National New Markets Fund Invests $28.5 Million in New Markets Tax Credit Financing to Support Expansion of RoyOMartin’s Manufacturing Operations in Corrigan, TX

Allocation Helps Finance $115.1 Million Facility Expansion; 323 Direct Jobs Supported in Deeply Distressed Rural Community

CORRIGAN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--National New Markets Fund, LLC (“NNMF”), an affiliate of Los Angeles-based SDS Capital Group, has invested $28.5 million of its New Markets Tax Credit (“NMTC”) allocation authority to support the expansion of RoyOMartin’s manufacturing operations in Corrigan, TX. The $115.1 million project will retain 200 full-time jobs and create 123 new full-time positions, reinforcing RoyOMartin’s role as one of the most critical employers in Polk County.

RoyOMartin currently operates a 407,125‑square-foot plant that manufactures oriented strand board, a durable alternative to plywood used for specialty flooring and housing-related products. The new 370,400-SF specialty facility is under construction on the company’s existing 150-acre campus and will increase total production capacity by 70%.

"NNMF's investment of New Markets Tax Credits from the U.S. Treasury Department is central to this manufacturing expansion," said Roy O. Martin III, Chairman and Chief Investment Officer. "This is exactly the kind of public-private partnership that makes large-scale growth possible in places that need it most — ensuring that rural Texas communities share in that prosperity. Together, we are driving economic growth across the region, retaining and creating high-quality jobs, and making a meaningful, lasting contribution to a historically underserved community."

Founded in 1923, RoyOMartin is a premier manufacturer of wood products in the Gulf South and manages 550,000 acres of certified timberland, reflecting its deep commitment to sustainable forestry. The Corrigan investment advances the company’s century-long legacy of manufacturing growth, rural job creation, and responsible natural resource stewardship.

“RoyOMartin has long been a cornerstone of the Corrigan community,” said Johnna Lowe Gibson, Mayor of Corrigan. “We’re deeply grateful to the New Markets Tax Credit program and NNMF for making this expansion possible, bringing new jobs, renewed energy, and continued opportunity to our city.”

The NMTC program was created in 2000 to advance economic development in economically distressed communities by providing tax credit allocations to groups, such as NNMF, which in turn sell the credits to institutional investors and use the proceeds for high impact projects. The NMTC program has generated $76 billion in qualified equity investment and $143 billion in total development financing to over 8,900 businesses across urban, suburban, and rural low-income communities, creating 1.2 million jobs nationwide.¹

NNMF was launched by SDS Capital Group in 2005 to further economic and community development in distressed census tracts across the South and Great Lakes regions of the United States. Since 2013, NNMF refined its investment strategy to invest exclusively in U.S.-based manufacturing, food processing, and agricultural-focused businesses. NNMF’s capital is used for plant expansions, equipment, machinery, and working capital, with a mission of enabling these firms to remain in the United States so they can continue generating high-quality jobs within economically distressed communities.

On December 23, 2025, NNMF was awarded a $95 million NMTC allocation, its 15^th and largest award from the U.S. Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions Fund. This award is part of the CDFI Fund’s $10 billion 2024-2025 round, the largest allocation in the program’s history. Since inception, NNMF has invested $780.5 million across 52 projects, creating and preserving more than 15,300 jobs in census tracts with an average poverty rate of 34%.

“Rural manufacturing communities like Corrigan face severe economic challenges, and this expansion is exactly the type of project NMTCs are designed to support,” said Deborah La Franchi, Founder & CEO of SDS Capital Group, and President of National New Markets Fund. “Our investment will help preserve and grow high quality jobs in a region where generations of families rely on employers like RoyOMartin for long-term stability.”

All new and retained positions at the expanded facility will exceed the $19 per hour MIT Living Wage for one adult in Polk County and include industry leading medical and retirement benefits. RoyOMartin covers 97 percent of employee medical premiums and provides low-deductible health insurance, onsite primary and preventive care services through its company‑run Medical Home and Pharmacy program, a 4-percent guaranteed 401(k) match with substantial discretionary contributions, a Pay‑for-Knowledge-and-Skills advancement model that rewards skill development, and extensive vacation and PTO options. These benefits have earned the company national recognition, including rankings among the top 3 employee retirement programs for large manufacturing firms from Plan Sponsor magazine.

¹ https://nmtccoalition.org/advocacy-toolkit/fact-sheet/