Davis County positioning itself to land Janicki Industries' new facility

FARMINGTON — Janicki Industries, a Washington state-based composites manufacturing company, already has committed to expanding in Utah. The lingering question: Where?

The Davis County Commission took a step Tuesday that could land the expansion there, perhaps in Layton.

A resolution authorizing the issuance and sale of $9.5 million in federal stimulus bonds still faces a June 29 public hearing, and the process also needs final approval for the execution of a loan agreement between the county, Janicki and Wells Fargo Bank.

But Ben Hart, economic development specialist for Layton, said Tuesday's resolution bolsters the county's chances.

"We're hoping that facility will be in our community," Hart said.

The company is considering three to five sites in northern Utah, and getting the 50-job expansion would be "a big boon, not only for Davis County, but also the aerospace and composites industry in the state of Utah," Hart said.

"At this point, a deal has not been finalized, but this bond goes a long way in helping this company do due diligence in selecting a final location," he said.

Janicki Industries, based in Sedro-Woolley, Wash., in May accepted a 10-year tax credit incentive of up to $316,275 from the Governor's Office of Economic Development. The company plans to build a $19.5 million composites manufacturing facility in Utah — documents at that time mentioned Layton — to support the F-35 joint strike fighter program.

In 2001, Lockheed Martin was selected as the F-35 program's prime contractor, and Janicki has been awarded contracts in the F-35's development phase since 2002. Janicki officials said in May that the new facility will help it fulfill its contractual obligations to Alliant Techsystems and Hitco Carbon Composites.

The state incentive is tied to the new jobs paying 25 percent above the Davis County average wage. The project is expected to result in more than $20.5 million in new state wages over 10 years and more than $1.5 million in new state revenue during that period, according to board documents.

The family-owned company was founded as Janicki Machine Design in 1993. It focuses on composite fabrication and machining for the aerospace, transportation and wind-energy markets. The company has more than 350 employees in Washington state.