Leitner-Poma of America Opens New Facility in Tooele, Utah

Today, Leitner-Poma of America (LPOA) celebrated the opening of the company’s new Skytrac manufacturing facility in Tooele, Utah. The company is known for engineering, producing, installing and servicing all types of cable transport systems for the ski industry, amusement parks and urban transport.

The new campus, close to Salt Lake City, will support LPOA’s Made in America initiative by serving as the headquarters and sole-manufacturing base for Skytrac, an LPOA subsidiary. The new facility also provides expanded production for LPOA to assist with increasing demand in the ski industry and growth in urban markets, including serving as a regional distribution and service center for LPOA’s affiliate companies Prinoth, which produces snow groomers, and Demaclenko, which produces snowmaking systems.

“It’s a great day in Utah as we celebrate the opening of our newest, largest manufacturing facility in the U.S.,” said Daren Cole, president and chief executive officer of LPOA. “The demand for this new facility is a reflection of the growth in the resort industry as well as the growing interest of urban planners to seek out new, alternative forms of clean transportation. This new facility represents a significant investment in the State of Utah, our industry and the talented people who’ll be manufacturing our products.”

The new campus in Tooele is LPOA’s largest facility in the country at more than 130,000 square-feet of manufacturing. The company invested more than $27 million in the new campus. As an LPOA subsidiary, Skytrac focuses on the production, design, installation and service of fixed-grip ski lifts. The new, larger facility will allow the business to increase production and expand headcount up to 120 employees, with further growth possible in additional phases of the project.

Cole was joined by parent company HTI Group’s Chairman Anton Seeber and Tooele City Mayor Debbie Winn for the opening celebration. A video from State of Utah Lt. Governor Deidre Henderson was played where she lauded the company for its investment in Utah and congratulated LPOA for the opening. She also noted the importance of LPOA’s investment in the state and the economic impacts of the new facility.

“At full capacity, this facility will provide 120 high paying manufacturing jobs to sustain local families and contribute to the economic success of rural Utah,” said Lt. Governor Henderson. “The impact of this investment in Tooele extends far beyond the factory walls you’ll see today while on tour.

A key partnership with nearby Tooele Technical College is already starting, intended to created hands on learning opportunities for students. This partnership promises to help generate a regional manufacturing workforce to put Utah at the forefront of building safe, efficient and sustainable transportation solutions.”

As the Lt. Governor noted, LPOA’s commitment to the state goes beyond the work at the new facility. LPOA has developed a partnership with Tooele Technical College that extends the company’s commitment to the trades and the future of Made in America manufacturing. The program includes six CTE scholarships and a tuition reimbursement program for those hired through the program for machining and welding. A lift maintenance program also is being developed.

LPOA is committed to the ongoing education and hiring of a diverse and quality work force. One of its key initiatives in the state is focused on hiring veterans. The company has partnered with the Veteran and Military Employment Services team for the State of Utah Department of Workforce Services to connect veterans and their skills to open positions.

Skytrac’s new headquarters is located on a 25-acre lot in the Tooele Business Park. Tooele provides easy access to the highway and airport as well as Salt Lake City and surrounding communities. The location also grants Skytrac access to a number of Utah-based suppliers producing Made in America components and raw materials.  

“These will be Made in America products by hard working, local professionals,” added Cole. “We are doubling down on making 85-90 percent of our equipment right here in Utah and next door in Grand Junction, Colorado.”

The facility includes a sizeable investment in sustainability with a number of renewable sources. The company installed a powerful LTW42 wind turbine on the new campus. Developed by LPOA’s affiliate company LEITWIND, the LTW42 turbine stands at 162 feet tall and boasts a capacity of 250 kilowatts, making it capable of covering up to 100% of a plant’s electricity needs.

The LTW42 turbine is a unique solution that not only reduces carbon footprint but also facilitates decentralized energy generation. Its comparatively small size and silent DirectDrive generator make it an ideal solution for businesses and communities looking to become energy self-sufficient in a clean and cost-effective way. The company’s new Tooele plant serves as a showcase for the benefits of bespoke technology. If market demand develops as expected, the turbines could be manufactured at the Utah facility to cater to the entire North American market. Phase two of constructing the new facility also calls for the installation of solar panels.

In addition to the new Utah campus, LPOA also maintains a nearly 100,000 square-foot facility in Grand Junction, Colo.. The company recently purchased an additional five acres in Grand Junction, adjacent to its existing facility, in order to expand capabilities there as well.