Quanex, previously known as Bilco, has recently invested approximately $5.5 million in upgrades to its Trumann facility. The company is a worldclass producer of commercial building components, including smoke vents, doors, security elements, and related systems. Their products ship not only across the United States but overseas, with doors and components installed in buildings as far away as Italy, France, Ireland, and beyond. Roach, the conveyor manufacturer whose family is driving the Steel Creek project, operates a major facility just across from the new development and employs around 400 people, making it the city’s largest employer. Their success and commitment to Trumann are central to the local economy and to the community’s confidence in its own potential. Other prominent manufacturers include WinField Solutions, RAGE Fabrication , and Ashley Lighting. Rage Fabrications, though a smaller operation with roughly ten employees, serves international customers with aftermarket parts for ATVs, fourwheelers, and utility vehicles. Ashley Lighting is a major supplier of custom commercial lighting, particularly in the hospitality sector. There is a good chance that many hotel guests across America have walked under Ashley fixtures designed and manufactured in Trumann. Together, these companies not only provide jobs but also demonstrate that a small Arkansas city can be deeply integrated into global and national supply chains. Several of them have made significant capital investments in their local facilities in recent years—a tangible vote of confidence in Trumann’s future. GRANTS, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF WATER Behind the scenes of growth and development lies a backbone of critical infrastructure, and Trumann has been aggressive in pursuing external funding to modernize it. Through a combination of grants and forgivable loans from agencies such as the Economic Development Administration and the Delta Regional Authority, the city has secured roughly eight million dollars to support water and sewer upgrades. The flagship project in that portfolio is a new transform what residents see every day as they travel through the heart of the community. The city has plans to enlarge another retention pond and convert it into a combined drainage, fishing, and park facility, with the Sunken Lands Trail eventually running nearby. These kinds of projects blend infrastructure, recreation, and placemaking into a single investment. The Chamber and Industrial Development Commission work closely with the Arkansas Economic Development Commission and the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce, ensuring Trumann is aligned with statewide programs and visible to potential investors. While confidentiality often limits what can be said publicly about prospective projects, the groundwork is being laid through networking, site marketing, and relationship-building. EXISTING INDUSTRY: A POWERFUL BASE Much of Trumann’s current strength lies in its existing industrial base. Five key manufacturers anchor the local economy, several with international reach. 192 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 07, ISSUE 01
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