NEW PLANT WITH 200 JOBS
Brice Wallace
Business Journal
A waterproof building materials company plans to create 200 jobs and invest $20 million in a Tooele County manufacturing plant.
Draper-based HydroBlok produces innovative building materials for interior and exterior applications. The Utah plant will take over manufacturing that has been happening in China.
“We are onshoring all our manufacturing,” CEO Colin House said in an online video. “We are bringing all the manufacturing home to the state of Utah. This is very important for us because we want to support Gov. [Spencer] Cox, we want to support all our leaders in the government here, on the expansion of Utah jobs, Utah construction. We’re bringing manufacturing here and that is a very big decision for us. We want to support our local economy, our local leaders, and we want to make this state even better than it is today.”
In a prepared statement, House said the move is “more than just onshoring. It’s a commitment to Utah’s future.”
Established in 2009, HydroBlok opened its first factory in 2013. It started by producing a shower installation system that evolved into a multi-use material that the company says can replace drywall and can even be used outdoors. HydroBlok has served more than 1,000 customers with more than 100,000 installations in 11 countries, including at hotels like the Ritz-Carlton, Hyatt, Marriott and Hilton.
“This is about as disruptive as you can get in the construction space,” House said in the video. The company says its products — HB One Everything Board and HydroBlok Premium Drywall — are waterproof, mold-proof, lighter than typical wood used in construction, has improved energy efficiency and cuts project timelines and material costs.
House described the company’s ties to Utah as “Built here, sourced here, manufactured here, headquartered here, and [with] great strategic partnerships and relationships.”
“We are thrilled to welcome HydroBlok to Tooele County,” said Tooele County Council Chairman Jared Hamner. “HydroBlok’s investment will bring quality career jobs and strengthen our local economy while helping builders meet housing demands.”
“We welcome Hydroblok’s expansion in Tooele County and their vision for innovation in construction,” said Scott Cuthbertson, president of the Economic Development Corporation of Utah. “HydroBlok is driving meaningful change in the building products sector and their commitment to growing in rural Utah advances our state’s construction supply chain and brings 200 high-quality jobs to the region.”
EDCUtah helped the company by facilitating networking opportunities and providing guidance exploring state and local incentives and organized site visits. Spencer Layton, business development analyst, led the project for EDCUtah.
HydroBlok said it also was supported by World Trade Center Utah and Utah’s manufacturing community, along with strategic partners including Nilson Homes, L.K.L. & Associates and Little Giant Ladder Systems.
“We are excited to welcome HydroBlok to the Utah manufacturing community, where they are leading change as an innovative manufacturer, revolutionizing building materials and the way the trades build,” said Ryan Moss, CEO of Little Giant Ladder Systems. “HydroBlok’s commitment to innovation and quality creates valuable opportunities for skilled workers and drives growth in Utah’s manufacturing industry.”