Manufacturing in Bastrop: Innovation, Art and 3D Technology

Manufacturing Month 

Bastrop, Texas, is home and witness to major innovations in manufacturing, including 3D technology. Locating in Bastrop just makes sense for manufacturers because it offers a business-friendly climate that includes a highly skilled workforce, easy access to global markets, and predictable regulations. Additionally, the Lone Star State has no corporate or personal income tax. 

Manufacturers in Texas account for 13.07 percent of the total output in the state and employ 7.04 percent of the workforce, according to the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM). Total output from manufacturing was $241 billion in 2019. In addition, an average of 881,000 people worked in the Texas manufacturing industry in 2020, and as reported by NAM, the average annual compensation exceeded $90,000 in 2019.

Deep in the Heart Art Foundry

Deep in the Heart Art Foundry has been a trailblazer for creative manufacturing in Bastrop for over 40 years. Located in the Bastrop Business and Industrial Park at the juncture of State Highways 71, 95, and 21, Deep in the Heart Art Foundry is one of only three full-service, state-of-the-art sculpture foundries in the United States. Owned and operated by an accomplished sculptor, they are able to assist artists in the creation of their work from start to finish. 

“We are a one-stop shop for creative manufacturing, which is extremely rare in the U.S.,” said Clint Howard, President/Owner of Deep in the Heart Art Foundry. “We can take a project from concept to installation, including engineering, site design, project management, and through to perpetual maintenance and restoration. In addition, over the last 10 years we have focused on 3D technology as it relates to fine art production and have established ourselves as one of the leaders in this field. Advancements in technology have allowed us to offer larger works faster and more competitively than has ever been available before.” 

Some of Howard’s favorite Deep in the Heart projects include the Texas Capitol Vietnam War Memorial, the 12-foot high class ring at Texas A&M University in College Station, “Jacob’s Dream” at Abilene Christian University, a herd of dinosaurs for the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum in Queensland, and a life size bison, “Sacred Spirit,” for the Bob Bullock State History Museum. Upcoming projects include a fallen officer memorial for the Texas Department of Public Safety and a 20-foot Chickasaw Warrior for the Chickasaw Nation in Oklahoma.

Additionally, Howard offers his own fine art sculpture and creative services through Howard Designs. He has created a life-size moose for the Columbus Ohio Zoo, a heroic-scale firefighter entitled “In Moments Valor'' for the Bastrop Fire Department, and the Iconic Buc-ee Beaver statues found all around Texas at most Buc-ee's locations.

Deep in the Heart Art Foundry currently employs 37. “We have a fantastic leadership team and a tremendously hard-working crew that has allowed us to find success in the projects that have come our way,” said Howard. “They are the core of our achievements and growth and we wouldn’t have been able to get here without them. We are a hometown company, established here in Bastrop in 1980, and we are so excited to have had the support of the local community during this season of tremendous growth for our company.”

Follow Deep in the Heart Art Foundry and Howard Designs on Facebook.

Camp Swift 3D-Printed Barracks

Camp Swift Training Center in Bastrop, TX, used a unique manufacturing solution to expand its housing: 3D print technology. The Texas Military Department partnered with Austin-based construction technologies company, ICON, to design and 3D-print an innovative training barracks. As the largest 3D-printed structure in North America, the 3,800 sq.-ft. building can house up to 72 soldiers or airmen while they train for missions in Texas or overseas, marking these the first soldiers in the world to live in 3D-printed barracks.

The energy-efficient barracks were constructed using ICON’s next generation Vulcan construction system and proprietary material. This method is faster than traditional construction and delivers sustainable and resilient housing that lasts longer than traditional buildings. 

Bastrop: Central Texas’ Next Frontier

Perfectly located in the heart of the Texas Triangle, Bastrop has easy access to Austin, Houston, San Antonio and Dallas/Fort Worth, and is more affordable. It’s a place with room to grow and a history of innovation. To find out how Bastrop is perfect for your business relocation or expansion, contact Bastrop Economic Development Corporation at (512) 303-9700 or info@bastropedc.org.

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