Jack's Plastic Welding
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
Aztec, NM: Jack’s Plastic Welding (JPW), based in Aztec, NM, has been building durable inflatable products since 1982. The business began as a sole proprietorship and has now grown into a specialized manufacturing operation with a 10,000+ square foot facility.
In 2025, WESST, the New Mexico Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NM PEP), and the Farmington Chamber of Commerce hosted a virtual roundtable for Manufacturing Day. T.J. Garcia, CEO and Lead Designer of Jack’s Plastic Welding, joined as a panelist, discussing the future of next-generation manufacturing and the importance of maintaining a family-oriented company culture.
WESST has helped us think more clearly about growth, leadership, and how to tell the story of what our team is capable of. For a small manufacturer in New Mexico, support like that matters. It helps us step back from the day-to-day work and recognize that what we are building here has value far beyond our shop floor.
While many customers know the JPW team through its outdoor recreation products, they also developed a strong reputation for solving manufacturing challenges in demanding environments. Jack’s Plastic Welding’s aerospace work began through a NASA contract originally secured under founder, Jack Kloepfer. In 2026, their team saw the culmination of their work, along with the rest of the world. NASA’s Artemis II mission returned to Earth and the Orion spacecraft splashed down on April 10, 2026, off the coast of San Diego after a nearly ten-day journey around the Moon. Artemis II was the first crewed Artemis mission and the first astronaut mission beyond Earth orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972.
As the NASA and Navy recovery teams approached the Orion spacecraft, they were using inflatable recovery platforms designed and engineered by the crew at Jack’s Plastic Welding. For the JPW team, seeing their work used in the recovery of four astronauts was both humbling and deeply meaningful. The project represented years of manufacturing discipline, testing, collaboration, and trust. It was a moment of national pride, and a reminder that small manufacturers can play a meaningful role in large scale missions when they combine craftsmanship, persistence, and practical problem solving.
