A Nacogdoches plant that manufactures rot-proof doorframes will stay open for the foreseeable future.
North Carolina-based Endura Products received a $200,000 check this month from the Deep East Texas Council of Governments or DETCOG. Endura is one of a dozen companies that has benefited from DETOG’s Forgivable Loan program.
DETOG’s executive director Walter Diggles says the funding comes from a $5 million federal economic revitalization program helping companies retain and create jobs. If Endura keeps its 35 employees in Nacogdoches for two years, according to Diggles, the forgivable loan becomes a grant.
“We don’t have any loans that have defaulted on the agreement to create or retain these jobs, and that’s really what makes it viable for us,” Diggles said.
Endura Products took over the plant a decade ago, according to its vice president of operations Kevin MacDonald. Then came the housing collapse and a disruption in its South American wood supply that caused the company to make a hard choice. MacDonald says Nacogdoches economic developers were eager to work with him to keep the plant open and valuable employees factored into that decision.
“That’s an experienced workforce, a hardworking workforce, and they have a good team down there. Secondly, we value that rot-proof doorframe product. We were struggling and considering closing that facility,” MacDonald said.
Endura is now sourcing its wood from North Carolina and Virginia instead of Chile, and shipping it to Nacogdoches. It’s an added expense, but MacDonald says the loan is helping out.
Diggles says the program’s funding will be exhausted by the end of the year. To date, the funding has retained or created hundreds of jobs in the 12 county East Texas region.
