Often overlooked and undervalued, a result of constant attention to America's exodus to pursue offshore ventures, New Mexico has a growing segment of small and mid-sized manufacturers who are benefiting from our state's location and workforce, and the services offered by the New Mexico Economic Development Department, United States Department of Commerce and the New Mexico Small Business Assistance Program through the New Mexico Manufacturing Extension Partnership.
All you have to do is look around our state to celebrate our pockets of manufacturing success.
In Southern New Mexico, manufacturing is alive and thriving. Deming-based Compass Components relocated from California to create wire harnesses for the automotive industry. They employ 65 people.
In Santa Teresa, two success stories immediately come to mind. Northwire, a Wisconsin-based wire manufacturer, has a payroll of 33 employees. Michigan-based STANCO is a metal stamping company that has a team of 40 team members — double the size they were a year ago.
In Central New Mexico, there are different types of manufacturing success stories to celebrate. UniRac gets its name from building Universal Racking systems to hold solar panels in place. Today the
Sennheiser is an Albuquerque-based manufacturer and supplier to the international market. The maker of high end microphones has a skilled work force of more than 100 full-time laborers and many more temporary workers. The training they provide their team members is work force development that benefits similar companies in the area.
Kendall Billau always had a love of welding and manufacturing. His company is working on bringing a national patent to life. In addition, Miller Bonded is another quiet giant of manufacturing. Leading the industry in prefabricated air conditioning and plumbing elements, the company has been able to install equipment ahead of schedule.
For many of these companies, their prosperity can be attributed to learning and implementing Lean Manufacturing processes. Developed by Toyota, and taking root in the United States during the 1990s, the approach eliminates waste in production processes. The results can be measured in lower inventory, faster production times and increased sales.
Desert Paper is a woman-owned manufacturer of envelopes and paper products. The Albuquerque company has embraced lean manufacturing approaches to help increase their revenue, sales and work force development. The company has seen tremendous growth over the past several years; growing from 40 to 70 employees.
Las Cruces' Samson Equipment is a family owned and operated creator of professional body building equipment. The leadership team implemented a value stream management approach, enabling the company to increase and meet a 55-percent sales increase. The company plans to double its plant size in the near future.
Lean approaches helped one of Farmington's oil field supply companies, PESCO, to develop processes and methods that have helped to increase production by 25 percent, and double production over a three-year period. At the same time managers were able to reduce work hours, maintain staffing levels and reinvest in their employees.
Roswell-based Dean Baldwin Painting is a minority, woman-owned, small, privately held business specializing in aircraft strip and paint services. Opening in 1998 with only 12 employees, the company now has more than 175 workers with an annual payroll in excess of $5 million.
In Clovis, Southwest Cheese leverages auditing and training programs with New Mexico MEP to improve manufacturing results and employee retention. The programs have helped the Irish company to stabilize with more than 225 employees.
In Portales, Sunland Peanuts is making a mark on the national market with its famous peanut butter and related products. The company employs 90 professionals. Owner Jimmie Shearer leverages lean approaches and New Mexico MEP training to increase his productivity, allowing him to keep up with demand for the popular peanut products.
New Mexico MEP has helped to orchestrate the success of small and mid-size manufacturers. Since 2006, the non-profit entity, partnering up with the State Economic Development Department and the New Mexico Small Business Alliance, has helped to create 571 jobs, retain 1,039 jobs, and help businesses generate and retain sales in excess of $117 million.
Through gross receipts taxes, Lean-driven growth has generated $6.9 million — all while allowing companies to save $41 million in costs and invest $55 million to further employee training and other valuable company investments.
Manufacturing isn't New Mexico's largest sector, not even close. But the local connection, work force development and support of government entities gives us something to celebrate during these grim economic times.
Ron Burke, of Albuquerque, is the Center Director for the New Mexico Manufacturing Extension Partnership, or New Mexico MEP.
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