German antenna and telescope technology company to build facility in Albuquerque

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – A German-based antenna and telescope technology company will open a 70,000-square-foot facility in Albuquerque and has plans to build a second facility in the Duke City in the future.

mtex Antenna Technology USA  will open its facility to fulfill obligations to North American customers, including the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) and the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, Massachusetts, according to the New Mexico Economic Development Department (EDD).

The company plans to invest $16 million into its Albuquerque facility at the Sandia Science and Technology Park and expects to have 62 employees. The project is expected to have an economic impact of $182 million over 10 years. Operation is set to begin in 2027.

“New Mexico is the optimal location for the company in terms of workforce, education, livability, business operating costs, and logistical transportation connections to U.S. customers,” mtex Antenna Technology CEO Lutz Stenvers said. “We are bringing investments in technology, engineering, and machining to Albuquerque, we feel that it’s the place to be right now as we look forward to possible collaborations with University of New Mexico, engineering schools such as New Mexico Tech, and other high-tech companies.” 

mtex was awarded a $1 million state grant from the Local Economic Development Act (LEDA) job-creation fund to assist with land, building, and infrastructure costs. The City of Albuquerque has pledged an additional $300,000 from its municipal LEDA funds. The awards will be paid out as the company meets economic development and job-creation benchmarks. The City of Albuquerque is the fiscal agent for the project. 

The mtex contract with NRAO is part of the Next Generation Very Large Array (ngVLA) project to build the largest radio astronomy facility in the Northern Hemisphere with over 200 additional antennas. NRAO Director Tony Beasley said the partnerships coming together in New Mexico will sustain scientific discovery for future generations.

mtex has also been awarded a contract to expand the Next Generation Event Horizon Telescope (ngEHT) by designing and adding up to five antennas to locations around the world, linking the technology to enable sharper images and better understand black holes. Stenvers said a second facility for testing and integration for telescope and satellite ground stations is also being planned in the vicinity of the Sandia Science & Technology Park. 

“New Mexico is the place to be for advanced science and engineering, and now these high-paying jobs are coming to New Mexico as mtex and other companies tap into New Mexico’s skilled workforce and our long history of scientific innovation,” Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said.  

EDD Economic Division Director Mark Roper and City of Albuquerque Economic Development Director Max Gruner both helped with recruiting mtex to New Mexico, according to EDD.