The Governor's Office of Economic Development's Business Development Board on Friday approved a tax rebate of up to $286,000 over a 10-year period to help Malnove Inc. relocate, expand and upgrade a folding carton manufacturing plant in Weber County.

Limitations at the Clearfield facility are causing about half of the Utah operations to be preprocessed at a plant in Omaha, Neb. The company wants to close that plant and move to an expanded location. It is considering several sites in Weber County.

Sixty-three new jobs will be created in connection with the expansion, adding to 104 existing jobs. New state revenue is expected to top $950,000 over 10 years. The capital investment is expected to be about $15 million.

The company had requested an incentive of $1.2 million. The approved tax rebate comes with the requirement that the company pay at least 75 percent above the Weber County median wage. Request documents indicate the average pay would be $41,350, or 92 percent above the county median of $21,500.

The company must commit to keeping operations in Utah at least 10 years. A local incentive of $300,000 to $350,000 also is required.

The company also has considered Las Vegas and Stockton, Calif., for the expansion.

Malnove, founded in 1948 in Nebraska, expanded to Utah more than 20 years ago and to Florida a decade ago. It is a folding carton manufacturer, providing packaging used in the perishable bakery, dry goods, frozen foods, hardware, household products, personal care, medicinal, dairy case and frozen novelties markets.

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