Assets

 

NMBorderplex Assets

The NMBorderplex offers a multitude of industry supporting assets across a variety of industries ranging from aerospace to value-added agriculture, to advanced manufacturing. Additionally, our unique southwest location, at the intersection of Interstate 25 & Interstate 10, along the U.S.-Mexico Border, served by two Class 1 Railroads, and equidistant to the seaports of Longbeach, CA and Houston, TX provides an efficient, centralized logistics hub to reach your North American consumer.

Aerospace

The NM Borderplex has a rich history of aerospace activity and has been at the forefront of aerospace advancement for over 75 years. America’s space program launched from the NM Borderplex with experimental rocket research at nearby White Sands Missile Range taking place after World War II. Today, the NM Borderplex hosts some of the nation’s top aerospace firms, including Jacobs Technology, Boeing, General Dynamics, Honeywell, Raytheon, and NASA. Additionally, multiple Federal, state, and military research centers also provide ongoing aerospace study and advancement in the region.

Spaceport America

The nation’s first purpose-built commercial space facility accommodates vertical and horizontal space-launch vehicles and hosts multiple private aerospace companies as well as scientific and engineering research projects. In fact, Virgin Galactic has established their world headquarters in Las Cruces and flew their first launch with passengers in May of 2021

Department of Defense Assets

  • White Sands Missile Range

As the largest open-air land test range in the nation, White Sands Missile Range supports missile development and test programs for the US Military, NASA, and other government and private agencies.

  • White Sands Test Facility

The NASA White Sands Test Facility provides crucial expertise and unmatchable infrastructure for testing and evaluating spacecraft materials, components, and rocket propulsion systems. Recently, the facility has been testing oxygen explosions in response to the space shuttle Challenger disaster in order to provide greater safety for the industry moving forward.

Testing and Research

  • New Mexico State University Physical Science Laboratory (PSL)

Founded in 1946 as a response the nation’s space and rock programs, NMSU Physical Science Laboratory (PSL) supports the development and application of new and exiting technologies. This multi-disciplined organization provides expertise in sub-orbital platforms, information modeling for predictive decision making, specialized intelligence community support, advanced NASA scientific exploration and experimentation, homeland security sensing and detection technologies, and advanced weapons and countermeasures development and testing designed to strengthen our national security.

  • UAS Flight Test Center

One of seven FAA approved UAS Test Sites support the integration of unmanned systems into the National Airspace System specializing in testing for all classes of UAS. The FAA Certificate of Authorization permits UAS flights in over 15,000 square miles of coordinated airspace in southwestern New Mexico with ground to space testing available in both general and restricted airspace.

Value-Added Agriculture

Long growing seasons and mild winters make the NM Borderplex an ideal location for food processing businesses. Abundant opportunities for industries that support agricultural production and added value through packaging and processing thrive in the NM Borderplex!

 

New Mexico State University

  • HQ of the New Mexico Department of Agriculture
  • NMSU Ag Science Center

A Place to Grow

  • Over 660,000 acres of farmland
  • Over 2,100 farms in the region
  • $351 million market value of products sold
  • Ranked first in New Mexico for crop value
  • Among top ten percent of U.S.

Pecans

  • Over 28,000 acres of pecans
  • 51.8 million pounds produced in 2016
  • 19.2 percent of U.S. pecan production
  • Leading the nation in yield-per-acre

Chile

  • Home to the Chile Pepper Institute
  • 30% of all U.S. chile grown here
  • Over 9,200 producing acres

Milk and Dairy

  • Among top two percent for national cow milk production
  • New Mexico is one of the top five cheese-producing states
  • First dairy cows to collectively exceed 25,000 lbs.-per-cow in the U.S.
  • Number One daily producing state in production per cow

International Ag

  • Neighboring Chihuahua is the largest producer of pistachios, apples, cherries, cotton, oregano, and nuts in Mexico
  • Chihuahua also produces over 50% of all Mexican wheat
  • Produces 100% of Mexican pistachios
  • Ranks first in peach and apple nurseries

Manufacturing & Logistics

The NM Borderplex is a part of the fifth-largest manufacturing center in North America and is perfectly situated between two coastal ports and a reliable transportation network. Comprised of the Las Cruces NM MSA, the El Paso TX MSA, and Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico, the NM Borderplex is the largest metropolitan area along the US-Mexico border.

Businesses find unlimited opportunities for supplying customers on both the East and West Coasts, whether by two all-weather Interstate highways, Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Santa Fe rail, or by air cargo through any of the three airports. Plus, the Borderplex offers one of the most modern US Ports of Entry at Santa Teresa, New Mexico flanked by two industrial parks and an overweight zone with intermodal facilities.

Workforce Talent

  • 295,000-person manufacturing workforce
  • 125,000 college students

Infrastructure

  • Five infrastructure-ready industrial parks
  • Free trade and opportunity zone

Superior Logistics

  • Access to Interstate 10 and Interstate 25
  • Two Class-One rails with BNSF and Union Pacific
  • Location of Union Pacific’s largest intermodal facility in U.S.
  • Equi-distant from ports in San Diego and Houston
  • Foreign Trade Zone

International Port of Entry

  • Easternmost dry-crossing Port of Entry on U.S./Mexico border
  • Site of master-planned bi-national community
  • Adjacent to over 300 Juarez maquiladora factories
  • 12-mile overweight zone

 

Border Trade

The U.S.-Mexico border has been an ideal environment for manufacturing and logistics for decades, and the NM Borderplex offers fast access to the maquilas of Mexico via the Santa Teresa International Port of Entry which is the furthest-east dry crossing along the U.S.-Mexico border. Union Pacific moves goods by rail from the Santa Teresa Intermodal Terminal. As part of a three-state, two-nation region that is home to more than 2.5 million residents, the NM Borderplex is comprised of the Las Cruces, NM MSA, the El Paso, TX MSA, and Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua Mexico. Together, the region represents the largest metropolitan area along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Digital Media

The ever-growing presence of digital media makes it one of the hottest industries in the nation, and the NM Borderplex has much to offer for innovation, technology, research, and business development.
NMSU Creative Media Institute (CMI)

Preparing students for a new era in digital filmmaking, animation, and visual effects, New Mexico State University’s CMI is a dynamic, cross-disciplinary program that is focused on the art, craft, and business of storytelling. Students study all aspects of digital filmmaking and digital arts, whether they are aspiring writers, directors, cinematographers, or animators.

  • Digital Projection System Screening Room
  • Post-Production Lab
  • Animation Lab
  • Production Space
  • Motion Capture Laboratory
  • THX Sound-Mixing Theatre

Doña Ana Community College Creative Media Technology

In response to an ever-growing need for trained specialists with the visual sophistication to design printed materials, video, film, animation, web sites, and game design, Doña Ana Community College (DACC) offers a program in Creative Media Technology for Film and Digital Arts. CMT has also teamed up with the Las Cruces Film Office to develop a local Film Workforce Initiative.

  • Animation
  • Video Production
  • Audio Production
  • Game Design
  • Film-Crew Training
  • Digital Illustration
  • Digital Imaging
  • Digital Layout
  • Web Design
  • Photography

Learning Games Lab at NMSU

Providing a real-world, hands-on aspect to education, the Learning Lab at New Mexico State University is a development studio, a user-testing research space, and an exploratory environment for playing and evaluating games and educational tools. Working in conjunction with NMSU Media Productions, the Learning Games Lab partners with research groups, faculty, and programs nationally and internationally to create educational media in various disciplines.

 

  • Create and test educational media
  • User-testing research
  • Advanced development studio