News

The energy efficiency payoff

Jack’s Plastic Welding enjoys a wide customer base that covers the gamut of human activity. From river rafting to the oil and gas, medical, and water industries, and everything in between, the Aztec manufacturer builds products for local customers first, and then adapts them to fit a wider market. “We often hear people comment ‘Isn’t…

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NM MEP helps Albuquerque manufacturer secure coveted ISO registration

By Finance New Mexico Before joining ACME Worldwide Enterprises 13 years ago, Managing Director Eugene Moya had worked for large companies that were registered with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). But he had never led a company through ISO registration and didn’t think ACME was big enough to warrant the investment of time and…

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OSHA Injury and Illness Recordkeeping and Reporting Requirements

OSHA published a Final Rule to amend its recordkeeping regulation to remove the requirement to electronically submit to OSHA information from the OSHA Form 300 (Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses) and OSHA Form 301 (Injury and Illness Incident Report) for establishments with 250 or more employees that are required to routinely keep injury and illness records.…

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Humans Remain Integral to AI

An October 2020 report released by the United States Patent and Trademark Office offers opinions by the business and manufacturing community about Artificial Intelligence. The report,  Public Views on Artificial Intelligence and Intellectual Property Policy, is based on comments the USPTO received from 197 stakeholders, including individuals, associations, corporations and foreign IP offices in 2019…

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Manufacturing Day 2020 at Rhino Health, Inc.

Rhino Health Inc., located in the Church Rock Industrial Park on the Navajo Nation, manufactures nitrile rubber gloves used in medical, food service, automotive, janitorial, and other applications. Rhino Health is a U.S.-based company with a global management team from the Korean rubber conglomerate Jungwoo Rubber and Plastic. Made from synthetic rubber, nitrile gloves are…

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Manufacturing Day 2020 at Computer Aided Technology

Computer Aided Technology offers a team of engineering and manufacturing experts that help clients expand their capabilities and improve productivity through innovative technology. By understanding clients’ challenges, Computer Aided Technology finds solutions that enable business’ success. With the help of a powerful portfolio of software, 3D printing, 3D scanning and metrology, PDM and PLM, design…

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Manufacturing Day 2020 at Computer Aided Technology

Computer Aided Technology offers a team of engineering and manufacturing experts that help clients expand their capabilities and improve productivity through innovative technology. By understanding clients’ challenges, Computer Aided Technology finds solutions that enable business’ success. With the help of a powerful portfolio of software, 3D printing, 3D scanning and metrology, PDM and PLM, design…

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Manufacturing Day 2020 at Santa Fe Brewing

Santa Fe Brewing Company is New Mexico’s oldest brewery, distributing beer throughout New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma, and Arizona. All of its beer is brewed, canned, and bottled in Santa Fe. It was the first craft brewery to can its own beer. In the fall of 2019, the brewery became a destination when it added…

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Manufacturing Day 2020 at Integra Technologies

Integra Technologies is a global leader in the sourcing, packaging, testing, and characterization of highly specialized semiconductor components and related services. Its full-turnkey capabilities are uniquely qualified to serve mission-critical applications where dependability and failure-free performance are paramount. By embracing the principles and concepts of a “Total Quality Management” culture, Integra Technologies recognizes the need…

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Manufacturing Day 2020 at QC Group

QC Group, a subsidiary of Industrial Inspection & Analysis Inc., provides “Story-Worthy Service” to customers around the globe who are developing, expanding and supplementing their quality engineering resources. Established in 1986 as Quality Consultants and Inspection Services (QCIS), the company has grown to be one of the largest dedicated quality service providers in the United…

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Manufacturing Day 2020 at New Mexico Energy Manufacturing

New Mexico Energy Manufacturing is a nonprofit organization that is both a consortium and an institute. The consortium consists of three divisions: The Research Alliance, Manufacturing Deployment, and Workforce Development. These divisions work together in sync to broaden the energy manufacturing industry in the state of New Mexico. The institute is a membership organization that…

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Manufacturing Institute Program for America’s Students

Creators Wanted: A Program for America’s Students This is the Manufacturing Institute’s national kickoff event for MFG Day 2020 events. The program is hosted by Jay Flores, Global STEM Ambassador with remarks from Jay Timmons, President and CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers, and Dr. Walt Copan, Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology…

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Manufacturing Day 2020 at Lectrosonics

Headquartered in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, Lectrosonics makes wireless microphone systems and audio processing products used daily in mission-critical applications. Its products have been used by film and TV productions such as Breaking Bad and the Iron Man movies, touring musicians such as Journey and AC/DC, theaters such as the Santa Fe Opera and the…

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Manufacturing Day 2020 at Santa Fe Spirits

Santa Fe Spirits is New Mexico’s largest distillery, and it has won national awards for five of the spirits it makes here in the state. Founded by Englishman and whiskey aficionado Colin Keegan in 2010, Santa Fe Spirits uses local ingredients to create high-quality Scotch-style whiskies and Calvados-style apple brandies. Its nine products, distilled in…

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Manufacturing Day 2020 at Valencia Flour Mill

The 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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Funds for classroom and on-the-job training

JTIP 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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Unprecedented Times

Dear 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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Manufacturing Day 2020 in Aztec and NW New Mexico

Join 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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Manufacturing Day 2021 Along the 550 Corridor

New 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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A New Mexico MEP primer on safety

As 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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Partnerships to savor

The 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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Anatomy of a collaborative

The 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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Heartfelt gratitude

All 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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Website connects manufacturers and innovators with COVID-19 supply needs

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 other supplies that will bolster on-the-ground efforts to stop the…

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Website Helps Manufacturers Respond to Medical Needs

Manufacturers 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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Updates on the COVID-19 virus

A 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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Navajo Spirit Builds on Deep Roots

Since 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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Lean Manufacturing Workshops Help New-Hires Learn Company Culture

Process 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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Mfg Day high notes to keep in mind for 2020

University 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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Join Mfg Day 2019!

Insight 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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Solving Critical Technical Issues for Small and Medium-Sized Manufacturers

MEP 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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Finding the linchpin

Valley 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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Fighting for NMSBA

Enormous 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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Opportunity in Automation — for Businesses and Workers

Albuquerque’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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New OSHA requirement for New Mexico Manufacturers

As 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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Albuquerque’s Theta Plate pursues tailored guidance

A 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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PESCO’s growth story

PESCO 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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Advanced Manufacturing Summit

New 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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Innovation and tradition coexist for small-batch producer

By 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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Table of Experts: Manufacturing

From 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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