In conjunction with Retractable Technologies, Inc. (RTI), the Town of Little Elm was recently awarded a $1.4 million grant from the United States Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration as part of an effort to provide critical public infrastructure in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The grant will allow RTI to expand their current location for increased domestic manufacturing, adding necessary components to their already existing 34-acre privately-owned technology park at 511 Lobo Lane in Little Elm, Texas. The expansion allows the potential for five to eight future medical manufacturing businesses to locate in the park.
RTI, a syringe manufacturer contracted by the Department of Defense's Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Defense (JPEO-CBRND) to assist the US government in manufacturing "low dead space" syringes used to administer the COVID-19 vaccine.
The 27,800-square-foot expansion of its current warehouse and molding facility allows RTI to increase its syringe production capacity. The development includes new automated assembly lines for VanishPoint syringe and EasyPoint needle machines.
"This project will allow the building of critical infrastructure to support RTI's efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and provide critical essential supplies for Operation Vaccination," said Jennette Espinosa, Director of the Little Elm Economic Development Corporation.
RTI's expansion will provide manufacturing jobs, a critical benefit after the COVID-19 pandemic proved devastating to many employers. Other additional features of the expansion include automated assembly lines that will require supportive machinery, including molds and molding machines, packaging machines, and other ancillary equipment.
The project will feature a 55,000-square foot climate-controlled warehouse facility adjacent to RTI's current warehouse.
"The additional warehouse, molding and assembly capacity will significantly increase RTI's ability to provide the essential injection devices needed for vaccinating Americans," Espinosa said.