By Andrew Webb
Journal Staff Writer
Employees at Albuquerque-based computer device maker SBS Technologies will have a little more elbow room and a lot less elevator time come spring.
The firm is, well, flattening its operations— from about 40,000 square feet spread between three labyrinthine floors of an uptown office building to 47,500 on one floor in a new, $8.6 million building at the Journal Center II business park.
"This new building allows us to configure a layout that's much better for what we're trying to do," said Jim Dixon, the firm's chief financial officer.
The new building, which is to be built and owned by Albuquerque-based Brunacini Development, will also allow for potential expansion of up to 10,000 feet, said SBS CEO Clarence Peckham. SBS has a 10-year lease.
The firm, which makes embedded computer equipment for military, medical, industrial and communications systems, will break ground for its new headquarters at 7401 Snaproll NE on Friday. It plans to move in by the end of May 2005.
About 115 of its 450 employees work in the firm's present offices at 2400 Louisiana NE.
"That space just wasn't fit for manufacturing," Peckham said. "There's some types of things we can't do in this building."
For example, he said, SBS has to test computer equipment designed to survive a brutal life in military vehicles, a process that could include emulating the vibration and temperature rigors such equipment might face in the field.
"You can't do that in an office building— people get upset if the building starts to shake," he said.
After stumbling early in its most recent fiscal year on costs associated with closing a California branch office and a shipment delay, SBS ended its year in June at about $134 million in sales, up from $115 million in the previous fiscal year. It projects sales of $150 million or more during its current fiscal year. SBS, which was founded in 1986, has offices around the country, as well as in Germany and China.
It trades on the NASDAQ as SBSE.
"We've had great support from the community on this move," Peckham said. "We're pleased to be in Albuquerque with our corporate headquarters."
AED 
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