The former site of copper tubing manufacturing in Cedar City will get a new life.
Mueller Industries, a 100-year-old company based in Memphis, Tennessee, announced recently that it will take over a manufacturing building closed four years ago and revive it to again primarily produce copper tube products.
The company made the announcement after being approved for a state tax credit incentive by the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) board. The $18.9 million project will result in 90 new jobs initially and ultimately 125.
Mueller manufactures and distributes copper tube and fittings; brass and copper alloy rod, bar and shapes; aluminum and brass forgings; aluminum and copper impact extrusions; plastic fittings, pipe and valves; refrigeration valves and fittings; and fabricated tubular products. It has operations throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, China and Great Britain.
Cerro Copper, later known as Cerro Flow Products, once used the building, but Danny Stewart, Cedar City’s economic development director, said it has sat vacant for four years.
“And it’s a pretty unique building,” Stewart told the GOED board. “It was built just for copper fabrication. Really, we couldn’t have found a better fit than having Mueller Industries come in. They’re a world-class company, they’re a global company, they’re very strong, and we’re excited to be working with them.”
Stewart said Cedar City often is overlooked by expanding companies who wonder if the city and the county can provide the workforce they need.
“We’re confident that this is going to be a great move for Mueller,” he said. “They’re going to find that Cedar City will be among the top-performing locations that they have in the world.”
Jerry Oldroyd, chairman of the GOED board’s Incentives Committee, described the project as “a really good opportunity for a company to come in and take advantage of the building, hire additional employees and to expand the operation. I think it’s critically important to Cedar City. … I think Cedar City will be a good fit for them, and I think it’s a great fit for the state of Utah.”
“We talk a lot about new factories and things going in rural locations,” said Christopher Conabee, the board’s acting chairman, “but turning the lights on in a dormant factory is a big deal.”
The board approved a tax credit of up to $495,190. The project is expected to result in $31.3 million in new wages over eight years and new state tax revenue of nearly $2.5 million during that time.
“I commend Mueller Industries for its resourcefulness and investment in Iron County,” said Val Hale, GOED’s executive director. “The company’s state-of-the-art facility and access to a skilled workforce from surrounding communities provide a strong foundation as it expands in Utah.”
“We are pleased with Mueller Industries’ decision to build operations in Cedar City,” said Michael Flynn, chief marketing officer and acting chief of staff at the Economic Development Corporation of Utah. “Mueller Industries is a well-regarded company with a history of success. This is a great example of state and local teamwork to recruit new jobs to Utah.”