New Mexico MEP
Sep 23
Manufacturing DayThe Valencia Flour Mill uses antique milling machines to turn New Mexican-grown grain into flour for modern specialty mixes such as Valencia Sopaipilla & Fry Bread Mix and Valencia Blue Corn Muffin & Pancake mixes. These modern products are marketed to restaurants through statewide distribution channels. People who visited the facility during Mfg Day 2019…
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Sep 13
Maker's MemoJTIP funds classroom and on-the-job training for new jobs in expanding or relocating businesses for up to 6 months. The program reimburses 50-75% of employee wages. These trainees can be new employees, or those currently employed looking for higher-wage promotions. These funds are specifically set aside by the Legislature each year and can only be…
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Aug 25
Industry NewsDear Manufacturer, As you know, the country is currently taking measures to respond to COVID-19. During these unprecedented times, we appreciate your trust in us. All of this is new, and it is not normal! Right now, businesses must focus on cost-saving methods as they remain competitive in a changing marketplace. Some businesses have been forced…
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Aug 25
Manufacturing DayJoin the conversation and see what’s being made in Aztec and the northwest region of New Mexico! This virtual event is a collaboration of manufacturers, support organizations, and educational groups. The program features remarks from the City of Aztec and State of New Mexico Economic Development Department, and special presentations from industry partners such as…
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Aug 25
Manufacturing DayNew Mexico MEP and industry partners collaborated to offer a one-of-a-kind hybrid live and virtual series of events celebrating manufacturing careers, technology, and resources in Northwest New Mexico along the US-550 Corridor and beyond. Events in 2021 featured exciting educational opportunities and working with drone and robotic technology. Click on each category for on-demand presentations…
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Aug 16
Maker's MemoAs we travel about the state talking with manufacturers, we find there is an uneasiness about the requirements for safety. So we offer the following outline that introduces the major elements required for most companies, starting with employer responsibilities. Provide a workplace free from serious recognized hazards, and comply with standards rules and regulations issued…
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Aug 16
Maker's MemoThe Delicious New Mexico local food e-commerce and distribution enterprise was developed by the Rio Grande Community Development Corporation at the South Valley Economic Development Center, in partnership with Agri-Cultura Network and the Hispanic-American Institute, under grant AM170100XXXXG102 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Delicious New Mexico helps local farmers, ranchers, and food producers conduct…
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Jun 14
Maker's MemoThe New Mexico COVID-19 Emergency Supply Collaborative‘s success in delivering much-needed supplies to medical facilities is a story worth sharing. During the collaborative’s inception, our office was closed but NM MEP’s work kept going. MEP’s Innovation Directors (IDs) met weekly with businesses or regional partners. For example, Denise Williams was part of the Farmington group, which…
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May 17
Maker's MemoAll of us at New Mexico MEP want to acknowledge the nimble and innovative contributions the following companies have made in the fight against COVID-19. A BIG THANK YOU TO: The manufacturers that have uploaded their capabilities to the NM Emergency Supply Sourcing and Manufacturing website https://www.nmcovid19.org/. That information has resulted in PPE and other…
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Apr 15
Maker's MemoA website dedicated to recruiting New Mexico suppliers, distributors, manufacturers, makers and testing-centers in the fight against COVID-19 has been launched by several of the state’s universities, research institutions and manufacturing support organizations. The website aims to quickly source, produce and test needed medical and other supplies that will bolster on-the-ground efforts to stop the…
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Apr 06
Maker's MemoManufacturers and Innovators Encouraged to Upload Capabilities to website at https://nmcovid19.org. A website dedicated to recruiting New Mexico suppliers, distributors, manufacturers, makers and testing-centers in the fight against COVID-19 has been launched by several of the state’s universities, research institutions and manufacturing support organizations. The website aims to quickly source, produce and test needed medical and…
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Mar 19
Industry NewsA message from New Mexico MEP Chief Executive Officer Dear New Mexico manufacturing community, The COVID-19 virus and its economic implications are now starting to hit very close to home. I want to assure you that I am staying abreast of the situation as much as possible and from many different angles, working with and/or…
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Feb 17
Maker's MemoSince 1984, Navajo Spirit Southwestern Wear has been creating and selling Native American-inspired clothing and craft items through retailers, gift catalogs, online sales and Indian art fairs. Today, eighty percent of revenue is generated from its retail shop in historic downtown Gallup, where eight employees cut and sew garments designed by artist Virginia Yazzie Ballenger.…
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Jan 24
Maker's MemoProcess Equipment and Service Company Inc. (PESCO) has been sending its new-hire employees to lean manufacturing workshops for years. The practice has paid off, according to Craig Mayberry, PESCO’s Manager of Manufacturing Excellence. The 50-year-old engineering, design and manufacturing company that serves the on-shore oil and natural gas industries from its Farmington headquarters is one…
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Nov 17
Maker's MemoUniversity High and Early College High students at AerSale in Roswell Drawing some 150 signups, the Advanced Manufacturing Summit marked the conclusion of New Mexico’s 7th annual Manufacturing Day. Topping the list of favorite events was the summit’s “Live White Hat Hack,” a real-time IT hacking demo that clearly illustrated vulnerabilities inherent in manufacturing processes…
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Oct 04
Industry News KRQE speaks with New Mexico MEP’s Chief Executive Officer Jennifer Sinsabaugh and Old Wood Chief Operating Officer Shiloh Old about this year’s Manufacturing Day.
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Aug 10
Maker's MemoInsight Lighting of Rio Rancho has been a Manufacturing Day participant since 2014. The maker of exterior and interior lighting products for high-end architectural projects has conducted tours of its facility for students, prospective buyers and community groups. Glenn Wright, vice president of operations, said the tours have been beneficial. “The majority of our products…
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Jul 15
Maker's MemoMEP clients who need help resolving issues with products and processes in areas such as but not limited to additive manufacturing, robotics, biosciences, calibrations, and laboratory accreditations can leverage the MEP-Assisted Technology and Technical Resource (MATTR) program. The program offers access to wide-ranging, world-class technical expertise available at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) research labs,…
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Jun 16
Maker's MemoValley Mills has been in LaPlata, New Mexico since the owner purchased the packager of corn products from a vendor distributor in 2006. The company has been roasting yellow, white and blue corn products and delivering them ground and whole to customers via distributor. Owner Teresa Lackey later added two more distributors and expanded into…
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May 17
Industry NewsA behind-the-scenes look at pinball mod manufacturer Mezel Mods and their successful collaboration with New Mexico Manufacturing Extension Partnership.
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Mar 10
Industry NewsEnormous thanks to the dozens of business owners who demonstrated their support of the NMSBA program by providing public comment encouraging passage of House Bill 526. While the bill doesn’t increase total funding for the NMSBA program, it allows qualifying businesses to obtain additional or follow-on help: Up to $20,000 of assistance for businesses located…
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Mar 10
Maker's MemoAlbuquerque’s Build With Robots LLC (BWR) sees automation and human labor existing side by side, even in small and medium-sized businesses. The New Mexico company works with manufacturers and other businesses to enhance their productivity and competitive advantage by incorporating “collaborative robots,” or CoBots, into the labor force to perform the more monotonous tasks so…
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Feb 13
Industry NewsAs New Mexico MEP’s Jeff Abrams travels about New Mexico meeting with clients to plan the year’s goals and objectives, he is learning that New Mexico manufacturers are not aware of a new requirement initiated by OSHA: All manufacturers employing more than 20 employees must electronically submit the OSHA form 300A Summary of Work Related…
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Feb 13
Maker's MemoA second generation family-owned Albuquerque company specializing in precious metal plating, Theta Plate Inc. serves customers from all over the world. In order to access higher margin business and DoD markets, the company obtained ITAR registration and later, at the prompting of company president C. Aaron Velasquez, decided to further its defense qualifications, to include…
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Jan 14
Maker's MemoPESCO has been producing natural gas and oil production equipment in Farmington, New Mexico since 1970. In December, 2018, the manufacturer announced that it will expand its main facility by 20,000 square feet and create up to 180 new jobs. Over the years, the company has been steadily building a reputation for quality and service,…
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Nov 08
Maker's MemoNew Mexico MEP’s annual summit is a networking and think-tank opportunity for manufacturers, economic developers and thought leaders to discuss current issues affecting manufacturers in New Mexico. Typically held the last week of October, the event serves as the celebratory culmination of Manufacturing Day activities that take place throughout the month. Advanced Manufacturing Summit 2019…
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Oct 14
Maker's MemoBy Jason Gibbs, Finance New Mexico With a history of agricultural experimentation dating back to the 1930s and a storied tradition reaching into the depths of New Mexico’s territorial history, Los Poblanos has bridged the centuries and now, with the assistance of New Mexico Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NM MEP), continues to preserve the past and…
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Oct 08
Industry NewsFrom left: Sinsabaugh, Allison, Beeke and Mayberry discuss the future of manufacturing in New Mexico. Albuquerque Business First and New Mexico MEP sat down with two New Mexico companies and explored future opportunities for manufacturing in New Mexico.
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Sep 17
Maker's MemoMore than a third of young people studying for vocational and technical careers have no contact with potential future employers before they graduate, and only 12 percent have seen the inside of a manufacturing facility. That conclusion, from a 2016 study by the Manufacturing Institute, lends urgency to Manufacturing Day, an annual event designed to…
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Aug 27
Industry News What is the Fourth Industrial Revolution? Industry 4.0 involves a range of new technologies that are fusing the physical, digital, and biological worlds.
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Aug 15
Maker's MemoTo encourage small businesses with 250 or fewer employees to take a proactive approach to workplace safety, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) provides 90 percent of the funds necessary to run the free and confidential New Mexico State Occupational Health and Safety Bureau Consultation Program. The point is to help employers find workable…
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Aug 02
Industry NewsMfg Day 2017 students touring Old Wood in Las Vegas, New Mexico According to a recent report by the Manufacturing Institute, 35 percent of students engaged in career and technical education (CTE) have no contact with potential future employers. And only 12 percent have had the opportunity to walk through a manufacturing facility. Manufacturing Day aims…
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Jul 23
Maker's MemoCooper Fire Protection Services (CFPS) is a 40-year old company serving the Four Corners area from its base in Farmington. The company, which employs about 40 workers, designs, fabricates, installs and maintains fire protection systems in New Mexico and Colorado. Owners Ireke and Shantel Cooper — and Ireke’s parents, who previously owned the company —…
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Jun 11
Maker's MemoPamela Gathings has several businesses: Tethering Ideas, which provides consulting, prototyping, and research and development (R&D); Quick Carriers dba Hauling Accessories, which develops and produces items to expand vehicle storage; and Solar Lights, which provides solar power to the arts industries. Gathings’ businesses fit a niche and solve a community challenge by creating employer diversification…
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May 25
Maker's MemoA scientist with experience in education, healthcare, and technology transfer, Julia Wise joins our team to create, support, and lead programs that further technology-based economic and community development. She has an undergraduate degree in biology and chemistry, and a master’s and doctorate in geology. Prior to moving back to Santa Fe, she worked for The…
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Apr 27
Maker's MemoApplied Technology Associates (ATA) is a precision measurement, sensing, and controls company that furnishes services and products to government and commercial customers. As a privately held small business, ATA has demonstrated a remarkable ability to transition technology to operational use and commercial products by leveraging internal and government-funded research and development. ATA’s products and services…
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Apr 04
Maker's MemoBusinesses that partner with our organization tend to also connect with other economic development resources such as a Small Business Development Center (SBDC), the New Mexico Economic Development Department (NMEDD) — and the New Mexico Small Business Assistance Program (NMSBA). New Mexico entrepreneurs can explore this resource universe at the New Mexico Innovation Expo on April 19 in…
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Mar 28
Maker's MemoAs part of our mission to strengthen and grow New Mexico’s manufacturing and give our state’s manufacturers a competitive advantage through advanced automation, we are partnering with Build With Robots, LLC, to offer collaborative robot (CoBot) seminars and hands-on CoBot application demos. Founded in 2017 by serial entrepreneurs Chris Ziomek & Randy Krall, Build With Robots is a regional authorized…
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Mar 13
Maker's MemoAs we work to help New Mexico manufacturers become more competitive, we also measure the resulting impacts of our work. Here is a sampling of those impacts to illustrate how a small portion of the companies we have partnered with have become more competitive. Continental Machining Co, Inc. – Albuquerque, NM New Mexico MEP supported Continental Machining’s efforts to implement a…
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Mar 06
Maker's Memo> Complete infographic here (New Mexico made the spotlight — see Page 2) Courtesy of NIST
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Feb 20
Maker's MemoNew Mexico MEP Fiscal Year 2019 Economic Impacts New Mexico MEP is part of a national network of: 375 field locations Over 1,400 MEP experts More than 2,100 partners SUCCESS STORIES Navajo Spirit Southwestern Wear is building on deep roots An exercise in Value Stream Mapping generated ideas for new products made from the remnants…
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Feb 19
Maker's MemoTrotting On Innovations LLC invents products primarily for the supplemental oxygen community. The small Bloomfield, New Mexico, company was formed by inventor Middy McFarland, whose background in respiratory therapy and supplemental oxygen use led her to pursue taking ideas to market. Looking for a viable way to develop products for this expanding market, McFarland attended…
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Jan 12
Maker's MemoThough Albuquerque’s Midtown Metal was known primarily as a metal fabricator of roofing materials, they had the capacity to produce metal products for all architectural and building needs with quick turnaround, and in a variety of colors and finishes. By 2016, the company saw an opportunity to grow their product line to better include all…
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