TEXARKANA MAGAZINE
offering diverse product lines that include injection molded plastics, compression molded plastics, and light gauge thermoformed plastics. GPS is a one-stop shop for all food packaging and processing needs. With the third generation at the helm, 2023 was a year of significant advancements for GPS, which included a 20,000-square-foot expansion and the launch of its largest production line to date. The family is excited to continue growing in the Texarkana community for decades to come.
A Goins ad from over 20 years ago featuring John David, Michael, and Charlie Goins
DeAnn and Reggie Goins, developed a plastic pallet compatible with Plasco’s work-in-process totes. In 1999, Reggie and DeAnn’s entrepreneurial spirit led them to establish Goins Plastic Source, Inc. (GPS) in the same city. Expanding their product line, GPS began manufacturing light gauge thermoformed portion control trays, in addition to plastic pallets, to serve the food processing industry. The leadership landscape of Plasco Designs underwent significant changes when Charles Wilson passed away in 2001, followed by Barbara Wilson’s retirement in 2003. This transition led Reggie and DeAnn to assume management roles at Plasco Designs, integrating its customer service department with that of GPS. Under their leadership, both entities experienced steady growth. This year, Plasco will celebrate its thirtieth year of incorporation while GPS celebrates its twenty-fifth. Entering the third generation, Reggie serves as President, and DeAnn holds the positions of Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer. They now work alongside their three sons, Michael, John David, and Charlie Goins. Michael joined the company in 2016 and is currently the Chief Operating Officer, while Charlie took on the role of Vice President of Sales in 2018. John David entered the company in 2019 as the Chief Accounting Officer, further solidifying the family’s commitment to their businesses. Today, Goins Plastic Source, Inc. offers a wide variety of custom packaging solutions to fit any need. In fact, if you had a box of chocolates this past Valentine’s Day, there is a chance your delicious candy was packaged in a GPS tray. The company prides itself on
TRUCK BODY AND TRAILER MANUFACTURER Ledwell Established 1946 619 Employees “Not just well made. Ledwell made.” Upon returning from World War II in 1946, Buddy Ledwell, and his father, L.W. Ledwell Sr., founded a lumber company known as Ledwell & Son. One day, Buddy needed a certain type of trailer to haul lumber, so he rolled up his sleeves and welded the frame he needed to get the job done. The innovation caught the eye of a neighboring farmer who saw the trailer and asked, “Where’d you get that? I need one!” So, a new trailer-building venture began. Business soon expanded, and the company’s burgeoning side business—building pickup racks and livestock trailers—quickly grew into the company’s primary focus. When a farmer or a feedlot owner identified a problem with their equipment, Buddy and his father found a way to manufacture a solution. In 1955, the company solidified its presence in the manufacturing industry by incorporating and establishing its first truck shop at the corner of Robison Road and Waco Street in Texarkana, Texas. Long hours, hard work, dedication, and determination from Buddy and his family were the keys to building Ledwell into what it is seven decades later—a growing American manufacturing company blessed with many dedicated employees on two sites in Texarkana with more good Ledwell people in North Carolina. Buddy had a keen sense of his customers’ needs, sometimes even before they did, customizing products to respond to their evolving demands. From its inception, the hallmark of Ledwell has been its commitment to
The Goins family at their 20-year celebration (L-R) Michael, Reggie, DeAnn, John David, and Charlie Goins.
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