Release courtesy of the New Mexico Economic Development Department
SANTA FE – Governor Susana Martinez announced today that Interceramic, a Chihuahua City-based manufacturer of ceramic tile, will establish a warehousing and distribution operation in Santa Teresa, New Mexico in the Santa Teresa Business Center. Interceramic, which was founded in 1979, is one of the largest tile manufacturers in North America, with a total production capacity of 450 million square feet per year in nine facilities housed in four different manufacturing complexes: three in Chihuahua, Mexico and one in Garland, Texas.
“This is another sign that New Mexico is serious about attracting new employers, putting people to work, and fostering economic growth along our southern border,” said Governor Martinez. “Since day one we have worked to make it easier to do business and create jobs in our state and Interceramic’s decision to come to Santa Teresa shows that those efforts are paying dividends.”
The company will lease an 80,000-square-foot facility in Santa Teresa and create 30 jobs at its new operation. According to New Mexico Economic Development Secretary Jon Barela, “A major factor in the company’s selection of Santa Teresa was the establishment of an overweight cargo zone north of the Santa Teresa Port of Entry, which allows trucks with weights up to 96,000 pounds into this limited zone. The establishment of this zone was a joint effort between the New Mexico Economic Development Department, the New Mexico Legislature, the New Mexico Partnership and the Border Industrial Association. Interceramic is the second company to take advantage of this unique zone on the U.S.-Mexico border within the past seven months.”
According to Gabriel Grijalva, Interceramic’s Director of Supply Chain and Logistics, “The overweight zone and the rapid crossings at the Santa Teresa Port will allow us to transport our product into our U.S. market more economically and efficiently. In the future, we hope to expand our operations in Santa Teresa.”
With annual sales of approximately $500 million, Interceramic is a leading manufacturer of ceramic tile, bathroom fixtures, setting materials, and natural stone. The company uses 240 franchise stores to distribute its product in Mexico, 14 stores in the south region of the U.S. located across Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Georgia, and 65 independent distributors for the rest of the U.S. and Canada. In addition to their North America operations, the company also has distribution centers in Panama and Guatemala and a venture in China to produce high design ceramic tile and offer it through exclusive local distributors.
