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Victoria Area of Economic Development

Victoria is at the center of South Texas’ industry and exports, thanks to strategic transportation infrastructure.

Located just 30 miles off the Gulf of Mexico and less than a two-hour drive from Corpus Christi, Houston, San Antonio and Austin, the Victoria area has become a crossroads for highways connecting the regions. More than $69 million in goods were exported in 2019, while major employers including Caterpillar, DOW, Formosa Plastics and Seadrift Operations contribute to sustaining a healthy business environment. Companies across all industries in Victoria leverage Victoria College and University of Houston Victoria for their talent pipeline and skills training programs.

Victoria by the Numbers

Business Climate

Victoria’s economy is concentrated in the manufacturing sector, with big name makers calling the area home.

Major business clusters in the Victoria area include industrial manufacturing, metals manufacturing, petroleum and chemical manufacturing, and plastics and materials manufacturing. Major employers in Victoria include Caterpillar, DOW Seadrift Operations, Formosa Plastics, Integrated Bagging Systems, INVISTA and Inteplast Group.

Workforce

From supply chain management degrees to MBA programs to industrial training, Victoria colleges and universities produce talent with in-demand skills.

The University of Houston-Victoria offers 80 academic programs to its 4,500 enrolled students. Victoria College, enrolling nearly 4,000 credit students and having more than 3,300 workforce and continuing education students, offers customized curriculum that can be conducted at a company’s location or at Victoria College’s Emerging Technology Complex.

Infrastructure

Multi-modal infrastructure connects Victoria quickly and efficiently.

Victoria’s highway infrastructure connects trucks and travelers to I-10, I-35 and I-37 highways.

The area is home to three seaports— Port of Victoria, Calhoun Port Authority and Port of West Calhoun—and served by three Class I railroad carriers. Victoria Regional Airport covers 1,700 acres with two runways and a helipad.