'Mud-breaking' for plant

WEST JORDAN — KraftMaid is coming to Utah.

KraftMaid may not be coming to Utah.

Long live KraftMaid.

That sums up Utah's relationship with KraftMaid Cabinetry Inc. since February. The Ohio-based company said then it would build a huge manufacturing facility in West Jordan, aided by a large incentive from the state, but later entertained the idea of putting it in another state — an action that yielded an even bigger deal from Utah.

A Friday event, which wet weather nearly turned into a ceremonial "mud-breaking" for the building's construction, culminated the roller-coaster ride and provided tangible evidence that KraftMaid is here to stay. No public comments, however, mentioned the possible location switcheroo, instead focusing on the economic and social impact the huge plant is expected to yield for years to come.

"I think that this is going to become where people make their careers, where livelihoods are made, where people make a good product, make a good living and in turn raise families and support communities in terms of what goes on here," Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. said.

"It's just a very, very good — a great day, as a matter of fact — for Utah and for our economic base," the governor said later, "and I just want to thank KraftMaid for making it all possible."

KraftMaid's first plant west of the Mississippi River is the largest single investment for parent company Masco Corp., according to KraftMaid President Tom Chieffe.

"This truly is going to be an innovative plant," Chieffe said. "It will be the most advanced in the cabinetry industry. And when it's up and running at full capacity, we'll be building about 6,000 cabinets (daily), which we direly need the capacity at this point because our business is booming."

The plant will serve the West Coast and part of the central U.S.

"We have a lot of untapped market share in both of those regions, and really it comes down to timing of product," Chieffe said. "How fast can your product get to the West Coast has been hindering that growth.

"When we were looking for a site . . . we weren't just looking for a spot on the map with great transportation access. We were looking for a place in the West where the people and the quality of people are very spirited and actually aligned very well with what we're all about at KraftMaid."