Greener Pastures

M2USA Looks to New Mexico for New Plant

By Dennis W. Roberts

A new manufacturing plant will have a positive economic impact in New Mexico when it is operational late this year, and it should help spread the green building culture throughout the Southwest.

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Officials of M2USA, a worldwide company with headquarters in San Juan, Puerto Rico, have announced that they will locate their second U.S. manufacturing plant in New Mexico. Expected start of operations is "first quarter 2008," says Gilberto Martinez Fernandez, the firm's marketing representative.

The initial plant is located in New Orleans.

Martinez says that while the project has not yet entered the design phase, initial plans call for a showroom and office space within a 50,000- to 60,000-sq-ft structure. The initial investment will be approximately $10 million and will create up to 30 jobs directly related to the facility, he adds.

Martinez says New Mexico was chosen over seven other states largely because of the positive interaction M2USA representatives experienced with state leaders, including Gov. Bill Richardson, and construction industry stakeholders who were brought together by the New Mexico Building Branch of Associated General Contractors.

The new manufacturing plant, tentatively planned for the village of Los Lunas, will be constructed completely utilizing the M2 building system, according to Martinez.

Rene Hernandez, president and CEO of M2USA, who is headquartered in Puerto Rico, says that M2 stands for "Monolithic-Second Generation".

"Our building system is a series of green building and energy-efficient panels with a core of close-cell EPS with electrowelded galvanized steel wire mesh on both faces," he adds. "The panel is designed to accept structural plaster during installation, whether residential, commercial or industrial.

"The aim is to provide a building system of build-to-suit and industrialized modular panels that, besides requiring shorter erection time, have structural and load-bearing functions for structures up to 20 stories with antiseismic characteristics."

Hernandez says the advantages of the product are its "lightness, rapid assembly and energy efficiency." Cost savings, on an average, can run "from 20 to 30%," and assembly time can be "40% faster when compared to conventional and traditional systems in the market," he says.

Energy savings for owners of commercial and residential buildings where M2 is used can pay "12 to 17% less" in energy bills, Hernandez adds.

He says that the product is fireproof; waterproof; not affected by molds, fungi or termites; and meets standards of the U.S. Green Building Council. It can withstand hurricane and tornado-force winds and has excellent thermal and acoustical properties. A wide range of shapes and finishes can be achieved during the building process.

M2 is an Italian patent with a manufacturing and construction experience of over 30 years, with 45 manufacturing plants around the world. The first U.S. plant in New Orleans was established on June 2006 and started full operations in January.

The building system is known in different parts of the world as MDEUX, EMTWO, EMEDOS, EMMEDUE and M2USA.

Hernandez says that Pedro "Pete" Marin, a member of the Georgia House of Representatives, made the initial contact with Richardson.

"Gov. Richardson's commitment to energy-efficient technology and the follow-up presentations by the New Mexico Economic Development Partnership and the agile process of the CID had a tremendous impact," Hernandez says.
"They are very well-organized and efficient."

When looking for a center through which contacts could be made in New Mexico, the M2USA group chose the New Mexico Building Branch, AGC, headquartered in Albuquerque. On August 2006, M2USA representatives made a presentation to New Mexico contractors and suppliers.

"Vicki Mora (AGC CEO) has been a driving force in helping us get established in New Mexico," Hernandez says. In addition to setting up meetings to discuss code issues with the Construction Industries Division, AGC is postured to assist in the training effort to teach workers how to apply the building system.

A community service opportunity where the M2USA system can be showcased has been discussed through the Young Constructors' Forum of the New Mexico Building Branch and its chair, Philip Tenorio of the Jaynes Corp.
M2USA has offered its services to help in the construction of a new facility for the Albuquerque Boys' and Girls Club. Construction is in the design stage for the facility, which serves more than 3,000 children.

When the new manufacturing facility is complete, contractors and owners of commercial and residential structures in New Mexico will have a prototype of a structure in which the M2 products are included. It will allow them to look at a system that has been on the international stage for some time.

Dennis Roberts is the director of industry relations and safety with the New Mexico Building Branch AGC.

Useful Sources

For additional information on M2, contact Gilberto Martinez
at 787-644-4121 or m2micpr@aol.com.

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