MANUFACTURER OF ROPEWAY PRODUCTS
Brice Wallace
A ropeway manufacturer will expand in Salt Lake City, adding 130 jobs and investing over $60 million over the next decade.
Salt Lake City-based Doppelmayr USA makes ropeway products, or systems that use ropes to transport people or materials using suspended carriers — think chairlifts, gondolas and trams serving the ski industry.
“We love Utah,” Keith Johns, vice president of operations, told the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunityboard before the board approved a state tax credit for the project. “We love being here. We’re looking forward to growing our team.”
The expansion will feature a $60 million facility adjacent to the company’s current operations south of the Salt Lake City International Airport.
“Utah has been our home for designing and manufacturing ropeway systems for over 20 years,” Katharina Schmitz, president of Doppelmayr USA, said in a prepared statement. “It is a great location to attract the talent needed to provide exceptional products and support to our valuable customers in North America.
“The strategic investment in a new facility not only demonstrates our confidence in the long-term growth and sustainability of Doppelmayr USA, but also highlights our commitment to Utah. The new facility will be a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility where we will continue to produce high-quality ropeway systems for North America. We are excited to expand our facility and workforce and continue our legacy of building ropeway systems in such a beautiful place.”
Founded in 1982, Doppelmayr USA has about 250 U.S. employees, including 150 in Utah. It is a subsidiary of Austria-based Doppelmayr Group, a ropeway engineering company with more than 3,000 employees in 50 countries. The company plans, develops, designs, manufactures, builds and supports various projects.
The company’s projects include the Hogwarts Express train ride at Universal Studios in Florida; a Mandalay Bay tram in Las Vegas; the Marquam Hill Tram in Portland, Oregon; and those being installed at some national parks.
“We’re very much looking forward to the expansion and congratulations, and we love having you here and will continue to do so,” Will Wright, project manager for Salt Lake City’s Department of Economic Development, said during the GOEO board meeting.
“We congratulate Doppelmayr USA in selecting the home of ‘The Greatest Snow on Earth’ for its expansion,” Ryan Starks, GOEO’s executive director, said in a prepared statement. “Utah is home to world-class ski resorts and outdoor enthusiasts. Doppelmayr’s expertise in ski lift systems and ropeway infrastructure will enhance this thriving industry and allow those who visit and live in Utah to access Utah’s rugged terrain.”
The GOEO board approved a tax credit of up to about $2.8 million over 10 years for Doppelmayr USA. The expansion project is expected to generate new total wages of about $82.4 million during that time, as well as new state tax revenues of nearly $14 million. The new jobs are projected to pay an average of $94,903.
An incentive for a ropeway company is not new for GOEO. The board in May 2023 approved an incentive for aerial lift manufacturer Leitner-Poma of America, a Colorado-based company, based on the company’s plans to build a $35 million, 130,000-square-foot manufacturing plant in Tooele and create 236 jobs over a decade. The tax credit incentive was for up to $6.53 million over 10 years. The new Utah campus will serve as the headquarters and manufacturing base for Skytrac, an LPOA subsidiary, and produce ropeways for tourism, cities and ski lifts for both Skytrac and Leitner-Poma.
GOEO does not provide upfront cash incentives. Each year that an incentivized company meets the obligations in its contract with the state, it will qualify to receive a portion of the new, additional state taxes the company paid to the state.