4 Utah businesses receive incentives

Four Utah businesses — from a microbrewer to an insulation company — received rural economic development incentives in the first quarter from the Governor's Office of Economic Development.

Businesses in rural areas apply for the grants if they need money to expand. If the business is selected to receive grant money, the state will match half of the expansion expenses up to $50,000.

Moab Brewery has received a $34,130 grant from the state to expand production and packaging of its beers for wholesale. The company sells eight different lagers and ales in its Main Street restaurant and some of its beers in grocery stores throughout the state, and some of the grant money will be used to hire a new employee.

The rural grant application requires recipients to describe any job creation that will result from expansion, said Derek Miller, managing director of GOED's corporate recruitment and incentives program, on Thursday after a meeting of the GOED board.

Barton Insulation in Vernal will receive up to $41,086 from the state. Three jobs will be created with the expansion. The company is expanding in the oil industry and needs money to insulate above-ground oil pipes, Miller said.

Triassic Stone in Moab will receive $19,305 for new equipment to expand manufacturing operations. Three jobs will be created, Miller said.

Young's Machine Co., based in Monticello, makes large trucks for underground mining operations. The company received $37,500. With the money, the company purchased a service truck equipped with a welder and air compressor that will travel to the mines and service Young Machine equipment.

"This is the first one we've ever had," said Steve Young, one of Young's partners, about the service truck. "We've been in business 50 years."

E-mail: lhancock@desnews.com