Tersco Property Management Ltd. / Keeprite Refrigeration, Inc. considered Kilgore for a previous expansion back in 2017, but the company eventually opted to grow in place on its existing site on FM2011 in Longview. Years later, in January 2023 the landlocked manufacturing outfit turned its eye again to open ranges south, aiming to eventually enclose 1 million square feet on 70-acres off KEDC's Alliance Way in the years ahead.
It's another economic development opportunity that brought all Kilgore-area taxing entities to the table to help secure a minimum real and personal property investment in excess of $55 million along with scores of new fulltime jobs.
The company is relocating to Lot 22 on Synergy Park's Alliance Way – the 70.4-acre tract will be owned by Tersco Property Management with Keeprite Refrigeration's coming facilities occupying the bulk of the space.
A number of easements have been cleared from the site since Fall 2023, and the company officially closed on the property April 16. Keeprite Refrigeration is selecting three frontline employees to actually turn the dirt in a groundbreaking ceremony planned for early June.
"The new facility will serve as a beacon for technical innovation and is expected to further enhance our product offerings and customer service," said Frank Xu, Executive Vice President. "It represents our confidence in the future and our commitment to investing in our people and communities."
The company's current full-time employment base is 153 – the incentivized plan is to add 60 more full-time spots during the 10-year contract period.
Current plans call for an initial 470,000 square-foot facility with real and personal property investment valued at a minimum of $55 million. Keeprite Refrigeration's current personal property (figured at almost $7.3 million) will be relocated to the new site within one year of project completion.
The coming building is just phase one of three, with designs to ultimately grow to more than 1 million square-feet in operation in Kilgore.
