While the nation's airlines were staging a comeback 3 yrs. after 9/11, a Santa Fe aviation consultant and a Dallas businessman converted a former electronics plant into a business that overhauls and repairs airliner parts. As part of efforts to reduce costs, airlines slowed acquisition of new aircraft, instead keeping older models airborne longer. In a booming market for sprucing up reused parts, Aero Mechanical Industries Inc. (AMII), which employs 94, has become part of a growing aviation-related business cluster for Rio Rancho and ABQ's West Side.

"The company decided on NM because of the tax benefits and other incentives offered to aviation industry companies, as well as a state-run program that reimburses the cost of training." Aero Mechanical has received several rounds of JTIP on-the-job training reimbursement, totaling approx. $283K for 47 employees, and was recently approved for another $162K to train 25 more. Looking to add another 25K sq.ft. to its facility and expand to 120 employees by the end of '08, the firm is working with Central NM Community College on an aviation maintenance training program. According to Rodney Doss, VP and Co-Founder of AMII, "There have been so many benefits to doing business in NM. The political and business attitude of Rio Rancho, Albuquerque, and the state is just phenomenal. It's been like that from day one."

Aero Mechanical had about $7M in revenues last year, and is on track for $12M this year, thanks in part to booming airline business in emerging economies like China and Africa.

Albuquerque Journal, May 14, 2008

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