OnePointe Solutions expanding again in Elgin, outside Austin

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When OnePointe Solutions LLC moved to Elgin from Austin in 2018, executives viewed it as an opportunity for growth in all regards — sales, clientele, manufacturing capacity, headcount and global reach.

That plan has come to fruition — so much so that the custom laboratory furniture and industrial workbench manufacturer is growing again.

OnePointe is putting the finishing touches on an 18,000-square-foot addition to its 45,000-square-foot building at 1112 Swenson Blvd. in the city northeast of Austin, which will give it more truck ports for deliveries, testing space to develop new products and capacity to add a 117-person headcount.

"We honestly maxed out that space fairly quickly and were like, 'We got to expand a bit,'" said Sydney Cross, the company's director of marketing. "Basically we were busting at the seams."

It marks the next step in the evolution of the manufacturer that got its start more than a decade ago in Austin but has really hit its stride since relocating to Elgin. The company makes everything from cabinets, tables and work benches to biomedical labs and chemistry labs for schools.

Without providing exact revenue numbers, execs said they're on track this year to see to see a 15% to 20% year-over-year increase. Sales have spiked 115% since the move to Elgin. Clients have included Dell Technologies Inc. (Nasdaq: DELL), Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Nike Inc. (Nasdaq: NKE), the University of Texas at Austin, PepsiCo Inc. (Nasdaq: PEP) and Fifth Generation Inc., the parent company of Tito's Handmade Vodka.

Cross said what they've tried to do is disrupt a long-time industry by offering services as a one-stop shop, providing everything from manufacturing to sales. Building relationships with customers has been the biggest challenge, she said, given the foothold that some other companies have in the industry.

"Our industry is an older industry and the way it's been set up is that whenever you buy lab furniture, you always have to go through a dealer, and lead times are so far out there," she said. "So with us, we're like, 'Hey, we cut out the middle man.'"

In 2018, OnePointe execs were looking for a new space where they could continue to meet the demands of their clientele while also reaching new customers. They eventually opted to set up shop in Elgin, where they've been able to grow from serving just Central Texas to the entire country and abroad, including customers in Puerto Rico, Guam, Canada and Mexico.

At the time of the move, Elgin entered into a Chapter 380 performance-based incentives deal with OnePointe, offering benefits including $50,000 for the relocation, according to past ABJ reporting. When the company reached 50 employees with a median salary of $40,000, it earned another $50,000. OnePointe was set to receive an additional $200,000 from Elgin over a four-year period by reaching more employee benchmarks. The company had plans to add 50 jobs by the end of 2018 to reach about 110.

Owen Rock, director of the Elgin Economic Development Corp., said they are excited to see the company to continue to grow in the community.

"Not only have they grown the number of people they employ they have also grown their building," Rock said in an email. "They have been a great partner with the City and have hired from the local workforce to fill positions at their facility. They are also a major sponsor of local events including the Annual Hogeye Festival Car Show."

Property records show Austin-based Tyco Capital Holdings LLC in 2018 purchased the 5.3-acre property and leased it to OnePointe that same year. OnePointe CEO Aaron Boto is listed as the manager of both entities.

The land is valued for tax purposes at nearly $3.3 million.

"We had outgrown the space and we're like 'Okay, where can we move to continue to still cater to our clientele?'" Cross said. "When we're looking around, Elgin just seemed like the best fit. It's also a growing, bustling city too. We were like, 'Let's move to Elgin, this is going to be our best bet to grow as we want to.'"

OnePointe is emerging as one of the fastest-growing and biggest employers in Elgin, a city of roughly 11,350 about 25 miles northeast of Austin that's becoming something of a manufacturing hub. Other companies that are completing expansions to or within the city include Carr Lane Manufacturing Co., a specialized parts manufacturer; semiconductor supplier Yerico Manufacturing Inc.; Mosaic Housing LLC, a make of manufactured homes; and Southside Market & Barbecue.

It remains to be seen how big OnePointe Solutions will grow; it doesn't have a target employee count it is trying to hit, Cross said.

Asked whether future expansion could mean even more building, Cross said, "At this point, I think we're good." But if the past is any indication, they aren't ruling it out.

"Be on the lookout as you never know, as we're expanding and growing and still trying to meet the needs of our customers and the demand and how we can be better as a company," Cross said.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with a comment from Owen Rock, director of the Elgin Economic Development Corp.