We have the tools to move industry forward.

When it comes to development in Wilmer, the news has been big, and the news has been good. When Scannell Properties decided to construct a spec building in Sunridge Industrial Park, our prime location was identified in press reports as an important motivator. But other critical factors included:

“Wilmer’s low tax rate (the lowest in southern Dallas County)...(and)
The city’s aggressive approach in recruiting industrial tenants to the market.”

--Dallas Magazine Real Estate Daily

That aggressive approach has meant good news for industry. We had the right incentives tool kit to nail down a great deal for Ace Hardware; we had exactly what P&G needed when it came to startup incentives (including city and county tax abatements), and we offered the kind of incentives that could nurture Sprout Grocery’s growth, now and in the future.

Guidelines and Application for Wilmer Incentives

For qualifying companies, the City of Wilmer offers tax abatements for real and business personal property, including abatements on qualified leasing arrangements. Abatements may be granted for a period of up to 10 years, for sector developments including:

Warehousing and distribution
Fabrication and assembly
Manufacturing and processing
Regional service operations, including financial, accounting, insurance or other back-office operation.
Major tourist attraction.

Abatements for other projects will be considered on an individual basis.

2022 Resolution on Tax Abatements

Greater cash grants available through dual ED entities

As a municipality with both Type A and Type B economic development corporations, the City of Wilmer enjoys economic development funding through two one-half cent sales taxes, with a full one-cent tax fund available for grants.

For companies that meet the criteria, cash grants may be awarded for primary job creation, expansion, and retention for a range of sector developments, including:

Warehousing and distribution
Fabrication and assembly
Manufacturing and processing
Regional service operations, including financial, accounting, insurance of other back-office operation
Major tourist attraction
Corporate headquarters
Infrastructure improvements related to the project
Retail and commercial office projects

A one-cent sales tax levied by the City also provides the discretion to offer cash grants for qualified special projects.

True freedom of movement: Triple Freeport Exemptions

Moving your goods in and out of Texas within 175 days? Then Wilmer offers triple the exemptions—from the City of Wilmer as well as Dallas County and the Dallas Independent School District.

State of Texas Incentives

The Wilmer ED team is also ready to help qualified companies access high-value incentives from the state of Texas, including the State Sales and Use Tax Exemptions, Skills Development-Funded job training, financial assistance from Emerging Technology Funds and the state’s Capital Fund, as well as the incentives available through the Texas Enterprise Zone.

Save big with Texas-sized incentives from the state.

Dallas County Tax Abatement

Dallas County through the Commissioners Court has a Tax Abatement Program. Click here for more information on Dallas County Economic Development, Incentives and policies.

Federal Programs

The Basics of Foreign Trade Zones

In the United States, foreign trade zones (FTZs) are the domestic equivalents of international “free trade zones,” intended to encourage healthy competition with foreign businesses. These zones directly help U.S. companies who either import products or components from foreign countries by reducing, deferring, or eliminating duties and by allowing for greater supply chain efficiency.

Foreign Trade Zone 39 from Dallas-Fort Worth Airport extends over Wilmer’s industrially zoned developments. A request based on a forthcoming project is all that is required to initiate the FTZ designation.

Accessing Benefits

Essentially, foreign trade zones help businesses reduce production, transaction, and logistics-related costs by allowing them to defer paying customs costs on goods imported into the U.S. until those goods leave the zone for consumption. Benefits include duty deferral, duty exemption, avoiding inverted tariffs, and logistical benefits.

FTZ Operation Types

Storage: Foreign and domestic merchandise may be stored within the zone for an unlimited period of time, thereby avoiding all duties and excise taxes.
Approved operations for admitted merchandise: Goods may be opened, examined, sampled, displayed, assembled, mixed, cleaned, labeled, or repackaged within a zone.
Manufacturing: products manufactured within the zone, including foreign merchandise, can face reduced duties if the tariff rate on the finished product (the product leaving the zone) is lower than the tariff applied to the initial components (the product entering the zone).
Disposal: Waste materials and damaged or valueless merchandise can be destroyed within the zone without encountering duties.

Benefits for Foreign Trade Zone Users

Avoid payment of duties on imported goods that are later re-exported or are used in manufacturing domestic goods
Delay payments of duties on goods that enter the U.S. market
Eliminate duties on waste, scrap, and rejected/defective parts
Reduce or eliminate duties on quota charges for merchandise leaving the zone
Avoid quota restrictions until merchandise leaves the zone
Reduce merchandise processing fees, since zone users are allowed to file a single customs entry—and pay a single fee—per week, instead of filing and paying per entry

Property Taxes

As witnessed by the recent location of Makita, Medline, Proctor & Gamble, Whirlpool, and Ace Hardware distribution centers to Wilmer, the community leadership has positioned the City to be highly competitive in the DFW marketplace. Wilmer is in the enviable position of having one of the lowest tax rates in the area.

Transportation and Logistics

As several other nationally recognized and Fortune 500 companies have discovered, the City of Wilmer is a prime location with easy access to key transportation links such as Interstate 20, Interstate 45, Interstate 35E, Interstate 635, U.S. 67, U.S. 175, and the soon to be Loop 9; which, when completed, will totally encircle Wilmer. For more information on transportation and logistics, refer to:

For more information and a meeting with staff on incentives, please call 972-441-6373 or email Rona Stringfellow at rstringfellow@cityofwilmer.net.

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