Economic development in Emery County

By PHIL FAUVER staff writer

The Lieutenant Governor of Utah and the Governor’s Office of Economic Development made a familiarity tour of Emery County and local businesses recently. Jordan Leonard and Chelsea Guymon of the Emery County Economic Development Office prepared a full schedule of places to visit. Family owned and operated successful businesses were scheduled to be on this tour by Lt. Governor Spencer Cox and the Office of Economic Development staff.
Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox said, “It was a pleasure recently joining a GOED FAM tour of Emery County. It is encouraging to see many businesses progressing despite the range of challenges associated with operating in rural Utah. These businesses are engaged in diverse and exciting fields. Whether they are a large supplier for the Department of Defense or the Rose Bowl Stadium, these companies are making an impact both inside and outside our state. I applaud the efforts of Emery County to work with surrounding counties to build essential infrastructure in the region, and look forward to seeing what this profound coalition can accomplish.”
The group toured Conductive Composites at Cleveland, Guymon’s Machine and Fabrication Company in Cleveland, Forbidden Fruit in Cleveland, the Garden Café for lunch in Huntington. At the Garden Café Emery County Business Chamber President Jared Anderson made a presentation about Emery Telcom, the tour then went to Genco Mine Service Company and Nielson’s Construction Company in Huntington. The tour traveled south to the Live Earth Company in Emery. That first day of touring ended at the Millsite Golf Course for dinner west of Ferron.
Nate Hansen and George Hansen owners and founders of Conductive Composites gave the group a tour of their manufacturing line and described how they manufacture shielded wire and other things. They reinforce plastic with carbon fiber which increases the strength. Conductive Composites makes materials that shield digital electronics from outside electronic signals. Conductive Composites is currently in the process of moving a manufacturing line from the Green River plant to the Cleveland plant.
Demar Guymon owner of Guymon Manufacturing and Fabrication Company started in 1989. He employs 12 people making parts and equipment for the power plant and the coal mines. Other shops in the area come to him for metal cutting and other services. His shop utilizes computerized welding equipment for speed, quality and accuracy. Guymon has diversified into other niche markets to keep his shop busy.
Darcey Powell owner of the Forbidden Fruit Company displayed her caramel apples and her varieties of fudge. This started as a cottage industry in her home and has expanded to a storefront business on Main Street. Associated Foods and others distribute her products. She goes to many events all over the state selling her products. Darcey’s web site receives orders from around the USA. Schools from all over the state order her caramel apples.
Hilary Gordon and her daughter Tammy Oviatt manage the Garden Café and Gordon’s Floral and they serve excellent tasty food.
While this tour group was eating lunch at the Garden Café the Emery County Business Chamber President Jared Anderson made a presentation about Emery Telcom and the fiber optics cable being installed throughout Emery County and surrounding counties. This fiber optics cable does not experience the limitations of copper wiring.
At Genco Mine Service, David Sebring gave a tour of his plant where underground mining vehicles are made. The vehicles are used to carry men and equipment deep into coal mines and other mines. Sebring said, “We are able to compete with the Chinese, who also build underground mining vehicles.” In the factory the group saw a vehicle that Genco Mine Supply had built, and the raw materials used to build the vehicles. David sells vehicles all through the US and into Canada. They work through distributors to sell their product.
John Nielson the manager of Nielson Construction Company gave the group a tour of an asphalt plant. John’s grandfather and his brother started the company several years ago with only one dozer used for cleaning the ditches of local farmers. In the 1970s when the power plants came in and Joes Valley Dam was constructed there was other kinds of work to do. Most of the growth has occurred in the last 10 years. Four years ago Nielson’s opened an office in Duchesne They now employ about 300 people. Nielson said, “We rely on the coal industry but we try to stay diversified. Nielson’s does many projects for the Utah Department of Transportation.”
Nielson Construction is becoming more mobile with a mobile batch plant and crushing operation so their work can be accomplished out of this general area.
The Taylor family owns the Live Earth Company. David Taylor is the founder. He studied and explored many alternatives to petroleum-based fertilizer. He staked a claim on a mine 25 years ago and learned how to make mineral supplements from this ore and that began the Live Earth enterprise. His two sons help manage the business of preparing humic shale to be used in agriculture, animal feeds, dietary supplements, cosmetic ingredients as well as in soil additives for turf and home gardening. Live Earth provides an organic mixture only found in completely decomposed, ancient plant life. Other sources of organic matter, like compost or manure, are usually not entirely broken down and can take nitrogen away from the plants. David Taylor and his son Russell gave a brief tour of the manufacturing plant. David was especially proud of their Solar World panels installed by a Utah-based company Creative Energies and provides annually 57,000 kW per hour. The solar panels supply about 120 percent of Live Earth’s energy needs for mineral processing.
The group next toured the Millsite golf course and were treated to a view of the Millsite Dam spilling and views from each of the 18 hole golf course located in Ferron. There the group sampled a dinner prepared by Taina Benson and her daughter Sierra.
Danny Van Wagoner the mayor of Castle Dale and his wife joined the group, the conversation turned to the tourism industry and the opportunities for recreation in Emery County.
The tour drove to Green River, where they spent the night and had breakfast at the Tamarisk Restaurant.
There was a presentation by the Epicenter in Green River and golfing at the Green River Golf Course.
Members of the tour group were as follows.
Debbie Hatt Executive Director of the Association of Governments, Jordan Leonard Emery County Economic Development Jonathon Hunt Ranger Huntington State Park, Chelsea Guymon Emery County Economic Development, Kelsey Berg with Congressman Jason Chaffetz Office, Linda Gillmor, Governors Office of Economic Development, Director of Rural Development, Nicole Steele, Shelly Ivy, Lt Gov Spencer Cox, his son Caleb Cox, his assistant Steven Lefevre, State Representative Brad King, Luann Adams Commissioner of Agriculture and Food, and husband Bob Adams, Jake Hardman, Dan Royal, Ben Hart, Fred Lang all from the Governors Office of Economic Development.