Economic Development Corporation of Utah

Economic Development Corporation of Utah (EDCUtah) is an investor-based public/private partnership working with government and private industry to promote the state of Utah.

EDCUtah’s mission is to serve as a catalyst for quality job growth and increased capital investment by assisting in-state companies to grow and recruiting out-of-state companies to expand and relocate in Utah. EDCUtah accomplishes its mission by being the comprehensive source for economic data, key public and private contacts, and help through the expansion or relocation process.

In 2005, the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) contracted with EDCUtah to handle much of the state’s business recruitment efforts. Today, a strong partnership has been created with significant coordination and success in recruiting businesses to Utah. This partnership now links state government with local government and the private sector in a unified approach to business recruitment.

AMER SPORT: A BUSINESS RECRUITMENT SUCCESS STORY

Amer Sport’s relocation to Utah is a good example of the partnership between EDCUtah, GOED, local government, and the private sector. Amer Sport, makers of Salomon, Atomic and Suunto brand sporting goods, recently announced the relocation of its North American headquarters to Ogden, Utah.

Through their experience in Utah at the twice-yearly Outdoor Retailer Tradeshow held in Salt Lake City, Amer Sport executives included Utah as a potential destination for their new headquarters. EDCUtah provided economic data and coordinated site visits with local and state government officials, private-sector business leaders, and real estate professionals. The choices were soon narrowed to Utah and Oregon. EDCUtah and GOED worked closely throughout the process and assisted Amer Sport in obtaining state incentive funds, and local communities offered innovative locations and programs to the company. In the end, Ogden was selected as the new home of Amer Sport North America, due in large part to Utah’s positive business environment and “mountain culture.”

RESULTS

EDCUtah’s involvement in expansion and relocation projects generally includes many elements including gathering and consolidating critical economic data, preparing sophisticated economic analyses, organizing and hosting meetings and site visits, connecting clients with key government and private sector individuals and departments, facilitating discussion and negotiations, and helping clients through the entire relocation/expansion process.

Governor Huntsman turning dirt with EDCUtah CEO, Jeff Edwards and West Liberty Foods executives at a ground breaking in Tremonton, Utah.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION OF UTAH

During the 2006-2007 fiscal year, EDCUtah assisted the following companies that subsequently announced their intentions to expand or relocate in Utah.

Allegheney Technologies, Inc. West Liberty Foods, L.L.C. Millard Refrigerated Services Heritage Plastics Dannon Hunter Douglas Ortner c.l.s. USA, Inc. Molecular Biologics Nucor Building Systems Young Living Essential Oils Weatherford US Holdings, Inc. Amer Sport SRATS Clear Link Technologies Warehouse 86 Fresenius Medical Care Charlotte Pipe and Foundry Mule Deer Foundation Smith Sport Optics Peregrine Outfitters Backcountry.com Q Analysts Silver Stone Wheel Bonnie Plant Farm Acusport Corporation Syracuse Castings West Corp. American Textiles Kenney Manufacturing Co. Fluor Enterprises, Inc. Haliburton Base Camp Communications McKenzie Sport Products, Inc. E*trade

Renderings of the new West Liberty Foods facility in Tremonton, Utah

The following metrics are a result of the EDCUtah/GOED partnership efforts during the 2006-07 fiscal year:

• 34 companies relocated, expanded, retained. • 5,570 new jobs committed. • 840 jobs retained (from companies that had been considering leaving the state). • 2,609,000 square feet of real estate absorbed. • $884.9 million of new capital investment in Utah.