March 14th, 2023, Belen, NM – New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Dallas-based Arcosa, Inc., a manufacturer of infrastructure-related products and solutions, announced today that Arcosa Wind Towers, an Arcosa subsidiary, will open a wind-tower production facility in Belen and anticipates hiring 250 New Mexico employees.
New Mexico was chosen over other locations due to its supportive partnerships and competitive incentives, the company said.
“We look forward to expanding our manufacturing capacity to New Mexico, where market demand for new wind projects is robust,” Antonio Carrillo, President and CEO of Arcosa, Inc., said. “Our new facility will strengthen our position in the wind-tower market and enable Arcosa to benefit from growing wind investment in the Southwest. We are pleased to create new jobs in the State of New Mexico, which has been a supportive partner and a strong proponent of wind-energy development.”
Arcosa has received new orders for wind towers totaling $750 million, with the majority of those for projects in New Mexico and the Southwest. Arcosa Wind Towers is purchasing an existing facility, formerly occupied by Keter, along a Burlington Northern rail spur at 1951 Highway 304, Belen, in the Rio Grande Industrial Park. The facility will service the increased demand in wind-energy development, in part fueled by the federal Inflation Reduction Act.
Gov. Lujan Grisham has identified sustainable energy as a target industry to receive additional strategic economic development assistance as New Mexico diversifies its economy to attract higher-paying jobs. Arcosa Wind Towers is one of several new businesses that has chosen to expand or relocate to the state since the Governor-led Energy Transition Act became law in 2019.
“The transition to clean energy brings with it more diversified, higher-paying and skilled jobs,” Gov. Lujan Grisham said. “Arcosa is repurposing an old factory for new investments in our state and our communities – this is a win-win.”
The State of New Mexico is contributing $4 million from its Local Economic Development Act (LEDA) job-creation fund to assist with the New Mexico manufacturing expansion. Funding will be provided as the company meets agreed-upon economic development benchmarks.
“EDD’s strategy to focus on job-rich industries and bring better quality jobs to New Mexico is working,” Economic Development Department Cabinet Secretary Alicia J. Keyes said. “Now we need to build on our successes and move forward to aggressively support the growth of new and existing businesses that can improve the lives of our families and the health of our communities.”
The company will not only qualify for LEDA but can apply for assistance through EDD’s Job Training Incentive Program (JTIP), which reimburses companies for a portion of employee training costs. New Mexico also has other incentives for manufacturing and the hiring of high-wage workers. The City of Belen is planning assistance through Industrial Revenue Bonds (IRBs).
“I am pleased to welcome Arcosa Wind Towers to Belen and Valencia County. The anticipated creation of 250 jobs is vital to our local workforce and economy. I am excited that Belen and Valencia County have been chosen by a company that brings over 85 years of expertise to infrastructure-related projects and look forward to having them in our community,” City of Belen Mayor Robert Noblin said.
