A new economic development incentive agreement will bring at least 350 new jobs to San Marcos over the next ten years.

United WELD Operations, LLC, will be located in San Marcos. City officials will refund 80 percent of ad valorem taxes generated from the additional real and personal property added by the company over ten years, according to a press release. City staff and the Greater San Marcos Partnership worked with the company to broker the agreement.

Operations are expected to begin in March or April of this year, representatives of United Weld Operations, said. The company will manufacture energy services products in upstream, downstream and power sectors.

Company officials will hire 350 full-time employees by December 2019, as detailed in the agreement. The jobs are projected to offer employees a median wage of $20.50 per hour, or more than $40,000 a year, according to the press release.

The company’s facility will be in the former Butler Manufacturing building at 2301 N IH-35, which was been vacant for about a year.

“The city council is very excited that the city of San Marcos was able to attract a company that will bring such a large number of new employees to the San Marcos area,” said Mayor Daniel Guerrero. “The investment this company will make in this community over the next several years is substantial, and we look forward to working with them for years to come.”

United WELD Operations officials are also seeking an incentive from the Hays County Commissioners Court. In early January, the court is expected to consider a 10-year, 80 percent property tax rebate on the company’s investment in San Marcos.

This article was written by Carlie Porterfield and sourced from http://star.txstate.edu/node/3054.