Bonham -- The people gathered Tuesday morning to welcome Bonham's newest industry to town with a ribbon cutting were also many of the people who had diligently worked behind the scene to make this day possible.
Bonham Mayor Roy Floyd, Fannin County Judge Spanky Carter, Bonham City Council and city administration, Bonham Economic Development Corporation (BEDCo), Bonham Industrial Foundation, Bonham Chamber of Commerce, management at Wire & Plastics, Workforce Solutions and other entities made a concerted effort to bring Trans Cable International to Bonham, yet Mayor Floyd felt one person deserved special recognition.
"None of this would been possible without Rick Narang," Mayor Floyd said of the owner of Wire & Plastics. "Rick made this happen."
Mr. Narang and Mayor Floyd had been working for almost two years on this project that began when Jeff Almendinger, Chief Operating Officer for Trans Cable International came to Bonham to purchase machinery from the company Narang founded, Wire & Plastic.
At the time, Trans Cable International was considering moving the machinery to potential sites in Mexico and China. Narang, a successful international businessman with business interests across the U.S., told management at Trans Cable International that Bonham would be the ideal location to manufacture and transport low-voltage cable.
"They started to listen," Narang recalled Tuesday as he told how he touted Texas as a business-friendly state. On top of that, local government is extremely responsive. Of course, it didn't hurt that Narang had manufacturing space available at Wire & Plastic, former site of General Cable Corporation, and a skilled work force trained at General Cable was available.
"There is no other place you can find all that," Narang stated.
Mr. Almendinger and management at Trans Cable International considered the advice and the result was a well-attended ribbon cutting April 30, 2013.
"This is a good decision," Narang said of the decision to manufacture low-voltage cable in Bonham. "You will enjoy the benefits for a long time."
Fannin County Judge Spanky Carter took the podium to welcome Jeff Almendinger and Trans Cable International to Bonham.
"I can't tell you how much we appreciate your decision to locate in Bonham," said Judge Carter. "If we can help you in any way, we will. Thank you for bringing jobs to Bonham. We know you could go anywhere. Thank you for coming to Bonham."
On behalf of U.S. Congressman Ralph Hall, Judge Carter presented Mr. Almendinger with a flag that had flown over the nation's capital.
"Today is the culmination of two years of research," Almendinger told the crowd assembled for the ribbon cutting.
Almendinger took a moment to recognize the key role Narang played in bringing Trans Cable International to Bonham.
"He's a big reason we're here," Almendinger said of Narang.
Almendinger thanked the staff at Wire & Plastic and the Bonham city staff for their help, as well.
"I've had a wonderful experience working with Roy Floyd," remarked Almendinger. "He is a great representative of this city and a tireless advocate. Thank you, Roy."
Almendinger also found Bonham City Manager Bill Shipp to be experienced, quite capable and willing to dedicate all resources necessary to bring this project to fruition.
The Trans Cable International C.O.O. said his company is part of a movement of companies bringing manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. As a company with clients across the country, as well as Canada and Mexico and even South America, management at Trans Cable International found Bonham's centralized location appealing. DFW International Airport is an hour away, and that was another factor in selecting Bonham.
"We believe that Bonham is an ideal place to accomplish our goals," said Almendinger.
He plans to be in production October 2013 at the Bonham plant with approximately 20 employees. One year later, the second phase will involve producing fiber optics with an expanded workforce.
"We look forward to providing employment in this area and we want our employees to grow with us," Almendinger stated.
