ST. GEORGE — CaptiveAire, Inc., a leading manufacturer of commercial kitchen ventilation equipment, is relocating their engineering operations to St. George.
CaptiveAire’s decision, announced in a press release, means that 50 high-paying jobs will be added to the St. George area over the next seven years.
“We’re excited that CaptiveAire has decided to grow in St. George,” Dan Hemmert, executive director for Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development, said in the press release. “This expansion will create high-paying jobs in sales, engineering, and management.”
CaptiveAire manufactures dedicated outdoor air systems, listed ductwork, exhaust hoods and fans, electrical controls, industrial heaters and fire suppression systems. The company serves a variety of restaurants and national chains, as well as public and private industrial, correctional, military, hotel and school facilities.
The company chose St. George over Austin, Texas, and Boise, Idaho, said councilman and St. George Area Economic Development executive director Gregg McArthur.
“Ultimately, the company selected Southern Utah due to the high quality of life found in the area,” McArthur told St. George News via email. “That will allow them to attract and retain top talent for their engineering operations.”
The Governor’s Office of Economic Development Board may have had a hand in the company’s decision to move to St. George, approving a post-performance tax credit for CaptiveAire. Each year that CaptiveAire meets the criteria in its contract with the state, it may potentially earn up to 20% of the new state taxes it pays, not to exceed $133,786, over the seven-year term of the contract.
“They will receive a tax credit on payroll taxes they pay to the state,” McArthur said. “As they hire employees and pay taxes, the credit will be reimbursed to them annually up to the incentive amount.”
In the press release from the Governor’s Office of Economic Development, McArthur acknowledged that the tax credit helped but said St. George’s talent pool is also a formidable attraction.
“The decision of CaptiveAire to expand its engineering operations in Washington County is evidence that we are quickly becoming a top choice for companies looking for a highly-skilled workforce,” he said.
Bob Luddy, president and founder of CaptiveAire, added that he’s looking forward to opening an office and research lab in Utah.
“St. George has been the home of our application engineering team for some time,” he said. “And we’re excited to see this area of our company grow and expand.”
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