New Mexico MEP
Apr 28
Maker's MemoNew Mexico MEP aspires to be the premier solution provider to strengthen and grow New Mexico’s manufacturing. As a statewide assistance center, New Mexico MEP is dedicated to increasing the competitiveness of the state’s small and mid sized businesses. The Center’s experts and industry resource network help create the change that can make the difference.…
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Apr 28
Industry NewsCordell Jones installed cabinets and countertops as an employee for 15 years before launching Simply Solid LLC in Farmington, New Mexico, in late 2022. The company makes custom wood cabinets and installs custom-cut countertops by sourcing solid surface materials from Staron, Corian, Bellavati, and Wilsonart. These non-porous surfaces are resistant to bacteria, mold, and mildew,…
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Mar 26
Industry NewsWhen John Groth, founder of Southwest Composite Works, saw how the strength of carbon fiber could be applied to multiple products, he transitioned his company from mold-making for carbon companies to manufacturing the carbon fiber himself. The composite cloth, seven times stronger than steel and half the weight of aluminum, is suited to backpack and…
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Mar 25
Maker's MemoThe International Federation of Robotics has issued a report highlighting what it sees as the 2025 top global trends in robotics. According to the report, the global market value of industrial robot installations has reached an all-time high of $16.5 billion and has room to grow. Not surprisingly, the report lists Artificial Intelligence as its…
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Feb 25
Maker's MemoThe internet is the first place that potential customers look when searching for solutions to their challenges. Is your website optimized to pull cutomers in? Key words, or “keywords” in marketing vernacular, are the magnets that pull internet searchers to your website. They should be the words people type into the search box on Google…
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Jan 27
Industry NewsNew Mexico Manufacturing Extension Partnership is part of a national network that helps businesses transform their operations to increase profit and grow. Watch the video produced by the National Institute for Standards and Technology that describes some of the services offered by the MEP national network, including New Mexico MEP.
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Dec 17
Maker's MemoGeopolitical risks that drive shipping, production, and other costs upward may be on the rise while the word undergoes disruptive changes. A 2023 Boston Consulting Group survey found that “trade disruptions have prompted many global companies to shift where they produce and source goods. But getting the desired results requires a difficult balancing act.” The…
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Aug 20
Maker's MemoJennifer Sinsabaugh, CEO and Executive Director of New Mexico MEP, will join Hunter McDaniel, CEO and Founder of UbiQD, Inc., to discuss advanced manufacturing opportunities in clean technology at the New Mexico Startup Forum. The two-day event, organized by Arrowhead Center at NMSU, will take place September 4 and 5 at Isleta Resort and Casino…
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Aug 20
Industry NewsBusinesses change to meet consumer needs, and none more so than a business located in a rural community, where residents depend on one another for essential services. Thirty-four-year-old Larry’s Tire and Power Saw Shop at 6340 US Highway 550 in Cuba, New Mexico is a prime example. When Larry Moreland purchased the business in 1990,…
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Jul 16
Industry NewsIn 2023, New Mexico adopted the Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) program to assist eligible property owners with obtaining long-term financing for a range of energy efficiency and resiliency improvements. The financing is then secured via a special improvement assessment on the improved property. In June 2024, Bernalillo County and the City of Albuquerque…
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Jul 16
Maker's MemoDr. Laurie Locascio, the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and NIST Director, visited New Mexico Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) client Theta Plate Inc. in Albuquerque, New Mexico on May 30, 2024. Theta Plate, a third-generation family-owned metal-plating business started in 1976, performs military standard and decorative electroplating of metals ranging from platinum to tin.…
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May 08
Maker's MemoThe Advanced Energy Equipment Income Tax credit was signed into law by New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham in February 2024. The credit, effective Jan. 1, 2025, through the end of 2032, offsets up to 20 percent of the costs of equipment to produce components that qualify under the federal Inflation Reduction Act’s 45X provision…
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Apr 17
Industry NewsDeborah and Eugene “Cliff” Hudson envisioned safeguarding troops in military operations when they founded Emerging Technology Ventures (ETV) in 2014. Cliff had worked in autonomous systems development before retiring as a civilian engineer at the Department of Defense and Navy Reserve where he saw firsthand how robotics and sensing analytics could improve and support infrastructure…
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Mar 18
Maker's MemoAccording to a recent article in Forbes, manufacturers that were intent on reducing their foreign reliance after COVID-19 supply chain disruptions have made little progress four years after the start of the pandemic. And now there is a new reason to be concerned. A double whammy, some say, may be headed our way due…
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Feb 21
Maker's MemoYou know us for the lean methodology consulting and workshops we offer, but did you know we also support small businesses by sponsoring partners’ workshops we believe could benefit our clients? Many of these workshops are related to business and financial management. We see time and again that cash flow management can help small businesses…
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Feb 21
Industry NewsWhen Adam Wagoner talks about community, he’s probably referring to rapidly suiting up to fight a fire, leading a Cub Scout troop, or coaching a sports team. Wagoner, a volunteer firefighter, joins his business partners in supporting community groups in all these ways. Wagoner is an owner and vice president of Largo Tank and Equipment,…
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Dec 14
Industry NewsChris Jaquez, president of Industrial Cooling Exchangers Ltd. (ICE) knew little about New Mexico Manufacturing Extension Partnership before 2017, when Four Corners innovation director Denise Williams met him at a local economic development function. Then “she kind of popped in (to ICE’s Aztec facility) and said she was aware of us and gave us the…
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Nov 26
Maker's MemoWhen Leo Ordoñez donned safety glasses, a yellow vest, and hearing protection for his Mfg Day 2023 tour of ABB Installation Products, the Jimmy Carter Middle School 8th-grader understood this was not an ordinary field trip. Ordoñez and his classmates learned firsthand about the products used to connect, ground, splice, terminate, and protect underground power…
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Oct 16
Maker's MemoNew Mexico MEP is proud to be an integral part of the New Mexico Space Valley Coalition, a team of public and private entities driving America’s space industry right here in New Mexico. By working together, we are laying the foundation of a holistic approach to space commercialization and exploration that is diverse and accessible…
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Aug 14
Industry NewsRachel Schneider had limited experience in the food industry when her father purchased Ol’ Gringo Chile Company from its original owners in 2014 and began training her to take over the 22-year-old Las Cruces salsa and jarring business. Within 6 months, her father had died of cancer. “Dad had the vision, but he was gone…
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Jul 24
Maker's MemoSmall businesses, solar providers, nonprofits, and others are encouraged to participate in free grant writing workshops to learn how to prepare and apply for funds from the Rural Energy for American Program (REAP) and the Rural Business Development Grant (RBDG) programs. While the workshops are specific to these programs, participants will gain insight into the…
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Jul 23
Industry NewsVeronica Fuller has been sewing for more than 40 years. It’s what she loves to do. The owner of Sandia Pet Products migrated from Juarez, Mexico, 32 years ago and began working in sewing production facilities around Albuquerque, lending her expertise to manufacturing companies like Southwest Creations Collaborative, Marpac, and Sierra Peaks Corporation. In her…
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Jun 20
Industry NewsFounded in 1980 by Ivan Clay and Ellis Groomer, Clay Groomer Machine Shop (CGMS) has fulfilled the San Juan Basin’s machining needs by producing quality work in a safe and timely manner. Their success has been a result of always going above and beyond customers’ expectations. Clay Groomer historically provided on-site and mobile machining, mechanical…
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May 21
Industry NewsWithin two years of purchasing Syzygy Tile Works in Silver City, Josh and Carolyn White knew they needed to expand the business to meet national and international demand for their high-end, handcrafted ceramic tiles. Josh had worked for the company for 16 years before the previous owner retired, and he quickly made improvements to shorten…
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Apr 25
Maker's MemoThe Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs award more than $2.5 billion in research & development investment dollars to businesses across the U.S. every year. The funds allow businesses to move their idea or innovation to commercial markets while retaining the rights to their product. Eleven federal agencies participate…
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Feb 21
Industry NewsWhen Cody Waldroup purchased ABC Canvas in 2016 from the company’s founders, the serial entrepreneur thought the business would fit nicely into his portfolio of revenue-producing investments because the 35-year-old business was well known in Farmington for quality custom canvas, including marine products, commercial and industrial covers, and shade products. What Waldroup did not realize…
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Jan 15
Industry NewsWhen the coronavirus pandemic temporarily halted tourist traffic and shuttered restaurants and bars throughout New Mexico, Black Mesa Winery in Velarde had an inventory of wine and hard cider worth $100,000 and fewer avenues to deliver its products to customers. Winery owners Jerry and Lynda Burd were able to keep products moving out the door…
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Nov 13
Industry NewsFor nearly 15 years, Amanda and Dan Jackson-Miller created custom-made designer dog collars, leashes and other pet accessories from a 5,000-square-foot building in downtown Albuquerque. With demand outpacing their building’s storage capacity, the couple moved in early 2022 into a 9,000-square-foot building near the Albuquerque Sunport. They did so with the help of experts from…
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Oct 26
Industry NewsAaron Velasquez, co-owner of Theta Plate Inc., wanted to ensure the future of his Albuquerque electroplating company. The third-generation family business started by his parents in 1976 performs Military Specification and decorative electroplating on precious and other metals that range from platinum to tin. Velasquez saw opportunity beyond the company’s small aerospace jobs and jewelry…
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Aug 14
Maker's Memo“The manufacturing community has long struggled with finding skilled workers, citing, among other things, the misperceptions that manufacturing jobs underpay, are monotonous and involve working in dirty factories,” said Scott Dietz in a recent article. Dietz, of Catalyst Connection, an MEP Center based in Pittsburgh, continued, “With the adoption of Industry 4.0 — automation and…
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Jul 18
Industry NewsBonnie Cummings sees similarities in the health care she provides as a registered nurse and the customer care she offers as the owner of Third Axis Custom Engraving. The Farmington business owner shares knowledge and creativity to help customers — and patients — achieve their goals. Cummings spent 13 years working full time at a…
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Jul 17
Maker's MemoNew Mexico Manufacturing Extension Partnership (New Mexico MEP), in partnership with the Albuquerque chapter of the United Nations Association of the USA (UNA-USA) and the New Mexico Coalition of Sustainable Communities, is inviting students to offer solutions to sustainability challenges faced by the state’s manufacturers. Students will compete with one another by submitting a short video or…
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Jun 19
Maker's MemoMeet the Matterport camera. One of its superpowers is replicating your facility in digital form. By stitching together 3D scans of photos and line art, Matterport can enable you to take a virtual walk through your manufacturing space. Perhaps you’re creating a 3D demonstration of how you make your product but there is sensitive information…
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May 14
Maker's MemoStrap on a pair of augmented reality goggles and explore tech that can be applied to any manufacturing process. At New Mexico MEP’s Tech Demo Workshop, you can test new technology before investing in it. If you’re curious about implementing additive manufacturing, collaborative robots, optical sorting equipment and other tech in your facility, call us…
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Apr 16
Industry NewsWorking with New Mexico Manufacturing Extension Partnership (New Mexico MEP) shaved at least a year off the time RingIR president Dr. Charles Harb expected to spend getting his company’s portable gas-detecting product ready for market. And given the disruption and delay caused by the state’s protracted coronavirus-related shutdown, the value of that time is hard…
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Mar 13
Maker's MemoWould adding automation to your company improve your bottom line? What kind of tech would best boost your competitive edge? Before investing in it, explore new technology in New Mexico MEP’s Tech Demo room. NM MEP Automation Specialist Wesley Eccles can demonstrate the tech, from robotic arms and 3D printers, to quality control cameras, and…
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Feb 13
Maker's MemoHelp build excitement around New Mexico’s manufacturing careers. Submit your video! The education and workforce development nonprofit Bridge of Southern New Mexico, in partnership with the New Mexico Public Education Department, is requesting recorded personal interviews it can share with students to build awareness about manufacturing careers. The team is particularly interested in showcasing machinists,…
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Feb 13
Industry NewsMicroscopic examination of metals can help airplane manufacturers know that the planes they build can withstand the forces involved in flight and could assure airlines that jet engine maintenance would detect problems before takeoff. A small woman-owned business based in Albuquerque is commercializing a laser optical technology that has the potential to revolutionize this “failure…
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Jan 16
Industry NewsDoctor of Oriental Medicine Janine Mahon originally formulated a healing oil to treat her own postpartum mastitis pain. Having refined it and shared it with clients at her Albuquerque clinic, demand grew, and she wondered if there might be a larger market beyond her regular clients. That’s when she launched Dr. Janine Mahon’s Rejuvenating Breast…
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Dec 13
Maker's MemoIt’s true, we’re back to making on-sight visits! Call us to discuss a challenge we could help you address, and we’ll schedule a time to visit your facility! And speaking of enriching in-person events, don’t miss the Fundamentals of Lean Manufacturing Public Workshop next month. Workshop participants will learn about reducing work in process, promoting quality…
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Nov 14
Industry News“The temptation is to do things the way they’ve always been done,” says Jessica Velasquez, co-owner of Albuquerque electroplating business Theta Plate Inc. By resisting that temptation, and with New Mexico MEP’s guidance, the third-generation family business is growing on multiple levels. Improved customer relations, streamlined operations, and an expanded client base are the results…
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Oct 29
Industry NewsRio Rancho-based Mezel Mods is an example of a company that benefits when local resource providers collaborate. In 2019, company co-owner Kristin Browning-Mezel worked with New Mexico MEP Innovation Director Scott Bryant on a project to improve company workflow, line balancing, inventory, quality, and profitability. That project increased capacity by 21% annually, shortened lead times…
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Oct 18
Industry News Navajo Spirit, a producer of Navajo traditional-inspired clothes with a modern twist in Gallup, NM, evolved out of co-owner Virginia Yazzie Ballenger’s passion for design. During the course of the company’s over-14-year partnership with NM MEP, hobby-level production evolved into a streamlined business. Working with MEP brought “a huge raise in our income as…
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