Prudential Unveils Texas-Size Cleanroom Plant

Public and private officials, including TRSA’s President & CEO Joseph Ricci, attended an Oct. 1 groundbreaking for a new 100,000-square-foot cleanroom/industrial plant for Prudential Overall Supply in Austin, TX.

On a hot, humid day marked by a rare rainstorm in the Lone Star State’s capital, Austin City Council member Mike Siegel thanked Prudential for undertaking this expansion. “Today is more than a groundbreaking,” Siegel said. “It’s the beginning of a long-term partnership and investment in this region. This company is investing more than $50 million in this community, which we really value. This investment, the job creation and the future economic opportunity are essential to our city and to our ability to maintain a high quality of life for the people who do the work here. This facility is an essential part of the local ecosystem.”

Expected to begin operating in 2028, the plant on the city’s northside, will provide a key backup for a sister plant in nearby Round Rock, TX. The new Austin plant, the 38th in the Irvine, CA-based regional/national chain, will offer area businesses both industrial and cleanroom laundering services. Prudential President Chris Welch thanked local officials, staff and supplier partners for their support for the new plant, which is expected to process 82 million lbs. (37 million kg) in two years. “We can’t do small plants in Texas,” he quipped, adding that today’s staff “stand on the shoulders of giants,” who have helped build Prudential since its founding in 1932 in Los Angeles by John D. Clark. “Our promise to the city of Austin and the state of Texas is significant,” Welch said. “This facility represents an investment of over $50 million worth of capital, and we can bring over 150 full-time jobs. Prudential’s investment allows us to strengthen our service, support growth and build relationships in Texas and beyond.”

Welch noted that the new plant will support the area’s high-tech economy, including “controlled environments,” such as manufacturing products like semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, bioscience, aerospace and electronics.

Ricci added that the new plant will fuel economic growth, while prioritizing environmental sustainability. He noted that Prudential strongly supports TRSA’s “Clean Green” certification, which documents plant processes aimed at maximizing conservation of natural resources while reducing waste. “We use less water, less detergent and less energy,” he said. “All those things are good for the environment and they’re good for the businesses.”

The linen, uniform and facility services industry is strong in Texas, Ricci said, with more than 10,000 employees statewide. TRSA has helped sustain that vigor through proactive advocacy with state officials. Ricci cited a recent legislative victory that lowered taxes by reclassifying the linen, uniform and facility services industry as a process comparable to manufacturing. “We have had some real success here in Texas, which will be reflected in next year’s financials,” Ricci said. “We were able to get a reduction in the tax on our businesses so that we can reinvest and create stronger businesses. Texas is one of the first states to really recognize what we are, which is processing and manufacturing. We’re working with a number of other states to do the same thing.”

Chad Wicks, vice president of membership for the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce, added that while most area residents won’t see the work at the new Prudential plant, they’ll feel its benefits through products and services that the plant supports. “Most people will never see what happens inside this facility,” he said. “But they’ll feel it, right? They’ll feel it with their phone in their pocket, the medicine in their cabinet and the technology that keeps an area like Austin going. That’s what Prudential does and it’s real special.”

Dana McCallister, general manager of the plant, closed the program by inviting attendees to stay for a Texas-style barbecue luncheon, including beef brisket and side dishes such as coleslaw and macaroni and cheese. She noted that Black’s Barbecue, a longtime customer based in Lockhart, TX, provided the lunch. “We want to thank Jack (Barker) and his team who came out to help cater this event and for being part of that milestone for us,” McCallister said. “We also want to thank you guys who came out to celebrate this milestone. We’re looking forward to seeing you in the next two years as we continue to grow here in Texas.”