Carson City manufacturer plans to increase its staff

Pro-Dex Inc., which purchased Carson City's Astromec in January, plans to train 35 new employees in northern Nevada in coming months.

The company says pay for the employees will average $17.81 an hour. It's seeking training incentives from the Nevada Commission on Economic Development, which will hear the request this week.

Astromec makes small electric motors used in medical devices and aerospace and military applications.

In a letter to the economic development commission, Pro-Dex President William Gustafson said the company believes its operating costs in Nevada will be half of those at Santa Ana, Calif., where it operates in leased facilities.

While Pro-Dex plans to maintain a presence in Orange County, he said the company plans to consolidate current operations and expand future operations at Carson City.

He said suppliers are available in northern Nevada to meet Astromec's needs for motor component winding, assembly and testing.

Pro-Dex is a publicly held company.