Locally Owned, Nationally Known
Right here in Texarkana, where Texas meets Arkansas, we have businesses making their mark on a national scale. Through ambition, innovation, and community spirit they have crossed geographical boundaries. Each feature celebrates not just the success but the journey of these enterprises—from humble beginnings to becoming household names in different industries. By making products locally with local talent, they prove Texarkana is more than just a spot on the map. Explore the diverse paths these businesses have navigated and the challenges they have overcome. Welcome to a showcase of excellence, resilience, and the power of dreaming big.
INDUSTRIAL SUPPLY MANUFACTURER
Abernathy Company
Established 1898
76 Employees
“Solutions today for a cleaner world tomorrow”
Abernathy Company began as Ralph Brothers Laundry in 1898, serving Texarkana and the surrounding area. Embodying a spirit of innovation that would define the company, the original owners began producing their own detergent to cut costs. As word got out about the high quality of those first products, others began requesting to purchase their growing product line. Thus, this fledgling manufacturing enterprise was born.
In the 1970s, Ralph Brothers Laundry became RB Chemical as it began diversifying its product line and introduced industrial cleaning products, towels, tissues, janitorial supplies, and contract cleaning services.
Entering the early 1990s, the company adopted the name Abernathy Company. Today, Abernathy Company stands as a diverse conglomerate serving hundreds of businesses and institutions. Abernathy manufactures and sells a comprehensive line of professional-grade cleaning chemicals, solutions, and services for industrial, institutional, commercial, and automotive applications. Although their primary customer base resides in Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, and Oklahoma, they also serve customers nationwide and internationally.
Abernathy’s portfolio includes hundreds of products under four exclusive brands—Abernathy, Ralph Brothers Detail, Magic Cast, and GotDog—all manufactured in Texarkana, Arkansas. The company operates two distribution centers—the primary one in Texarkana and a secondary facility in Shreveport, Louisiana. These products are sold to wholesale and retail customers. They are used in a wide variety of categories like automotive care, bathroom care, odor control, floor care, food services, industrial cleaners and degreasers, janitorial supply, jewelry care, laundry care, pet care, personal care, and many more.
Furthermore, Abernathy has expanded into premier warehousing and distribution services through AR3A Warehouse, boasting nearly 600,000 square feet of space across four warehouses strategically located at the juncture of Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma. This allows easy access to major interstates, the Texarkana Regional Airport, and Arkansas Railways.
Celebrating 125 years of operation, Abernathy and its exclusive brands are known for offering dependable products and services year after year. Their success is grounded on their ability to adapt and listen to customers, deliver quality products and services on time, exceed their customer expectations with unparalleled customer service, and always operate with a strong sense of heritage and integrity.
PLASTIC MANUFACTURER
Goins Plastic Source
Established 1999
30 Employees
“Fast, Affordable, Dependable”
In 1993, Plasco Designs, Inc. was founded by Barbara and Charles Wilson in Texarkana, Arkansas. This marked the beginning of their venture into manufacturing the first generation of work-in-process plastic totes designed for the food processing industry. Working alongside the Wilsons, their daughter and son-in-law, DeAnn and Reggie Goins, developed a plastic pallet compatible with Plasco’s work-in-process totes.
In 1999, Reggie and DeAnn’s entrepreneurial spirit led them to establish Goins Plastic Source, Inc. (GPS) in the same city. Expanding their product line, GPS began manufacturing light gauge thermoformed portion control trays, in addition to plastic pallets, to serve the food processing industry. The leadership landscape of Plasco Designs underwent significant changes when Charles Wilson passed away in 2001, followed by Barbara Wilson’s retirement in 2003. This transition led Reggie and DeAnn to assume management roles at Plasco Designs, integrating its customer service department with that of GPS. Under their leadership, both entities experienced steady growth. This year, Plasco will celebrate its thirtieth year of incorporation while GPS celebrates its twenty-fifth.
Entering the third generation, Reggie serves as President, and DeAnn holds the positions of Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer. They now work alongside their three sons, Michael, John David, and Charlie Goins. Michael joined the company in 2016 and is currently the Chief Operating Officer, while Charlie took on the role of Vice President of Sales in 2018. John David entered the company in 2019 as the Chief Accounting Officer, further solidifying the family’s commitment to their businesses.
Today, Goins Plastic Source, Inc. offers a wide variety of custom packaging solutions to fit any need. In fact, if you had a box of chocolates this past Valentine’s Day, there is a chance your delicious candy was packaged in a GPS tray. The company prides itself on offering diverse product lines that include injection molded plastics, compression molded plastics, and light gauge thermoformed plastics. GPS is a one-stop shop for all food packaging and processing needs. With the third generation at the helm, 2023 was a year of significant advancements for GPS, which included a 20,000-square-foot expansion and the launch of its largest production line to date. The family is excited to continue growing in the Texarkana community for decades to come.
TRUCK BODY AND TRAILER MANUFACTURER
Ledwell
Established 1946
619 Employees
“Not just well made. Ledwell made.”
Upon returning from World War II in 1946, Buddy Ledwell, and his father, L.W. Ledwell Sr., founded a lumber company known as Ledwell & Son. One day, Buddy needed a certain type of trailer to haul lumber, so he rolled up his sleeves and welded the frame he needed to get the job done. The innovation caught the eye of a neighboring farmer who saw the trailer and asked, “Where’d you get that? I need one!” So, a new trailer-building venture began.
Business soon expanded, and the company’s burgeoning side business—building pickup racks and livestock trailers—quickly grew into the company’s primary focus. When a farmer or a feedlot owner identified a problem with their equipment, Buddy and his father found a way to manufacture a solution. In 1955, the company solidified its presence in the manufacturing industry by incorporating and establishing its first truck shop at the corner of Robison Road and Waco Street in Texarkana, Texas.
Long hours, hard work, dedication, and determination from Buddy and his family were the keys to building Ledwell into what it is seven decades later—a growing American manufacturing company blessed with many dedicated employees on two sites in Texarkana with more good Ledwell people in North Carolina. Buddy had a keen sense of his customers’ needs, sometimes even before they did, customizing products to respond to their evolving demands. From its inception, the hallmark of Ledwell has been its commitment to excellence for its customers. This principle remains central to its identity and the key to its ever-growing success.
Seventy-eight years later, Ledwell continues to manufacture custom trailers and truck bodies catering to a wide range of industries, from water and feed trucks to their patented hydraulic trailers, serving a global clientele. Whenever there’s a requirement for a truck or trailer to execute a specific task or transport a particular piece of equipment, Ledwell manufactures a solution.
ELECTRIC TERMINAL TRACTOR MANUFACTURER
Lonestar Specialty Vehicles
Established 2014
60 Employees
LSV is a division of TNTX, LLC with 1,300 employees
“Sustainable Manufacturing for an Electric Tomorrow”
Lonestar Specialty Vehicles (LSV) was established in Texarkana, Texas, in 2014, emerging as an offshoot of a foundational enterprise that specialized in the sales and service of Class 8 tractors and trailers. The inception of the company traces back to Durk Corley’s acquisition of a single dealership in 1966. The year 2007 marked a significant development when Vic Corley partnered with Texarkana native Jay Simmons to acquire the operations known as Texarkana Truck Center Inc. This partnership served as the cornerstone for the formation of Lonestar Truck Group, which expanded to 25 locations following its merger with TAG Truck Center in 2018, and changing the name to TNTX, LLC. Today it showcases a commitment to a family-oriented business approach.
From that simple beginning, Lonestar Specialty Vehicles sought to serve a need in the industry. With a customer having a need and a history of knowing trucks, LSV evolved into a manufacturer of electric terminal tractors in Texarkana, Texas. LSV and TNTX support 200 employees in the Texarkana region, demonstrating a commitment to the community and operating under foundational principles of integrity, excellence, and respect.
The transformation of LSV into a prominent electric truck manufacturer was accelerated by a project for a major grocery chain in San Antonio, which aimed to adopt fully electric terminal tractors across its warehouses. This initiative was facilitated by a long-standing partnership with Dana Inc., renowned for their electric component expertise, and led to the development of a fully electric terminal tractor in 2018. LSV set out to engineer a cohesive, fully integrated product, distinguishing itself from the practice of assembling disparate parts. By 2019, LSV had introduced its inaugural terminal tractor, distinguished by enhanced power and extended battery life, capable of 24-hour operations without the need to recharge for 22 hours.
Subsequently, LSV has ascended to the position of the second-leading supplier in the EV Terminal Tractor market, serving major corporations nationwide that are committed to emission reduction and sustainability initiatives. In 2023, LSV achieved a significant milestone by divesting the intellectual property of its Terminal Tractors to the world’s leading terminal tractor market entity while continuing its manufacturing and supply operations. With a workforce of 60 employees and an ambition to double this number in the coming year, LSV is dedicated to contributing significantly to the Texarkana community, steadfastly adhering to its core principles of doing what is right, striving for excellence, and treating others with respect.
FURNITURE MANUFACTURER
Mayo
Established 1965
225 Employees
“Specializing in high-quality upholstered furniture in fabric and leather, from chairs and ottomans to full sectional suites.”
In the fall of 1965, Linn Mayo gathered his young family around the kitchen table for a serious discussion. Across from him sat his wife, Dean, and their two sons, Mike and Gary. The Mayo family was at a crossroads—Linn’s tenure as general manager of a modest bedding and furniture manufacturer ended suddenly after the death of the owner, and he faced a pivotal career decision. He could accept a comfortable offer already in hand and move the family from Texarkana or take a leap of faith and start a new business. Linn, with the support of his family, took the leap.
Shortly thereafter, an old warehouse building was repurposed into a manufacturing space. Linn would often jokingly boast about his little factory as “24,000 square feet of two floors with a post every 12 feet.” A handful of key suppliers, believing in Linn’s vision and eager to support his start-up, provided raw material inventory on a “pay for it when you can” basis. While Linn orchestrated the business’ setup, Dean mastered the art of cutting and sewing mattress covers and took on administrative tasks like generating work tickets and customer invoices. The boys learned many of the factory roles and spent many late nights loading trucks after helping complete the day’s production. Within a few years, a modest but healthy furniture factory was humming along in East Texas.
By 1969, the business had outgrown the small factory, necessitating the construction of a larger facility, and it has increased in size several times since. The company has consistently welcomed technological advancements in upholstery manufacturing, investing in automated systems for fabric and leather cutting, wood panel processing, and foam fabrication, thereby achieving industry-leading order-to-shipment cycle times and enhancing product quality. These advancements, combined with a skilled and motivated workforce under dynamic management, have secured the company’s longevity.
“Crafted with pride in the USA” encapsulates Mayo’s spirit. They take enormous pride in the fact that they make their products right here at home. By sourcing materials within America, they not only produce American-made goods but also bolster local jobs and commerce. Their core mission revolves around maintaining trust and ensuring they create furniture that customers are proud to showcase in their homes.
More than five decades later, the Mayo family business has expanded to over 200 employees, serving customers nationwide and abroad. Following the retirement and later passing of Linn Mayo in the spring of 2017, leadership of the company transitioned to Mike Mayo, who subsequently retired in 2020. Today his sons Stephen, Ben, and Patrick are at the helm, with Linn’s guiding principle, “Be the captain of your ship,” profoundly influencing their leadership and the operations within the company. Family has always been the number one priority, and the values shared by Linn and his family remain the cornerstone of how Mayo does business today.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS MANUFACTURER
Rowe Casa Organics
Established 2017
208 Employees
“Natural products you can trust.”
Rowe Casa is setting the standard for uncompromising, high-quality natural products that promote your health and enhance your home.
At Rowe Casa Organics, the mission is to provide natural products for your health and home that you can trust. They relentlessly research and source the highest quality natural ingredients with unwavering standards. Honored by the trust people have placed in them, they work diligently to reaffirm their commitment to providing safe, natural alternatives for you, your home, and your families.
In 2017, sisters Jill and Alicia embarked on a mission to detoxify their lives. Frustrated by the lack of transparency and truly safe, effective options, Jill Rowe took matters into her own hands. She started by making her own Organic Elderberry Syrup, a natural remedy known for its immune-boosting properties.
Encouraged by the positive response, Jill began expanding her product range, creating more natural remedies and wellness products. The local demand continued to grow, leading to cars lined up at Jill’s place of residence to pick up products.
Seeing the potential and call to help make a positive impact, Jill’s husband, Kevin, and her sister and brother-in-law, Alicia and Mike Guzzardo, joined forces to establish Rowe Casa Organics. This began a journey of deep research, learning, and development. It was essential to this team that the properties and benefits of natural ingredients used were intently and thoroughly studied.
It is also essential that not only were products free from harmful toxins and preservatives but also that the highest quality ingredients are sourced. Every product is crafted with care and tested for effectiveness. Even as the business has grown exponentially, these foundational core values have remained central to its unwavering commitment to providing safe, natural, and effective products. The heartbeat of this endeavor is to empower individuals to make informed decisions about their health and wellness by offering the option of trustworthy and high-quality products.
Today, Rowe Casa Organics continues to thrive, guided by the values of transparency, quality, and customer satisfaction.
BEVERAGE MANUFACTURER
Wine-A-Rita®
Established 2005
15 Employees
“Not a margarita... A Wine-A-Rita®”
Wine-A-Rita is a refreshing adventure created in Texarkana, Texas, by two friends in 2005. Knowing that every good friendship comes with a few good drinks, the founders put their heads together to develop a frozen wine drink. After much sampling, the recipe was perfected, and Wine Glacé was born. After much praise for the original creation, the brand soon expanded with additional cocktail mixes that formed the current signature line, Wine-A-Rita®. The brand has garnered much acclaim, and the accolades continue to roll in!
In 2022, Texarkana locals Cathy and Mark Van Herpen, along with their children Gabe and Matthew McBride and Molly Woolsey, took the helm of the business. As a family-operated venture with 15 dedicated employees, some of whom have been part of the company’s journey since its inception, it continues to flourish. Wine-A-Rita® has made its mark both locally and nationally, often seen at various events with its signature traveling wine slushy trailer, available for festivals, weddings, and private gatherings.
The company retains its signature tagline, “Not a margarita... but a Wine-A-Rita®!”
