EDCUtah's 2008/2009 fiscal year, which ended June 30, was a highly successful one for economic development, especially in terms of the quality jobs that will be created and the capital investments that will be made.

For example, the recently announced Reckitt Benckiser project will add 100 jobs with higher than average wages to the economy in Tooele County. Of that project, Economic Development Director Nicole Cline says it was important to both Reckitt Benckiser and the Tooele redevelopment agency that the company should offer a generous benefit package as well as great wages.

"In a time when most areas are talking about the loss of jobs and increasing unemployment numbers, it was welcome news that Reckitt Benckiser, Inc. selected Tooele County for its new distribution facility, which will add quality jobs to the area and give local businesses the opportunity to gain another customer," she says. "Reckitt Benckiser is a company that provides local support to the communities where it locates. Additionally, the location of its distribution facility in the Miller Motorsports Park has sparked additional interest in the area, which will provide more opportunities in the future."

Meanwhile, a renewable energy wind farm project under construction in Milford by First Wind is adding 25 high paying jobs to that area and expanding Utah's cluster of renewable energy companies, while FreeMotion Fitness, the commercial division of ICON Health & Fitness, will add 60 jobs to the Logan economy. In South Jordan, eBay's construction of a $334 million data center will add approximately 50 high paying jobs while Verisys Corporation's newly opened operations center is expected to add 100 high paying jobs to the area.

"The companies that have located in the City of South Jordan this year, through the collaboration of EDCUtah and the Governor's Office of Economic Development, have had a wonderful impact on our community," says Brian Preece, South Jordan's long-term planning & sustainability director, "not only for the jobs created but also for the impact on other industries."

Preece says the eBay Data Center project has created between 700 to 775 construction field and office jobs in the area, which has been an obvious boon to the local economy and construction industry. Beyond adding jobs to the area, the location of eBay and Verisys operations in South Jordan will add to the property and sales tax base of the city and surrounding communities.

All in all, during the 2008/2009 fiscal year EDCUtah helped 24 companies select Utah for new or expanded operations, with 4,068 jobs created, another 1,093 jobs retained, and capital investment totaling more than $1.4 billion. Here's a breakdown of project wins by location:

Of the 24 project wins, 11 are directly or indirectly related to manufacturing. Two life sciences manufacturing projects -- Nelson Laboratories, Inc.'s expansion in Taylorsville and WorldHeart Corporation's consolidation of its California operations to its Salt Lake City facility -- will add 415 new jobs and retain 385 jobs in Utah's life sciences cluster, while two other manufacturing projects will add 400 jobs and retain 30 jobs in the state's composites cluster. Here's a breakdown of all the projects by sector:

"Utah has a great story to tell and we congratulate all of the companies that have selected the state as the location for their business relocation or expansion efforts," says Jeff Edwards, president & CEO of the Economic Development Corporation of Utah. "What's more, the entire list of project wins indicates how well our communities, state and local businesses come together to help grow our economy and create opportunities for our residents."

The full story of EDCUtah's fiscal year in review is published in the summer issue of Utah Site Selection Quarterly. Click here to read it now.