Incentives mean growth for Logan, LaVerkin companies, adding 300+ jobs

Brice Wallace 

A pair of Utah-based companies will add a combined 300-plus employees over the next few years as they expand at their headquarters cities.

Campbell Scientific Inc. will add 268 jobs in Logan over 10 years, while Vitalpax Inc. will add 40 jobs in La Verkin over the next decade. The expansion announcements came after the companies were approved for tax rebate incentives by the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity (Go Utah) board.

The $40 million Campbell project will feature jobs expected to pay an average of $85,447.{mprestriction ids="1,3"}

Campbell provides measurement and data-acquisition solutions for environmental, renewable energy and infrastructure applications, including those related to weather, water, energy, gas flux and turbulence, infrastructure and soil. Founded in 1974 in Logan, the company has offices worldwide and other subsidiary businesses in which it holds a majority of interest.

Globally, Campbell Scientific employs more than 800 people, with over 300 people in engineering, production, sales, marketing and administration departments located at its facility in Logan.

“We have 16 offices worldwide and we’re also looking at other expansion opportunities, but we’d love to continue to grow here in Logan, where many of us are from,” Rob Campbell, president and CEO, told the Go Utah board before its incentive vote. “We’re looking at two expansions over the next 10 years, one to be started here right away later this year or early in 2023. … [This is] just really a good opportunity for us to continue growing what we’re doing here in Logan and hope that we can have your support in doing so.”

Logan Mayor Holly H. Daines said Campbell Scientific is doing “wonderful work.”

“One reason we are so successful is we have a number of these homegrown companies that have just been extraordinary successful and now have worldwide presence, and those are the types of high-tech, clean businesses that we want,” she said. “Campbell is a great company and we’re very supportive of that.”

“We’ve had a great association with them for a many, many years,” added Kirk Jensen, Logan’s economic development director. “But what they’ve got going here with this expansion planned and to have it hopefully occur in Logan, Utah, we’re thrilled about it. … We’re really looking forward to their growth.”

The Campbell tax rebate is for up to $7.1 million over 10 years. The new project is projected to generate new total wages of over $141 million over the next decade and more than $28.5 million in new state tax revenue during that time.

“We’re delighted that Campbell Scientific has chosen to expand its Utah headquarters,” Dan Hemmert, Go Utah’s executive director, said in a prepared statement. “Campbell not only offers superior measurement products with a variety of applications, but it also has a legacy of supporting its employees and the local community.”

“Campbell Scientific is a global company with a five-decade legacy in Logan,” said Theresa A. Foxley, president and CEO of the Economic Development Corporation of Utah. “This expansion demonstrates the company’s continued commitment to Cache County and our state’s advantages for international business.”

Vitalpax specializes in contract manufacturing of dietary nutritional supplements. Its services include start-to-finish research and development, testing, sourcing and procurement, manufacturing, and delivering the final nutritional supplement product. The offerings can include delivery forms such as tinctures, capsules, tablets, powders and juices.

Owned and operated by brothers Dalyon, Jacob and Ben Ruesch, Vitalpax was started as a small business in the Ruesch home in 2014. It has about 80 employees in La Verkin.

“We’re excited to keep growing there in Southern Utah,” Dalyon Ruesch, CEO, told the Go Utah board.

The $5 million project is expected to generate new wages of more than $11 million over the next 10 years. The new jobs are expected to pay an average of $55,000. The project also is projected to generate new state tax revenue of more than $1 million over the next decade.

The Go Utah board approved a tax rebate incentive of up to $319,397 over 10 years and an Industrial Assistance Account Economic Opportunity Grant of $100,000.

“We’re excited to see Vitalpax continue to grow in La Verkin, Utah,” said Dan Hemmert, the Office of Economic Opportunity’s executive director. “The company’s dedication to its local community has been obvious throughout our discussions, and we wish Vitalpax continued success.”

“Vitalpax has been a mainstay in Washington County, and its manufacturing and distribution expansion will continue to diversify the city of La Verkin’s economy,” said Theresa A. Foxley, president and CEO of the Economic Development Corporation of Utah. “The expansion is well aligned with Gov. Cox’s goal to encourage job growth and investment across the entire state.”

Go Utah does not provide upfront cash incentives. Each year that compnaies meet the obligations in contracts with the state, they will qualify to receive a portion of the new, additional state taxes they paid to the state.{/mprestriction}