Construction crews have broken ground on an expansion of Simpson Strong-Tie's manufacturing facility in East McKinney, a project the company says will grow warehousing, production, test-lab and tooling capacity at its branch on South Airport Drive. Work began on Sept. 24, with the fastener and connector maker timing the milestone to its 70th anniversary in 2026.
The expansion sits at 2151 South Airport Drive, according to uniquemckinney.com, which reported that the project is meant to strengthen product availability and distribution and help the branch keep pace with growing demand. The same outlet reported that an expanded test lab and enhanced tooling capabilities will support the company's product testing and development work. Simpson Strong-Tie produces structural anchors, fasteners and connectors used in home and building construction, and the company says it now offers more than 6,000 structural products used across residential, commercial and industrial projects.
What's Actually Being Built
The scope of the project depends on which document you read. Community Impact reported, based on a construction-permit filing, that Simpson Strong-Tie is scheduled to build a 278,000-square-foot expansion at its McKinney plant, while a separate industry listing from intelligence360.news describes the planned project as 278,188 square feet. Either way, the build will add space to the existing manufacturing and warehouse buildings and include a remodel of the building's office and training space, per that permit reporting.
Community Impact's permit report also put an estimated construction timeline on the project, running from Sept. 1 through March 31, 2028. In a separate report on the groundbreaking, Community Impact Newspaper reported that the expansion could be complete by March 2028, per a Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation filing. Community Impact's permit report listed an estimated construction cost of $57 million for the project.
A Company Marking 70 Years in McKinney
Simpson Strong-Tie executive Nick Algya framed the project as part of the company's long history in the city. “Reaching 70 years is a proud milestone, and investing in McKinney is how we build the next chapter,” Algya said, according to Community Impact Newspaper's report on the groundbreaking. Algya added that the company is grateful for the community's support and excited about the future.
The expansion will give the team more space, tools and testing capabilities, and is meant to support better customer service and continued product innovation, according to that same report. It adds additional warehousing and production capacity while expanding the branch's test lab — upgrades the company frames as central to keeping up with demand from builders who rely on its connectors and fasteners.
How It Compares to the 2017 Expansion
This isn't the first time Simpson Strong-Tie has grown its McKinney footprint. In July 2017, the company announced plans to expand its existing local manufacturing and warehouse facilities, a project that included a new 98,000-square-foot warehouse, training center and additional office space, according to a report from NTX e-News. That earlier expansion represented a $16 million capital investment, and under its agreement with the McKinney Economic Development Corporation, the company planned to add 22 new employees within three years.
No comparable investment or hiring figures have been disclosed for the current project. McKinney has landed other large manufacturing commitments in recent months — the Office of the Texas Governor announced in July that LITEON's expansion in the city is expected to represent a $919 million investment and create more than 600 jobs over the life of that project — though that announcement is unrelated to Simpson Strong-Tie's work on South Airport Drive.
