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The Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation (GBIC) has announcing what it calls a “groundbreaking training partnership” between the Texas A&M Rio Grande Valley Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Hub (RAMI) and Rich Products Corporation.
Rich Products, also known as Rich’s, a global, family-owned food manufacturer and distributor in the midst of a major expansion at its Brownsville facility, 3555 E. 14th St., where it has done business since 1993. GBIC said it connected Rich’s with RAMI, administered by the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX), to establish a comprehensive training program for boosting employees’ skills in advanced manufacturing and support Rich Products’ 159,000-square-foot expansion, expected to add about 60 production and warehouse jobs to the company’s current workforce of 435.
“The training starts this month and is tailored to address key areas, including production skills, continuous improvement processes and management techniques grounded in lean manufacturing principles,” GBIC said.
“Lean manufacturing” refers to the practice of minimizing waste and maximizing productivity in a manufacturing system. The RAMI training will be customized to fit Rich Products’ specific needs and will cost the company nothing thanks to support from RAMI and GBIC, according to the economic development organization, which said the training will take place on-site at the Rich’s facility.
Jovanna Rangel, director of Business Retention and Expansion and Workforce Development at GBIC, said the organization is about building bridges between companies, leading to new opportunities for workforce training.
“This collaboration with TEEX and Rich Products is part of our commitment to supporting local businesses and enhancing their ability to train and grow their staff,” he said. “We are excited to see this initiative come to fruition and look forward to its positive impact on our community.”
TEEX Program Manager Abel Campos said RAMI, by working with community leaders and local industry, supports the Valley’s transformation into an advanced manufacturing leader.
“We are thrilled to tailor a training program for Rich Products Corporation to support its workforce expansion and added capacity at the Brownsville facility,” he said. “We can help grow the company and make a positive impact on the community in the process.”
Jessica White, Rich’s human resources manager in Brownsville, said the company was looking to expand somewhere and opted to invest in its Brownsville location, where it manufactures frozen appetizers and seafood products.
“Thanks to the multiple local partners and agencies available to help continue our success, and the TEEX on-site training for our workforce, we will continue to make Brownsville successful,” she said.
Rich Products’ expansion, with a price tag of $117 million, is expected to be complete in July 2025.
The Texas Legislature established RAMI in 2021 with the aim of enhancing workforce skills required by the Valley’s advanced manufacturing sector, and also to connect local residents and industry to keep both in the Valley while also stimulating the region’s economy.