Incentives mean manufacturing jobs for Tooele, Heber Valley
Brice Wallace
A mining equipment manufacturer will add 58 jobs in a project in Tooele, while a gun maker will add 25 jobs in Heber Valley.
The announcements by Minova USA Inc. and Mountain Billy Gun Lab LLC followed the companies being approved for state tax incentives by the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity board.
Minova’s $24.5 million project and Mountain Billy Gun Lab’s $3 million project were the main topics at the GOEO board’s May meeting. Both incentives have five-year lifespans.
Denver-based Minova develops and delivers ground support products for the mining and infrastructure industries. Its offerings for mining, tunneling and surface ground engineering projects include a range of bolting systems, injection chemicals, grouts, resin capsules, sprayable membranes, coatings and services. The company has 13 production sites and 18 sales offices in North America, South America, Europe, South Africa, India and Australia. It has operations in more than 25 countries.
“Minova has always been driven by a commitment to meeting our customers’ unique challenges,” Ryan Kerr, CEO, said in a prepared statement. “The construction of this state-of-the-art facility is a tangible demonstration of our dedication to being close to our customers, understanding their needs, and delivering solutions that meet and exceed their expectations.”
The company will lease a new 85,000-square-foot manufacturing facility at the Peterson Industrial Depot.
The GOEO board approved a tax credit incentive of up to $298,697 over five years. New total wages associated with the project are estimated at more than $21.5 million over five years, and new state tax revenue is projected at nearly $1.5 million for that period. The incentivized jobs will pay an average of $75,000.
“This strategic investment not only demonstrates our commitment to technological advancement but also reflects our confidence in the long-term growth and sustainability of Minova,” added Luke Colton, chief financial officer. “The new facility will serve as a hub for creative solutions, allowing us to work closely with our customers, address their unique challenges, and collectively shape the future of ground support solutions.”
Tooele Mayor Debbie Winn told the GOEO board that the city “wholeheartedly supports” the project.
“This is just a really wonderful company. … They will bring some exceptionally good jobs to Tooele City and to our county also, so we are very supportive of their efforts,” she said.
“Utah is a state abundant in natural resources that consistently require safe and efficient infrastructure,” Ryan Starks, GOEO’s executive director, said in a prepared statement. “Utah will significantly benefit from Minova’s industry expertise, and we look forward to seeing it strengthen our engineering and manufacturing workforce.”
“In Utah and Tooele, Minova found strong community partners and a skilled, available workforce,” said Scott Cuthbertson, president and CEO of the Economic Development Corporation of Utah. “We’re pleased to see Minova’s investment in Tooele City.”
Mountain Billy Gun Lab is a startup that produces what it calls the lightest semi-automatic rifle in the world, the GOAT-15, at leased space in Charleston in Wasatch County.
The company’s origins date to 2018, when Park City resident Eric Schmid had the idea for designing and producing a new lighter, safer and more compact firearm. Along with his sister and partner, Heidi Schaefer, he created Wee 1 Tactical LLC, a Utah-based company that designed such a firearm but was not able to produce it as planned. The company later dissolved, but Mountain Billy Gun Lab was created to achieve Schmid’s goal and purchased Wee 1 Tactical’s intellectual property.
“It was really an easy decision to select Utah, based on his location and his wanting to have a business there for his family to be involved in and grow in the community there,” Tony Testolin, a representative of the company, told the GOEO board.
The company is in the midst of producing a second firearm, with a third perhaps next year.
“It’s a startup company, but we’re looking at growing it through new introductions that kind of fit a niche in the market that currently isn’t being satisfied by the firearms industry,” Testolin said.
“Our family has operated a machine shop in Illinois for the past 80 years, and when developing this brand, we had many reasons to operate elsewhere,” Schaefer said in a prepared statement. “My brother and co-founder, Eric Schmid, resides in Park City and has commuted back and forth to Chicago for the past 12 years. He loves Utah for its landscape, cost of living, and his experience raising his family.
“Our focus is to grow a business in a state that is gun-friendly, has growth opportunities, and provides a great work/life balance for employees. Utah provides all of that and more, and we could not be more excited to bring Mountain Billy Gun Lab to Heber Valley.”
The GOEO tax credit incentive is for up to $285,051 over five years. New total wages are projected at over $7 million during that period, with the new jobs paying an average of $79,300. New state revenue is projected at $570,103 over five years.
“Utah is renowned for its beautiful landscapes and draws outdoor enthusiasts from far and wide,” Starks said. “With outdoor recreation having a central role in Utah culture, we think this growing company will find a welcoming home in Heber Valley.”
“Utah is home to world-class outdoor recreation opportunities, as well as a thriving industry for outdoor products,” Cuthbertson said. “We look forward to seeing the growth and success of this family-owned business in Heber Valley.”
“Heber Valley feels honored that, after an extensive nationwide search, Mountain Billy Gun Lab chose to come to our community,” said Dallin Koecher, executive director at Heber Valley tourism, economic development and chamber of commerce. “They will bring great jobs to the valley, and we look forward to working with them as they expand in the future. We welcome Mountain Billy Gun Lab to Heber Valley.”
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.