As you follow tree-lined Northwest 60th Avenue south from Miami Lakes Drive, there are three large buildings that house national and international companies in the southwest corner of Miami Lakes.
National Molding, at 14429 NW 60th Ave., specializes in injection molding for a variety of industries.
“The company has been [in Miami Lakes] for over 40 years,” said Carlos Quinteros, vice president of human resources.
The company focuses largely on the automotive industry but also does other commercial work, he said.
Its website lists air filtration, appliances, telecommunications, furniture and lighting businesses among its clients, and employs 150 people at its Miami Lakes headquarters.
Quinteros said the company hires people with a lot of technical expertise and that the local labor force brings those skills to the company.
Many employees have worked there for decades; Quinteros said the oldest staffer was 80 years old when he retired.
The company also has manufacturing plants in Largo, Fla., Canada and China.
Quinteros said that trucks come in and out of the Miami Lakes location throughout the day.
“Being close to the airport is important for us,” Quinteros said.
The location is safe for their employees who work weekdays, around the clock, he said.
With Miami-Dade Police Department’s northwest station nearby, few issues happen in the area and if they do, officers respond quickly, he said.
Quinteros said the area is also clean and well-kept.
Those who pass by the building may notice the tree canopy and a marked bike path.
National Molding’s building is owned by ML Portfolio Equities LLC. It was built in 1972 and updated in 1984, according to the Miami-Dade County Property Appraisers Office.
Next door is Cordis, whose global headquarters is at 14201 NW 60th Ave. Owned by Cordis US Corp., the building was built in 1968 with updates in 1973, 2000 and 2004.
Cordis manufactures products to diagnose and treat coronary and vascular disease.
The final building as you cross at Northwest 142 Street is LBS, or Louis Berger Services located at the 14175 NW 60th Ave. The company maintains and operates “military installations and transportation facilities world-wide,” according to its website.
The building is owned by The Graham Companies and was built in 1964 with updates in 1971 and 1983.