Brazos County commission approves an economic development agreement for a new industrial gas manufacturing plant

This podcast contains comments from Brazos County commissioner Bentley Netlles during the March 24, 2026 commission meeting.Brazos County commissioners follow action by the Bryan city council in agreeing to provide property tax breaks for the world's largest privately owned producer of industrial gases.At Tuesday's commission meeting (March 24), unanimous approval was given to the agreement where German based Messer Corporation will build a $60 million dollar facility in northeast Bryan that will provide liquid nitrogen and liquid oxygen to industries in Brazos County.The county's agreement is over a five year period starting in 2028. Messer will receive a 50 percent property tax abatement.Messer is required to have a minimum payroll in the first year of $750,000 dollars, increasing to $1.3 million per year for the remaining four years.Click HERE to read and download the agreement approved at the March 24, 2026 Brazos County commission meeting.Commissioner Bentley Nettles said Messer's products includes gases used in manufacturing semiconductors. Nettles says the agreement gives Brazos County a leg up on recruiting a semiconductor manufacturing plant and other industries.