Allstate Opening Service Center in Las Cruces

Allstate Insurance Co. announced it is opening a customer service center in Las Cruces, N.M., that is expected bring in more than 200 jobs to the area.

The city’s bilingual employee base and a good business environment were important in making the decision, said a company spokeswoman, Shelley Beeler.

Allstate said it plans to open the center by January and expects to begin hiring in December.

The office is part of Allstate’s expansion of “express” claims handling, “which is focused on improving customer service and eliminating redundancies in the company’s claims organization,” according to a news release from the company.

Steve Vierck, president and CEO of the Mesilla Valley Economic Development Alliance, said the office is expected to have 259 employees.

Company representatives visited Las Cruces twice and met with staff at the Dona Ana Community College and the state labor department about developing the area’s work force.

Allstate said Las Cruces was one of thousands of cities evaluated, and that it was chosen based on such factors as “cost of living, availability of talent and the ability to maintain operations when severe weather occurs in other parts of the country.”