

Relocating or expanding a business is never just about a building. It is about talent, cost, logistics, culture, community buy-in, and whether your people and their families can truly thrive after the move.

That is why this episode matters.

In this conversation, Alan Pollard of CPI offers something site selectors and business owners rarely get in one place: a real-world example of an advanced manufacturing company that has operated, expanded, and innovated in Kilgore, Texas, for over five decades. CPI’s story shows that in the Texas Economy, competitive advantage does not belong only to the biggest cities. Sometimes it is found in a community with room to grow, a workforce ready to build, and local partners willing to stay with you well after the ribbon cutting.

For executives evaluating Business Relocation, Site Selection, and Economic Development opportunities in East Texas, Kilgore makes a compelling case.

Business Relocation to Kilgore, Texas: Why CPI Put Down Roots

CPI did not land in Kilgore by accident. According to Pollard, the original decision was grounded in fundamentals that still matter today: land availability, industrial capability, and workforce access.

Land, labor, and industrial readiness still drive site selection

When asked why an antenna manufacturing company chose Kilgore, Pollard gave a memorable answer:

“The land was available. The resources were available, the technology, aluminum, steel, fabrication, welders, the labor force was available right here in Kilgore.”

That quote gets to the heart of what many business owners miss when comparing Texas markets. A successful site is not just about population size. It is about whether the region has the physical, operational, and human infrastructure to support production now and expansion later.

For CPI, Kilgore offered:

Available land and room for future expansion

Access to fabrication capability and industrial inputs

Skilled trades such as welding and CNC-related talent

A workforce ecosystem that could support specialized manufacturing

That combination helped launch the company in the early 1970s and continues to support it today.

East Texas Manufacturing with Global Reach

One of the strongest themes in the episode is that Kilgore is not simply serving local demand. CPI is producing globally significant products from Upper East Texas.

Kilgore supports advanced manufacturing on an international scale

Pollard explains that CPI builds satellite communication antennas, ranging from small commercial units to very large systems used for deep-space and specialized communications applications. He also noted that the company’s products ship across the United States and around the world.

“CPI is the world’s largest supplier of antenna systems globally.”

That is a powerful message for any executive evaluating Site Selection in Texas. The assumption that global manufacturing must be centered in a top-tier metro is not always true. Kilgore demonstrates that a smaller East Texas community can support:

Export-oriented production
Specialized engineering and technical operations
Mission-critical manufacturing for commercial and military markets
Ongoing product innovation tied to emerging communications needs

This is especially important for companies seeking lower operating costs without sacrificing production sophistication.

Why Kilgore Works for Long-Term Economic Development

A big win in this episode is that Pollard does not describe Kilgore as a one-time low-cost decision. He describes it as a place that keeps proving itself over time.

Community support is part of the infrastructure

Too often, site selection conversations focus only on tax rates, roads, and utility maps. Those factors matter. But Pollard points to something more human and more durable: community integration.

“The community accepts all of these employees and make them feel at home.”

That matters for customers visiting from around the world. It matters for employees relocating into the region. And it matters for retention.

For business leaders, this is the often-overlooked differentiator. A company may choose a location for cost, but it stays for capability, support, and quality of life. In Kilgore, CPI appears to have found all three.

Economic development support that continues after the deal closes

Pollard was also clear about the value of the Kilgore Economic Development Corporation. In his telling, the EDC has not simply helped market Kilgore. It has helped CPI expand.

He references support with:

Expansion projects
Labor connections
Land expansion
Access to local resources
Long-term business support after establishment

This is a critical takeaway for companies considering Business Relocation to Texas. The best economic development relationships are not transactional. They are operational. A responsive EDC can reduce friction not just during recruitment, but during reinvestment and future growth.

Workforce in East Texas: A Regional Talent Strategy, Not a Single-City Strategy

Another major insight from the episode is that CPI does not view talent as limited to a single zip code. It thinks regionally.

Kilgore benefits from a broader Upper East Texas labor shed

Pollard explains that CPI draws talent not just from Kilgore, but from the broader region, including places like Tyler, Longview, and Henderson. That is a major Site Selection lesson.

The right question is not always, “How large is the city?”
The better question is, “How strong is the regional workforce network?”

In Kilgore’s case, the answer appears to include:

Community colleges
Technical colleges
Universities
High school STEM pipelines
Internship programs
Customized training partnerships

This is exactly the kind of workforce architecture manufacturers and technical employers need.

Workforce development is proactive, not reactive

Pollard also highlights CPI’s investment in STEM education and internship pathways, along with partnerships to shape future training programs before shortages become crises.

That forward-looking mindset is a signal to executives evaluating Economic Development partners. Healthy labor markets are built, not assumed. Kilgore’s model appears to be based on employer collaboration with education providers to keep talent relevant as technology evolves.

Technology, AI, and the Future of Manufacturing in Kilgore

This episode is not just about history. It is also about momentum.

Advanced manufacturing in East Texas is evolving

Pollard says CPI is integrating new technologies, such as AI and additive manufacturing, into its operations and product development. His comments are especially useful because they show Kilgore is not only a legacy manufacturing location. It is participating in the future of industrial innovation.

He points to:

AI integration for efficiency and quality improvement
Additive manufacturing and 3D printing
New capabilities tied to emerging communications markets

That matters because many relocation decisions are made with a 10-year view, not a 12-month view. Leaders want to know whether a community can support the next chapter of their business, not just the current one. Kilgore’s value proposition, as reflected in this conversation, is not static. It is evolving.

Cost of Doing Business in Kilgore, Texas

For relocation-minded companies, one of the clearest practical takeaways from the episode is cost.

Smaller Texas communities can create major operating advantages

Pollard names cost as a major driver for both domestic and international companies entering Texas. He specifically points to advantages that smaller communities can offer:

Lower cost of living
More affordable land
Reasonable labor costs
Skilled workforce that may be overlooked by larger-market competitors

This is one of the strongest arguments for Business Relocation to Upper East Texas. Companies do not have to choose between affordability and capability. In markets like Kilgore, they may be able to access both.

What Site Selectors Should Learn from CPI’s Experience in Kilgore

For executives, investors, and site selectors, this episode offers a practical framework.

The real site selection checklist goes beyond incentives

CPI’s story suggests that high-performing communities share a few traits:

They have room to grow.
They provide access to trainable and specialized labor.
They work regionally, not just municipally.
They make customers and relocated employees feel welcome.
They continue supporting the company after the initial deal.

That last point is especially important. Many communities know how to recruit. Fewer know how to remain valuable partners through expansion, workforce shifts, and operational change.

Kilgore appears to be doing both.

Why Kilgore, Texas, Stands Out in the Texas Economy

Kilgore’s story is bigger than one company.

It reflects a broader truth about the Texas Economy: some of the most strategic opportunities for growth are not always in the state’s largest metros. They are often found in communities where decision-makers can move faster, costs remain manageable, industrial assets are available, and local leadership is deeply invested in business success.

For companies trying to sort through the noise of relocating both operations and people, that is the human element that matters. The move has to work on paper, but it also has to work in real life.

This episode makes the case that Kilgore does both.

Gold Nugget Quotes from Alan Pollard

“The land was available. The resources were available, the technology, aluminum, steel, fabrication, welders, the labor force was available right here in Kilgore.”

“CPI is the world’s largest supplier of antenna systems globally.”