Technicians assemble an FJ33-5A turbo fan jet engine at the Williams International manufacturing
plant in Ogden. The Michigan-based company plans to create 316 jobs over the next
20 years in a $1 billion expansion project in Ogden, where it has had a plant operating since
1978. Photo courtesy of Williams International.
20-YEAR PROJECT TO BRING 316 JOBS
Brice Wallace
A jet engine maker will zoom forward with an expansion at its Ogden manufacturing plant, adding 316 jobs and investing more than $1 billion in the project over the next two decades.
Williams International, based in Michigan, will get assistance from the state of Utah. The Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity board, at its December meeting, approved a tax credit incentive of up to $29 million over 20 years.
Founded in 1955, the company designs, manufactures and supports gas turbine engines. The privately owned company has had a factory in Ogden since 1978. The company has produced over 29,000 engines for the military and 8,000 engines for commercial operations with over 20 million hours of commercial fleet operation.
“Utah is a great place to do business, and GOEO’s efforts are making it even stronger,” Gregg Williams, the company’s chairman, president and CEO, said in a prepared statement. “Growing in Weber County grants us the opportunity to expand our existing footprint, while offering high-quality jobs and allowing us to proudly remain one of the largest employers in Ogden, Utah.”
Williams has produced the majority of engines for light and very light business jets in the world, as well as all the engines for America’s long-range cruise missiles. At its manufacturing facilities, aluminum ingots and other raw materials enter one end and finished engines exit the other.
The newest state incentive is the third for the company. It was approved for an expansion incentive of up to $18.9 million in 2004, tied to the creation of 153 jobs in a $43.9 million project. In 2020, it was approved for an incentive of up to $6.8 million to add 300 jobs in Ogden in a $60 million, 100,000-square-foot project involving the move of production from a Mexican facility shut down due to a fire. The incentives are part of the state’s Economic Development Tax Increment Financing program.
John Sordyl, the company’s executive vice president of customer experience, told the GOEO board that the EDTIF in 2004 “was a key factor in our decision to bring an expansion to the Ogden plant.”
“And that expansion was extremely successful,” he said. “It brought significant growth to Williams and to Ogden and really helped develop that factory into one of the crown jewels of aerospace manufacturing in the nation.”
“You’ve been a great partner to Utah and we look forward to your expansion here,” replied Jesse Turley, acting GOEO board chair.
Jim Grover, GOEO’s managing director of economic growth, noted that GOEO (first under the name Governor’s Office of Economic Development) has been in existence for two decades, with Williams receiving its first incentive in 2004. “We’re 20 years old and here we are, with a company we’ve been working with for 20 years, and so we’re looking forward to a full 40 years working with Williams International,” he told the board and Sordyl. “You’re a very important piece of Utah, especially of what you provide to aerospace and defense.”
The 316 new jobs are projected to pay an average of $98,413. New total wages over 20 years are estimated at about $522 million, and new state tax revenue is expected to be nearly $97 million during that time.
Sara Meess, director of Ogden’s Business Development Division, said the city is “absolutely thrilled that they’re looking at doing this expansion here in Ogden.”
The company, she said, has been “an anchor employer in Ogden for many years now, and they’re creating very high-quality jobs that allow Ogden residents to really sustain their families. They’ve also been a great champion of workforce development efforts in the area, ensuring that our residents are well-prepared to access those high-quality jobs.”
In a prepared statement, Ogden Mayor Ben Nadolski said the project exemplifies “The Ogden Way” of “creating opportunities that benefit us all.”
“Williams has been an anchor employer in Ogden since 1978, providing high-quality, family-supporting aerospace jobs while championing workforce development efforts that connect our residents to these opportunities,” the mayor said. “Its expansion not only strengthens our local economy, but also reaffirms our shared commitment to building a community where everyone can thrive. We are proud to support Williams International’s continued growth in Ogden.”
“Utah is at the forefront of innovation and production in today’s turbine engine aviation industry,” said Ryan Starks, GOEO’s executive director. “The growth of this industry reflects our state’s commitment to advancing cutting-edge technology and creating high-caliber opportunities for the future of aerospace. As a global leader in turbine engine development, Williams International exemplifies excellence in production and research. We are proud to offer this incentive, supporting their continued leadership and record-breaking achievements in quality and innovation.”
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.