Known as a vibrant, foodie-friendly suburb just south of Houston, Pearland is quickly gaining attention as an indispensable manufacturing and innovation center.
This evolution is no accident. The Texas Medical Center (TMC), the largest medical complex in the world, is at the forefront of advancing life sciences, and Pearland is one of the closest cities to the TMC with not only a strong economy, but room to grow.
The second key factor is the purposeful choices made by the Pearland Economic Development Corporation (PEDC) to foster strategic collaboration among the right institutions. The PEDC has worked diligently to create a compelling community for companies to grow and a destination for attracting skilled workers. Specific to the field of life sciences, PEDC has created an environment that is attractive to major enterprises looking to relocate, as well as startups.
“It’s not by chance that these companies have gravitated to Pearland,” said Matt Buchanan, President, Pearland Economic Development Corporation. “We focused on it purposely and set the tone for what kind of development, what kind of quality we wanted here.”
With major infrastructure upgrades in place and more underway, Pearland’s Lower Kirby District, a 1,200-acre mixed-use development, has become a magnet for life sciences employers who are shaping the future of cell therapy, medical device manufacturing, and biotechnology. Pearland’s infrastructure investments in Lower Kirby, including expanded roads and enhanced connectivity, water and sanitary sewer service, and underground electrical service, has contributed to a bundle of incentives that has attracted notable manufacturing companies in the life sciences field.
Cardiovascular Systems Inc. was the first medical manufacturer to move into the Lower Kirby District in 2009. The manufacturer of interventional treatment systems for vascular disease was acquired by Abbott in 2023 and has continued operations out of the 46,000 square foot facility.
Other major players have followed, attracted by Pearland’s available land, specialized workforce, and proximity to the TMC and Port of Houston. Lonza, the largest dedicated cell and gene therapy manufacturing facility in the world; Millar, Inc., a global leader in precision pressure sensing technology; and Merit Medical Systems, a manufacturer of proprietary, disposable medical devices used in diagnostic and interventional cardiology and radiology procedures, have collectively served to demonstrate that Pearland is an optimal location for company headquarters and manufacturing facilities.
“Pearland's growing reputation as a life science hub was a significant factor in our decision to move here,” said Millar President and CEO Tim Daugherty. “Being part of a community that is home to other life sciences companies creates opportunities for collaboration and innovation, which are essential to our mission and commitment to advancing medical and life science technologies.”
Today, the synergy continues to provide momentum for Pearland’s growth in this space. The progress being made in Pearland is supporting the work done in the TMC, and health care industry overall, and this in turn is attracting more workforce candidates to the Houston area. The supportive environment provided by Pearland has also inspired adjacent programs to attract a life sciences-focused workforce and a corresponding residential growth.
More than 15 percent of Pearland residents are employed in the life sciences industry, and the broader Houston region provides access to more than 320,000 life sciences professionals. Pearland’s workforce development infrastructure includes educational partners such as Alvin College and San Jacinto College, which have both launched programs in biotech and biomanufacturing. The Texas Workforce Commission has also made a key contribution, allowing the PEDC to award scholarships through the TWC’s High Demand Job Training Grant. This focus on life sciences education has borne fruit: 49.7% of Pearland’s adult population holds a four-year degree or higher, well above the national average of 32.9%.
Recent announcements indicate that Pearland’s growth in this space is just hitting its stride. United Imaging, which manufactures medical imaging equipment such as MRI machines, CT scanners, and digital radiography systems, has leased a 216,000-sq-ft facility in Pearland, more than tripling its previous manufacturing space and providing a significant increase to the company’s production capacity. This contributes to a broader trend for the Greater Houston region, with parallel moves that serve to build on each other.
Eli Lilly and Company, one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical manufacturers, is investing $6.5 billion to build a 236-acre manufacturing facility in Houston. The project marks the first major pharmaceutical manufacturing facility investment in Texas and is expected to create more than 615 full-time jobs. San Jacinto College recently opened its new Center for Biotechnology.
The life sciences boom seems imminent, and Pearland offers an optimal combination of factors that make it a clear choice for companies in this space: location, purpose-built facilities and infrastructure, a deep talent pool, and a community that has made life sciences a strategic priority, not an afterthought.