The Lubbock Economic Development Alliance Announces the Addition

The Lubbock Economic Development Alliance (LEDA) announced the expansion of three companies adding 88 new jobs and $2.75 million of capital investment into the Lubbock community during a press conference on Wednesday afternoon.

Arbor Eyewear, a Lubbock based company, announced its new production facility and brand, Forall Frameworks. Its current facility, located at 12105 Geneva Avenue, is designed to accommodate small-batch production, as well as testing and training, and will be using customized CNC and other automated equipment for its 50-step manufacturing process. The company also announced the creation of 75 new jobs created with an average salary of $40,000. These positions include craftspeople, machine operators, designers, and sales people, along with adding $1.5 million in capital investment over the next five years. The company plans to expand its operations by constructing a new facility to accommodate increased production and staffing. 

“Forall Frameworks was born out of our dream to produce handcrafted American Made eyewear from start to finish in Lubbock, Texas,” said Rick Taylor, founder of Arbor Eyewear. “Eighty-five percent of the world’s eyeglass frames are produced in China and there are only a handful of manufacturers in the United States. Our goal is to produce world-class eyewear and bring manufacturing back to the USA. I have spent the past several years working on this project and training with some of the best manufacturers in Italy, France, and Asia. We are proud to be based in Lubbock and are excited to ship products designed and made in Lubbock across the U.S. and around the world.”

BASF Agricultural Solutions, the owner of Stoneville and FiberMax cotton seed brands, announced the addition of two Cotton Breeding Nursery Services and Trait Development Cotton Seed Production teams to its Lubbock Field Research Station located on East Loop 289. Both teams will be responsible for producing high quality cotton seed to be used in determining agronomic fit of germplasm across the US cotton belt, specialized testing of new herbicide resistant, insect control, and stress reducing trait technologies, in addition to foundation for commercial supply. The addition of these two teams brings 23 new positions, along with a capital investment of $1.25 million into the Lubbock community. 

“Relocating these activities aligns with our long term commitment to our West Texas customers and Lubbock community,” said Tom Speed, Head of US Trait Development Field Operations for BASF. “Lubbock provides an ideal location for these activities due to the favorable growing environment and local access to cotton processing expertise and a high quality, dependable workforce. BASF has worked favorably with LEDA for many, many years. This particular project is another example of our long partnership with LEDA. With LEDA’s assistance, BASF will maintain business continuity at our East Loop Research Station.”

Mandry Technology Solutions LLC, a local IT support and security company, announced its current rankings of no. 55 on the 2021 Channel Futures MSP 501, the world’s first, largest and most comprehensive survey and ranking list in the IT channel. This month, the organization celebrates 19 years of business and the creation of highly compensated positions for technology professionals.

“We are extremely proud of the milestones our organization continues to reach. These achievements are a true testament to our team’s ability to execute at the highest level and deliver the outcomes our clients require. We look forward to meeting the technology needs of our clients and fostering great relationships with existing partners and new ones in the coming years,” said Vice President of Operations Jeff Woodham.

John Osborne, CEO and president of LEDA, is thrilled to announce the expansion of three local companies to take place at a time of continued growth and development across the city. 

“The announcement today further establishes Lubbock as a pro-business city,” said Osborne. “With the continued creation of good paying jobs and significant investments being made into our local economy, Lubbock continues to be a reputable location for business owners and CEOs to consider when looking to relocate or expand.”

“Great cities have great downtowns… We’ve got to have people living, retail, more places to eat and more people working downtown. This all fits together in making Lubbock the kind of place where young people want to live and work.”

Dan Pope
Former Mayor of Lubbock