Utah may have gained 5,270 jobs

If the fiscal year 2007 efforts of the Economic Development Corp. of Utah are fully realized, the state will have gained 5,270 new jobs and retained 840.

Jeff Edwards, president and chief executive officer of EDCU, told the Governor's Office of Economic Development Board on Friday that the operations of the companies recruited by EDCU, working in conjunction with GOED, totaled more than 2.5 million square feet.

And EDCU's pending announcements involve more than 800 jobs and $884 million in capital investments, he said.

For the past two years, EDCU has been under contract to manage corporate recruitment for the state.

Edwards listed several recruited companies — Conestoga Wood Specialties, West Liberty Foods, Smith Sport Optics, Syracuse Castings, US Holdings and KraftMaid — that will have grand openings or other special events in coming months.

And the EDCU's successes include 64 new jobs and 265 retained at Smith Sport Optics, 130 new jobs for Allegheny Technologies, 230 new jobs at Amer Sports and 500 new jobs for West Liberty Foods.

Edwards also noted that of the 65 "most active" projects among the 180 EDCU is handling, 26 involve manufacturing companies, 15 are in business services, 10 are in distribution or warehousing and six are in information technology/electronics.

Jason Perry, executive director of GOED, said many people work hard on corporate recruitment. "Everyone's been filling very important pieces of this whole puzzle," Perry said.

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