Ogden-based Fresenius Medical Care will receive a $525,000 state grant to expand its facility, which it says will bring up to 350 new jobs to Weber County.
The Industrial Assistance Fund grant was approved Friday by the Utah Board of Business and Economic Development. It will allow the company to add nearly 32,000 square feet to its existing 390,000-square-foot facility and add 350 full-time employees to its 850-person roster."We're very happy about it," Fresenius human resources director Dick Groben said. "We feel it will benefit the company and the community, because we'll be adding new jobs. And, because we'll be expanding the plant, we will also be utilizing local businesses."
Fresenius is headquartered in Germany and employs more than 20,000 people worldwide. The company specializes in kidney dialysis products, treatment and testing.
Groben said the company will begin the plant expansion "as soon as possible." He said he anticipates hiring 350 new employees during the next three years. The bulk of those jobs will be production-related, Groben said.
According to the company's grant application, the average salary for the additional jobs is expected to be $39,000. Figures released by the Governor's Office of Planning and Budget estimated the Fresenius expansion will have an $11 million annual impact on Utah's economy.
"Fresenius is a great example of success building on success," IAF director John Homer said in a prepared statement. "When the plant first opened, the IAF was involved, and now that it is ready for a major expansion, the IAF is ready to help again."
The IAF was established in 1991 to facilitate economic development in Utah. As with other IAF grants, Fresenius will be expected to fulfill certain requirements, such as hiring the agreed-upon number of new employees, and purchasing products and services from local vendors. If the company fails to meet those requirements, it may be obligated to repay part or all of the money it receives.