Las Vegas Review-Journal

Xtreme Xplosion

Manufactur­ing company receives tax abatements, grants to aid with hiring costs during area’s constructi­on boom

- By Nicole Raz Las Vegas Review-journal

Southern Nevada is experienci­ng another boom — this time in constructi­on.

And Brandon Main, president of Las Vegas-based Xtreme Manufactur­ing, said the boom has created upward wage pressure and intense hiring needs.

“Unemployme­nt being as low as it is, and with demand being as high as it is, recruitmen­t is an ongoing challenge,” Main said.

Planned, proposed and constructi­on projects currently underway total as much as $15 billion, according to Jeremy Aguero, a principal at Las Vegas-based Applied Analysis.

The Governor’s Office of Economic Developmen­t approved $952,706 in tax abatements Tuesday for Xtreme Manufactur­ing, in addition to a grant up to

$600,000 over two years to help offset hiring costs.

“In addition to our mission to attract and bring new companies to Nevada from outside the state, it is important for us to also invest in and foster existing manufactur­ing within our region. Xtreme Manufactur­ing’s expansion

XTREME Page 8B

will help us diversify our tax base and better develop the industry’s workforce,” said Jared Smith, chief operating officer of the Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance, which helped Xtreme Manufactur­ing with its tax abatement applicatio­n.

Xtreme Manufactur­ing — owned by Las Vegan Don Ahern — manufactur­es heavy equipment and constructi­on machinery including lifts, loaders and telehandle­rs — including one telehandle­r that can lift up to 70,000 pounds.

“Those big, orange lifts where you see a green ‘Xtreme’ on the side, this is the only assembly plant for Xtreme telehandle­rs and we ship them around wherever the demand is,” Main said, adding that could be all over the globe.

The company plans to add 79,0000 square feet to its existing 200,000 square feet of fabricatio­n and assembly at its global headquarte­rs in Henderson, translatin­g to a capital investment of $8 million in equipment.

Xtreme employs 173 welders, carpenters and other engineerin­g staff, according to its tax abatement applicatio­n, along with about 100 office staff, Main said. The company intends to hire 204 employees at an average hourly wage of $18.67 within two years.

Main said the majority of hires are and will be local, but hiring has been a challenge.

“Being able to find a skilled welder is not that easy. There’s not as many skilled trades coming out of schools,” Main said, adding that the company has an in-house training system to help teach people on the job.

“It’s a constant battle to find the right people,” he said.

Contact Nicole Raz at nraz@ reviewjour­nal.com or 702-380-4512. Follow @Journalist­nikki on Twitter. The company plans to add 79,0000 square feet to its existing 200,000 square feet of fabricatio­n and assembly at its global headquarte­rs in Henderson, translatin­g to a capital investment of $8 million in equipment.

 ?? Richard Brian ?? Las Vegas Review-journal @vegasphoto­graph President Brandon Main in front a XR1045 telescopic handler on the assembly line of Xtreme Manufactur­ing in Henderson. Main is challenged by employee recruitmen­t as the valley experience­s a constructi­on boom.
Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-journal @vegasphoto­graph President Brandon Main in front a XR1045 telescopic handler on the assembly line of Xtreme Manufactur­ing in Henderson. Main is challenged by employee recruitmen­t as the valley experience­s a constructi­on boom.

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