Diversifying the city's business base will offer more stability - economic and industrial developments in Carlsbad, New Mexico - Industry Overview

New Mexico Business Journal, Feb, 1993 by Jeff Flinn

"Our best bet is with smaller high tech companies with 25 to 50 employees," he says.

Recent newcomers include Edcor, Celtech Corp., and Specialized Plastic Sealing, a waterbed mattress firm employing up to two dozen workers.

The Department of Development joined with eight other eastern New Mexico communities to form the Business Quarter, which sports a $70,000 annual marketing budget for direct mail campaigns, attendance at trade shows -- anything to draw attention to the advantages of a firm moving to the region.

And visibility remains the key throughout, says Bernhard.

"WE STRESS THE real attractive features to new companies: a lowered cost of doing business, lower labor costs and electric/utility costs," he says. "Taxes are lower; and we offer an improved 'quality of life,' whereas a lot of people are seeing a deterioration of the quality of life aspect where they live, where they work.

"There's a real vision to what we are doing," he says, noting that WIPP is at the heart of the broadest vision for Carlsbad.

"We're interested in WIPP becoming more than just a storage area," says Bernhard. "We're interested in attracting other research, education and technology growth."

He envisions establishing a center for environmental management technology around Carlsbad's waste technology and handling prowess.

Gregory Environmental Systems is at the forefront in the waste container industry. A local business that started with a contract to build 35 waste handling containers for WIPP, Gregory's output has reached almost 200, some being used now by foreign countries.

The Carlsbad Environmental Monitoring and Research Center is another scientific base upon which Bernhard builds his optimism.

The center has received $3 million of a $25.8 million commitment from the U.S. Department of Energy to develop independent assessments of WIPP.

The assessments will include monitoring people, animals, plants, soil, water and air around WIPP to guarantee safe environmental conditions for Carlsbad.

New Mexico State University/Carlsbad offers an associate's degree in radiological and hazardous materials.

Because WIPP is designed to isolate hazardous wastes and minimize human risk, the site could become a home for a robotics and waste handling demonstration/training center.

POTASH OFFICIALS are keeping their attention focused on developments in Washington, D.C., in Canada and in the former Soviet Union.

Jack Skinner, vice chairman of a local potash ad hoc committee, says the Russians have created a pricing problem that may bring trouble to the industry.

Though not significant enough to dent U.S. potash production, Russian imports could begin dictating pricing Canadians and Americans have to compete with, he says.

The potash fields located a half hour east of Carlsbad are home to six mines: IMC Fertilizer Inc., New Mexico Potash Corp., Mississippi Chemical Corp., Eddy Potash Inc., Western Ag-Mineral Co., and Horizon Potash.

While the industry which 20 years ago employed more than 4,000 now has 2,000 workers, Skinner hints at better times ahead.