Washington state manufacturer moves to ABQ

Company makes radiation shielding equipment

Citing the need for more space, labor and sunshine, a Seattle-area manufacturer has chosen Albuquerque as its new base of operations.

Lancs Industries, which manufactures radiation shielding and radiation containment products, announced that it is expanding to New Mexico, and hiring more than 70 employees to work at its Northeast Albuquerque manufacturing center.

“Albuquerque stands apart from the crowd as a leader for businesses looking to expand and grow,” said Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller in a prepared statement.

Lancs president Lewis Byrd told the Journal that the company has been based in Kirkland, Washington, since it began operating in 1974, and will retain some operations there.

However, he said as the company looks to grow and expand into new markets, space was at a premium.

“The Seattle area is wonderful, it’s been home for all these years, but we just needed more room,” Byrd said.

Byrd said Lancs has long sold its products to government agencies and laboratories, including Los Alamos National Laboratories.

However, the company has recently seen increased interest in its products from the health care and pharmaceutical industries. When the COVID-19 pandemic began, Byrd said the company made face masks and containment units for hospitals working with patients battling the virus.

Even once the pandemic abates, Byrd said he expects the industry to remain an important one, and said the company needs more space to accommodate those orders.

“We found what we think is a great location,” he said.

Working with local broker Jim Smith of CBRE, Lancs identified a 26,000-squarefoot building at 1420 Mission NE. By comparison, Byrd said Lancs operated in a 17,000-square-foot building in Kirkland, which was broken up in a way that created less usable space.

Lancs received state funding through the Job Training Incentive Program in November and February, totaling about $290,000, according to the state Economic Development Department.

Byrd said the company is looking to grow to between 70 and 75 employees in Albuquerque. Of those, he said about 68 will likely be new, local hires.

Byrd said the company is currently renovating the building, and hopes to be operating out of the facility by March.

“We’re happy to be coming to the Land of Enchantment, and we’re optimistic that it will work out,” he said.