By Jerry Pacheco, president of the Border Industrial Association and Senior Business Consultant, the New Mexico Partnership
Santa Teresa, New Mexico is host to one of the U.S.-Mexico border’s most active industrial bases, comprised of four industrial parks: the Airport Park, Santa Teresa Gateway Rail Park (rail-served land with a short-line railroad), Santa Teresa West Park, and Santa Teresa Binational Industrial Park. The Santa Teresa Port of Entry, a land crossing just West of El Paso, ranks sixth or seventh of all U.S. international ports of entry on the U.S.-Mexico border in terms of volume of trade. Union Pacific’s largest intermodal yard by territory is also located in Santa Teresa, The Santa Teresa Jetport provides air cargo services for the region.
In 2024, 870,763 square feet of new industrial space became operational. Blue Road Investments (BRI) constructed two speculative buildings of 220,895 square feet and 425,368 square feet the latter of which has been fully leased. BRI also broke ground on its next speculative building of 415,000 square feet. All of BRI’s buildings are in Santa Teresa’s West Park. Pan American Realty also started construction on its first Santa Teresa speculative building of 116,000 square feet in the Santa Teresa Airport Park, which will be available for lease in spring of this year.
Build-to-suit activity in Santa Teresa was also brisk during the past year. Franklin Mountain Packaging added a second building of 151,000 square feet to complement its existing plant of 140,000 square feet. Coast Aluminum, of California, completed construction of a 73,500-square-foot distribution center, which will become operational this spring. Both of these buildings are located in Santa Teresa’s Binational Industrial Park. In 2024, Oro, LLC began construction on its 74,000-square-foot onion processing plant in the Santa Teresa Gateway Rail Park. Across the street in Santa Teresa’s West Park, Valley Cold Storage launched a 135,000-square-foot expansion of its cold storage warehouse, and when completed, the company will have a total of 342,000 square feet of space.
Companies that started operations within the past year include Monti (metal fabrication, 80,000 square feet), Franklin Mountain Packaging (corrugating, 151,000 square feet), Ross Dress for Less (apparel distribution, 70,000 square feet), Admiral Cable (power cables, 140,000 square feet), and Louisiana Pepper Exchange (chile mash, 120 distribution silos).
Companies that have announced that they will launch projects in Santa Teresa in 2025 include Alta Vista Estates, which is slated to build a 1,200 residential, commercial, and retail development within the Santa Teresa industrial base. Hota Industrial Manufacturing has acquired 30 acres in Santa Teresa’s West Park on which to build its new powertrain production plant. This company, along with Cymmetrik (bar code labels), and Admiral Cable are three Taiwanese companies that have been recruited to Santa Teresa within the past five years. The Chinese adjustable bed manufacturer, Ergomotion, which has its distribution center in the Santa Teresa West Park, was also recruited during this time period.
Because of the rapid industrialization of the Santa Teresa industrial base, new infrastructure is critical. The State of New Mexico has committed $86 million to construct a new four-lane highway to connect Santa Teresa to El Paso and Juarez, Mexico. This will offer a second egress and ingress option for accessing the industrial base. This project will begin in the Fall of 2025.
The Santa Teresa Jetport has received $22.5 million in funding to lengthen and reinforce its runway. When completed in January 2025, this will allow the Jetport to accept up to 767 cargo planes. This will provide the Santa Teresa industrial base with another mode of logistics.
Finally, the State of New Mexico is working with its congressional delegation and Mexican officials to modernize and expand the Santa Teresa Port of Entry. The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) has conducted a feasibility study on the project and it is expected that in 2025 the port will become part of GSA funding priority list. This project will greatly expand the commercial and private vehicle lanes at the port.
Santa Teresa, New Mexico is host to one of the U.S.-Mexico border’s most active industrial bases, comprised of four industrial parks: the Airport Park, Santa Teresa Gateway Rail Park (rail-served land with a short-line railroad), Santa Teresa West Park, and Santa Teresa Binational Industrial Park. The Santa Teresa Port of Entry, a land crossing just West of El Paso, ranks sixth or seventh of all U.S. international ports of entry on the U.S.-Mexico border in terms of volume of trade. Union Pacific’s largest intermodal yard by territory is also located in Santa Teresa, The Santa Teresa Jetport provides air cargo services for the region.
In 2024, 870,763 square feet of new industrial space became operational. Blue Road Investments (BRI) constructed two speculative buildings of 220,895 square feet and 425,368 square feet the latter of which has been fully leased. BRI also broke ground on its next speculative building of 415,000 square feet. All of BRI’s buildings are in Santa Teresa’s West Park. Pan American Realty also started construction on its first Santa Teresa speculative building of 116,000 square feet in the Santa Teresa Airport Park, which will be available for lease in spring of this year.
Build-to-suit activity in Santa Teresa was also brisk during the past year. Franklin Mountain Packaging added a second building of 151,000 square feet to complement its existing plant of 140,000 square feet. Coast Aluminum, of California, completed construction of a 73,500-square-foot distribution center, which will become operational this spring. Both of these buildings are located in Santa Teresa’s Binational Industrial Park. In 2024, Oro, LLC began construction on its 74,000-square-foot onion processing plant in the Santa Teresa Gateway Rail Park. Across the street in Santa Teresa’s West Park, Valley Cold Storage launched a 135,000-square-foot expansion of its cold storage warehouse, and when completed, the company will have a total of 342,000 square feet of space.
Companies that started operations within the past year include Monti (metal fabrication, 80,000 square feet), Franklin Mountain Packaging (corrugating, 151,000 square feet), Ross Dress for Less (apparel distribution, 70,000 square feet), Admiral Cable (power cables, 140,000 square feet), and Louisiana Pepper Exchange (chile mash, 120 distribution silos).
Companies that have announced that they will launch projects in Santa Teresa in 2025 include Alta Vista Estates, which is slated to build a 1,200 residential, commercial, and retail development within the Santa Teresa industrial base. Hota Industrial Manufacturing has acquired 30 acres in Santa Teresa’s West Park on which to build its new powertrain production plant. This company, along with Cymmetrik (bar code labels), and Admiral Cable are three Taiwanese companies that have been recruited to Santa Teresa within the past five years. The Chinese adjustable bed manufacturer, Ergomotion, which has its distribution center in the Santa Teresa West Park, was also recruited during this time period.
Because of the rapid industrialization of the Santa Teresa industrial base, new infrastructure is critical. The State of New Mexico has committed $86 million to construct a new four-lane highway to connect Santa Teresa to El Paso and Juarez, Mexico. This will offer a second egress and ingress option for accessing the industrial base. This project will begin in the Fall of 2025.
The Santa Teresa Jetport has received $22.5 million in funding to lengthen and reinforce its runway. When completed in January 2025, this will allow the Jetport to accept up to 767 cargo planes. This will provide the Santa Teresa industrial base with another mode of logistics.
Finally, the State of New Mexico is working with its congressional delegation and Mexican officials to modernize and expand the Santa Teresa Port of Entry. The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) has conducted a feasibility study on the project and it is expected that in 2025 the port will become part of GSA funding priority list. This project will greatly expand the commercial and private vehicle lanes at the port.
