Fort Worth considers tax breaks to bring medical manufacturing jobs from Europe
Fort Worth-born eye care device company Alcon is looking to bring some of its manufacturing to the United States, and the city of Fort Worth wants to help.
The company makes pharmaceutical products at a factory in France and surgical devices at one in Belgium.
The city is considering a tax incentive package that would help the company move one or both product lines to the Alcon’s Fort Worth campus at 6201 South Freeway.
The company proposed a 250,000 square foot expansion next to its campus in 2023, however, the incentive for the two product lines is not related to that initial proposal, a city spokesperson said in an email to the Star-Telegram.
If Alcon moves only the surgical device product line from Belgium, the city would offer a 50% tax break. If Alcon moves only the pharmaceutical product line from France, the city would offer a 60% tax break.
If the company moves both product lines to Fort Worth, the city is offering up 70% off the company’s property and business equipment taxes.
The company is required to meet certain criteria to qualify for the incentive, according to the presentation.
Alcon has to invest $186 millon in the project by the end of 2028 — $68 million in construction costs, and $118 million in equipment, according to the presentation.
The company also has to create a minimum of 241 jobs with an average salary of $75,000, according to the presentation.
Fairlure to meet those requirements means the company won’t get the money from the incentive package.
There are other requirements if the company chooses to only move one of the product lines, however, the total incentive package for moving both product lines is capped at $6 million.
The city expects Alcon moving its product lines to Fort Worth to generate $3.5 million in new taxes.
Alcon Laboratories was founded in Fort Worth in 1945. The company is headquartered in Geneva, but its still runs operations out of its office in Fort Worth.
The City Council will vote on the incentive package at its 10 a.m. meeting on Sept. 30 at New City Hall.
This story was originally published September 23, 2025 at 3:12 PM.
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