WEST VALLEY CITY -- The National Unemployment numbers are down, but not by much. September saw 148,000 jobs created in the United States. Here in Utah, the unemployment rate is 2.5 percent below the national average, and job growth, according to the state, is strong.
Companies and employers keep coming to Utah because of the strong unemployment rate of 4.7 percent.
One local manufacturer is one of Utah’s top 100 emerging companies.
Silencerco is having the success most companies only dream of. The West Valley City company makes gun silencers at their facility. They start with a piece of steel and turn it into the finished product.
The company has seen rapid growth and business is up 3,000 percent from 2009.
“It`s sort of a perfect storm, there`s low taxes, there`s a high level of personal freedom and there`s a lot of skilled individuals in this state,” said Mike Aland, Silencer-co Marketing vice president.
Just six months ago, Silencerco had 55 employees and now that number has grown to 80. It is news state business leaders love to hear.
“Our outdoor amenities, our state parks, they really add to that quality of life. Businesses look at our workforce, not only do we want young energetic people, we want them to enjoy where they live,” said Nick Dunn, Department of Workforce Services.
That's also what keeps Utah at the top of national rankings for best places to live or do business.
Aland couldn't agree more. He moved here from San Diego, Calif. and has no plans of leaving Utah.
“The quality of life that Utah provides I think is immense,” Aland said. “We enjoy a high level of personal freedom that isn’t really found in a lot of states.”
Silencerco is planning to add another building and hire even more employees, which will not be entry-level jobs.
“It`s pretty awesome because the talent pool we draw from is pretty immense, from skilled labor, machinists, welders and so forth all of the way to marketing professionals,” Aland said.
The Department of Workforce Services reports that the Utah economy has created more than 21,000 new jobs this year-to-date. Utah is attractive to businesses for a number of reasons. Among them, the large number of universities, a large-skilled workforce, and a good quality of life.
